Mosaic Coffeehouse

Great coffee and ample seating and a wonderful children’s play place. I enjoy the open atmosphere. It took a little bit to understand the payment system but once I got it I was on board.

Getting a coffee at Mosaic will give you a moment of humility, and let’s face it, we probably all need that moment every now and again as a reminder. This is because Mosaic is 1) in the basement of Seattle First Church of the Nazarene, 2) next to Discovery House, 3) pay-​what-​you-​think-​you-​should-​pay. They do have a menu board, with suggested prices for drinks.
You’ll probably pay a little more than you think you pay for your coffee break anywhere else. You’ll feel like a heel if you’re stingy. I suggest that if you like the idea of a community coffee house, and you like the idea of paying it forward, then buy a token for the jar. People who don’t have any money can use up to 2 tokens a day for a drink or nosh item.
I had a day recently where I really, really just needed one good thing, but money is a issue for me right now. I had $ 1.25 in my pocket: not enough for that espresso drink anywhere else nearby. So I took a walk, swallowed my pride, and handed over that miserable $ 1.25. And I was really, really grateful.
The seating in the very large main room is comfortable and varied. You can enjoy a table large enough to spread out your notebooks and laptop. Wifi is free.
Their hours aren’t as long as a corporate coffee place. Currently, they are open late (until 9) on Mondays, but close at 2 most other weekdays.
The coffee is Fidalgo Bay and the cookies/​pastries are from other local businesses.

An incredibly unique and special spot. Community driven, baristas are kind, its open, spacious, and houses so many purposes. I nanny and take my kids here to at in the play room in rainy days and its THE BEST gathering place for kids and caregivers.

I love that this place offers room rental and food and beverage items by donation. I’ve even here for workshops, talks, interviews, one-​to-​one meetings, and even held my own talks and events here. It’s spacious, private when you need it, and friendly for sure!
The staff is helpful and accommodating, I’ll of laughs and smiles, and flexible. They have WiFi, clean restrooms, pastries, coffee, tea and more.
The missing star:
If you use the den space and need it quiet, the banging during the espresso making process it really distracting and interruptive. If you use the space at night for an event, make sure you tell people to eat prior, there isn’t much of a selection if any at that time. What they do have, is not at all allergy friendly, meaning half the town wont be able to eat it. ALTHOUGH — they are accommodating ad make up for it by allowing you to bring your food in and use their dishes, etc., if needed. That made me happier.
Bookings for evening and weekend times are scarce. But if you ask the right person, you may be able to work it out.
The price is right and accommodations are easy.

Wow what an amazing hidden gem! I found this little coffee house because of a meeting I planned on attending was meeting here. I just figure it was a regular old coffee shop. It kind of is but WAY better.
First it’s in the basement of what seems to be a church. When you walk in it looks like any other coffee shop. I ordered my drink and the lady then said we are based on donation so pay what you can or what you think is fair. I was shocked! I had my card all pulled out ready to go which they take but then I remembers I had some cash I paid about the same as I do when I go to the larger chain shops felt that seemed fair.
Next they have a HUGE playroom area for kids with all kinds of great toys climbing structures and activities to keep the little ones busy. It’s in their «Den» room which is nice for meetings cause you can close the doors and the little ones can’t escape.
I think this is a great community spot and if your a broke college kid needing caffeine and a quiet place to study this would be perfect!

This is a hidden gem!
I loved this coffee house for these reasons:
Great place for meetings. Big tables to accommodate varying group sizes (see photos). Free WiFi. Pretty low noise level.
Great place for kids. GIANT play room for kids of all ages (again, see photos). Okay, so I guess if you’re 15 you’d be pretty bored. But kids below the age of 12 can definitely find something to do and keep themselves busy. Good room for breastfeeding moms, too.
Street parking only, but not tough to find.
Prices are not fixed. Just offer what you can… and they seriously did not seem judgmental.
Fair warning: Some patrons can be smelly.

Great kids and adult café but keep your kids close, the five year olds run amock in the kids room. Since the kids room is separated from the rest of the café by a French door: adults with laptops and novels can find peace and the kids can have play time in the well stocked play room. The only problem in the play room is that it’s large enough to accommodate groups of adults which tends to lead some parents to completely not pay attention as their offsprings go wild knowing that their parents are distracted. I went on a Tuesday at 11am and found two different groups of moms focussed on each other while their five year olds climbed on top of the plastic play house and stood on the roof not paying attention where they landed and what little toddlers were near them. I’ll be going back in the afternoon next time.
The Raspberry Mocha I ordered was very good.

Mosaic is awesome if you have a toddler. The playroom here is huge, with tables for kids and grown-​ups both. There are TONS of toys here, of all varieties, even a playhouse (which my daughter loves). They don’t charge to use the playroom (unlike Twirl) and every time we have been here it has been packed with kids for my daughter to play with.
But this place is more than a playroom. The drip coffee is GREAT, the espresso drinks are mixed quality, but never bad. There is tons of space, great for study groups, meetings, board game playing, anything you could want.
My only complaint is that they don’t have food here. Sometimes there are pastries/​quiche, but it sells out. I know you can bring your own food in, but I forget.
Overall, Mosaic=Awesome sauce.

I came here for weekly work meetings for a few months, and just didn’t really love the experience.
Their pricing concept is cool (pay what you can), obviously community-​oriented, with free wi-​fi, and it’s convenient for meeting with bigger groups. The food/​drink was good, not outstanding. The seats weren’t that comfy, the bathrooms were «okay» and I was a little creeped out by some of the people. Sorry :-/​
I get it, I support it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

I find the whole church relation a little akward, but hey, whatever. They had excellent tea and I paid what I felt it was worth, which is more than I’ve ever paid for tea before.
Big, open, quiet, easy going. Great place to relax and enjoy life.

Their phone number is disconnected. They called me back after I tried a few means to get in touch. The manager said that they couldnt get the number changes on Unilocal.Uh-​oh.
Their groups have become misleading.

I was a little hesitant at going to a place located in the basement of a church, but have to say, I was very impressed. The coffee house is a donation based place, so pay what you feel is fair for your coffee or pastry. I had a Chai Latte and found it to be well made, and better than a Starbucks. The space is very spacious inside with plenty of seating. They have Wi-​Fi and board games that can be used. There is also a room that can be reserved for meetings and such.
Overall I really enjoyed this place, and could easily see myself sitting and reading a book, working on some writing project, or visiting with some friends over a cup of well made coffee.

I cant take credit for finding this hidden gem as my co-​workers are the ones who told me about it. What a cool coffee house where you can name your own price for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and desserts.
I ordered an Italian soda here and it was delish!
The place is huge (I guess cause it’s in the basement of a church) so you really have your privacy here. Your closest neighbor will probably be far away so you don’t need to worry about people listening in on your conversations. The couches are super comfy, you really sink in.
Parking is fine, it’s street parking but there’s loads of spots right outside.
Music is quiet and mellow.

It’s fun to come here with a child. I must have showed up with my girlfriend and our respective toddlers on Calling All Kids i Wallingford day, or something. We started with four tykes, then doubled, then doubled again. Nuts. Naturally, there was strife — grabbing, crying, etc. My son is mellow and actually asked to leave when kid #15 showed up … and he was in my lap after kid #8. And, for those of you who can’t stand the shorter kind, the door on the playroom closes so you can hear nary a peep.
It looks like it would also be nice to bring your work here. The place is enormous, clean, and has a lot of tables and chairs. It looks like people come to meet for business, meet for fun, meet with kids, work and study.
I like the donation idea. When you get a particular drink regularly, you know what it costs, so you can give that. Maybe a little extra for using the playroom, if you can manage. If you can, you should give more. That makes up for the people who really can’t give more, but who still deserve a space like this. The honor system shouldn’t make anyone uncomfortable.
So, what about the drinks and baked goods? Cookies are good. Pastries are okay. Tea — you can’t mess up tea as the server. I can mess it up as the drinker by leaving the bag in too long. Espresso drinks leave much to be desired. So, you can’t go for that reason alone, I would say.

No doubt, I feel like I’m on thin ice reviewing a coffeeshop that is underneath our lord and savior’s house (i.e. a church). I really, really love this place Jesus… but…the one thing I don’t really like about it is that there are no set prices.
Now I understand, it just may feel wrong to charge someone for coffee when JC is hangin’ out right upstairs but the problem I have with it is that it causes me to overpay for the drinks. ESPECIALLY because I just imagine Sweet Mother Mary behind me going «ahem» after I drop in only two dollars, then clearing her throat after $ 3 and then nodding approvingly with a sweet smile after $ 4.
The ambiance is nice if not a bit dark. I love the old furniture, it adds a nice touch. It is a bit loud though as it also seems to double as a Kindergarten for expecting mothers. On a whole, a great atmosphere with a few minor flaws… now I hope I still make it into Heaven.

I love the space b/​c it’s big, there are several rooms (one main, one for kids, one for meetings), and there are (I believe) boardgames.
I love that it’s a community coffee house, that it’s run by (cheerful) volunteers, that they show different artwork, and that there’s a donation box instead of any set prices.
So, why is it 4 stars instead of 5? My friend got a perfect hot chocolate there one time, but I haven’t been quite so lucky. One mocha was okay while another one was tongue-​burning-​hot with soy milk that was burned to ****. (I had to throw that last one out.)
I think next time I’ll go for an Italian Soda or some tea or something bottled/​canned. Or maybe their soup or pastries (if they have anything I want left)?

I love to go here on weeknights, have some of their excellent tea, and use the free wi-​fi. The place is cozy and the philanthropic twist/​pay what you want is a pleasant change from the chain coffee places in Wallingford.
However, I once went on a Sunday, waited in line for 20! minutes only to get to the front and find out they didnt have any pastries left, which is all I really wanted. Also, as a non-​parent, I am turned off by the hoardes of moms and kids (I like my quiet), but I also think it’s great that they have a place to hang out too.

This is my new favourite place to be – it’s a much more relaxing place to cram for midterms and finals than Odegaard. I don’t drink coffee but my frequent companion swears by the stuff they brew here — I stick to Italian sodas, which are consistently delicious.
It’s pay-​what-​you-​will, which is hard for me because I have the tendency to over pay in situations because I’m a server and I’ve got a pretty strong guilt complex. So I just pay $ 10 if its two of us getting drinks, and $ 5 if it’s just me – comparable to a trip to Starbucks… Not to say you can compare the environment to anything like a Starbucks — this place feels like your extended living room [I’ve even fallen asleep on the couches].

This place is the perfect neighborhood coffee house — in several of unique ways.
First, it’s in the basement of a church, and acts as more than a café — it’s a community gathering spot, sometimes with art, music, etc. Second, there are no set prices, you pay what you feel is appropriate, and there’s always a different charity/​social service/​agency they’re donating 10% of the proceeds to. Despite both of those non-​traditional aspects, the coffee and the food selections are pretty good. Not going to break any records, but better than most chains, and better than any church I’ve ever been too :-)
Third, and most importantly, this place is huge and has three separate areas (including one with a door for kids/​parents). As someone with a kid, I like that I can go here, and my kid can run amuck with other kids, but we’re not bothering all the adults in the main room. Or, if I didn’t have my kid with me or just wanted a quick coffee/​bite, we could go to a place that’s not «just for kids».
For those laptop users, I’m not positive, but I think they have WiFi, and there’s plenty of room to spread out and do your homework/​run your Web 2.0 startup. Just make sure to donate plenty of $$$ when you make it big.
I probably go hear at least once/​week, and the only downside is that sometimes the kid room gets pretty crowded (but even then, the main area will remain peacefully available if you’re sans kiddos).

This place is off the over-​beaten path, and has something for everyone. First of all, it is about 5,000 square feet, so it actually has space for everyone. There are plenty of tables and chairs, plus several sofa seating areas and a conference room. The place is open and airy, but feels like a little unknown hideaway at the same time.
As for art: Mosaic has live music on Friday and Saturday nights, including an open mike night from time to time. There is even a stage for performers. All different types of musicians are involved, not one particular artist or type.
They also have a lot of wall space, which they use as a rotating gallery. There are various original works of art on the walls at any given time.
Food: Delicious. I heart the espresso cookies and the soups– especially the gumbo. They have fresh pastries and the like.
Beverages: So nice. Quality! I am a tea person (but am a former coffee lover) and the selection of loose leaf teas is way good. They are Market Spice teas I think. So nice, handmade teabags and all that special stuff. How sweet… For coffee, they have great mixes of classic lattes and coffees, plus the trendy flavors. Try the blended-​frozen ones. My friends love them.
Cost: Free– with a donation suggested. I was like– huh? Mosaic asks that you contribute what you feel the service is worth to you. There’s a small box at the register, and you drop your cash in there. The accept all kinds of cards as well. I was like– seriously, what is this worth? If you ask, they’ll show you want the going rate is for the items, and you can donate accordingly. I just estimate and add tip. Works for me! They also contribute 10% of proceeds to a charity, which is chosen monthly.
Ever try to study while a two year old is playing 10 feet from you? Good luck focusing. This is not a problem here. The café has a huge separate «Demitasse» café for little ones, with a play area for the kids and a seating area for the grown ups. It’s got glass-​paned doors that separate it from the rest of the place. How cute, and thoughtful for those of us not interested in play-​time.
The place is so warm and welcoming, and the staff is so friendly, it wouldn’t matter if this were a teeny tiny venue, I would still drop by regularly.
The café is housed the basement of a church– Behind Dick’s Burgers on 45^th. But– there is no church-​feeling in the café, and religion is not the theme of the café, setting, or the art. It’s just a rad coffee house tucked away in the corner of Seattle. Isn’t that why we love this city?