Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room

This store accepts Starbucks gift cards so you can collect the precious gold stars but does not accept the membership discount and coupons.
This place is a must visit for out of towners. There’s a lot to see and the ambiance is very nice. It is spacious enough to have a nice chat with friends without other people’s convos in your ear.
The cold brew here is amazing! It’s not sour like the ones I had at other Starbucks. I noticed that the togo cups are slightly smaller than the glasses if you were to dine in but it is plastic with the R logo which is a nice souvenir. I also like the vanilla bean crème as a non-​caffeinated drink option. It comes with steamed whole milk and vanilla bean syrup with crème.

This is the breathtaking Starbucks equivalent of World of Coca-​Cola. Items not usually on the menu are here, stuff is manufactured and visitors shall become informed. It is also a photogenic place, ripe for photos as a tourist.
Ground zero of Starbucks is marvelous as it is a worldwide chain that we are dealing with. Thirty minutes is the best length of time to spend here. Coffee aficionados will enjoy the siphoned coffee brewing, of which I shared among a relative. Lots of furniture, but no outlets afforded me plenty of reflection, my friends know what I mean. Coffee is sometimes more expensive, but its worth it for the Starbucks mania of coffee flights and siphoning.
Don’t forget that this is Starbucks country.

The good:
— Great, unique coffees, foods, and items
— Friendly, passionate employees
The bad:
— Limited parking in the area
— Not enough seating (but I’m not surprised)
Coffee addicts visiting Seattle HAVE to go to the original Starbucks location at Pike Place Market… but why? Those really in the know, however, head over to Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Roomin Capitol Hill. This beautiful and unique location was made to showcase the top 2% of all Starbucks coffee from around the world and other unique items.
The Roastery is a rather large space, and while not as crowded as the original Starbucks, is crowded enough that it’s difficult to find seats. But you don’t really have to sit, instead talk to the friendly, passionate and knowledgable employees. Or better yet, attend one of the many demos, which often includes free samples. In our case, the Chemex demo we watched had samples of (ironically) Kau coffee from the Big Island of Hawaii.
If you do decide to grab a coffee and/​or a bite to eat, you’ll find the menu full of unique, higher-​quality items. If you want something more substantial, there’s even a Serious Pie right inside.
If you’re looking to grab a gift card here, you can’t. With such a nice, high-​quality card, they fiercely protect them and require a minimum $ 5 balance to be placed on any gift card. Parking is also an issue, as street parking is hard to find in the area, and the limited paid lots are really expensive. My advice? Take the bus or an Über to get here.

Since it was my first time visiting Seattle, a friend strongly suggested that we visit the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. I was hesitant, thinking «I’ve been to so many other Starbucks locations, how can this place be any different?» Needless to say, I gave in and decided to visit the Reserve. I was not disappointed.
This location is beautiful and huge. There’s a huge selection of Starbucks merchandise (beans, mugs, etc) and plenty of seating. It’s a great place to meet up with friends.
We ordered the shakerato bianco and cortado, both using the Pantheon blend. These drinks were suggested by a very friendly barista who could tell we were struggling with what to order. The coffee to sweetness balance in the shakerato bianco ($ 4.50) was perfect for me. My BF enjoyed his cortado (espresso shot with a small amount of milk added) as well. Our drinks were served with delicious shortbread cookies, which made the entire experience even better.

I love this joint. I do not know if it’s the Seatte in me talking or what, but it’s adorable, roomy, and fascinating. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful, ready to answer any questions you may have. The space is huge and you can see them coffeemakers doing their coffee-​magic. Also, Serious Pie is attached to the side, like how cool is that? And great marketing, when you’re done with your coffee, next is pizza!
I ordered their 8 oz cappuccino with their madagascar vanilla syrup, extra foamy, their Pantheon blend I believe, it was great. Exactly what I wanted, the coffee was smooth. They even gave me a little tray and cookie with my coffee! How precious is that. Although it was a bit pricey for an 8 oz coffee (~7.00), it’s about the experience; and I enjoyed my experience.
If you’ve never been yet, I highly recommend a visit. There are also plenty of open tables for studying. Music choice is also on point and not too loud. A great addition in Cap Hill!

Basically any coffee-​lovers’ fantasy dream come true. This is essentially the Willy Wonka chocolate factory for coffee. I made a pit stop here not really expecting much during my visit to Seattle in November, and was completely BLOWN away by the grandiose nature of it and wide selection of reserve coffee and other products. As a regular coffeeshop hopper, I absolutely adored the vibe of this starbucks — there were seats everywhere (different types from small tables, long communal working spaces, to couches & tasting areas), lots of (special /​limited) beverages, and an amazing selection of food & pastries.
Overall atmosphere and copper-​colored interior design was phenomenal. Came here when it was very cold, and the interior was very warm & homey even though it was definitely the biggest Starbucks I’ve been to. They have lots of different, cool machinery that showcases how the beans & coffee are used & made — which is kinda cool.
As for the drinks & pastries, I opted for the coffee tasting of 3 select reserve types. The tasting is a little on the pricier end to be honest, but it was well worth it for the whole experience. We sat at the bar and the baristas distilled the coffee right in front of us, walking us through the best ways to make the coffee in order to extract the perfect amount from the beans. It was pretty cool to learn and watch. Other than the tastings, we also chose a seasonal beverage, as well as some of their other specialty coffees.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend coming here if you’re visiting Seattle. As someone who’s been to my fair share of Starbucks all over the world, I definitely think it’s way more worth the visit compared to the Original first Starbucks. They also have a Serious Pie that is connected to it, so you can hit them both up at the same time for a delicious afternoon/​evening.

This has got to be one of the most beautiful coffee shop ever. From the wood fixtures to the copper roaster and pipes everything has been meticulously designed and very inviting. If you’re a coffee lover this is an absolute must visit. You can get a drink, watch them roast the coffee, buy coffee, teas and Starbucks branded items, and even buy the exact machine that they make the coffee with. Ample seating at the bar or many couches and seats around the store. The friendly staff comes in every variety of facial hair. I just got a steam milk with almond and it was the best $ 6 cup milk I’ve had. Seriously it was good, but pricey. This is definitely a place to bring out-​of-​towners, because it’s truly one of a kind.

In the 4 ½ days that I spent in Seattle, I visited this Roastery something like six times. The place is awesome. It was interesting to see what happens when a well-​financed mass producer decides to go up against the new giants of the third wave. There is a lot to like here. Among them: the coffee is excellent; the personnel are friendly and well trained; the interior is beautiful and comfortable.
One subtle strength of this operation is that normal people can step inside and not end up feeling intimidated. Think of what happens when generic passers-​by walk into a typical high-​end coffee place. First of all, they have the impression that they’re being sized up and mentally rejected by the hipster barista. Then, as they are paying, they are presented with a tip menu (200% tip, 500% tip, custom tip, no tip — you jerk) that makes them feel like idiots if they don’t leave a decent tip. At this Starbucks, everyone is welcome and purchases get rung up immediately without a stressful tip experience. Of course prices are quite high, so you have the impression that the employees are well compensated. There’s also a tip jar at the register for customers who absolutely insist on leaving an extra dollar bill or some change.
It’s strange and somewhat upsetting to see that such a great job has been done by Starbucks — Starbucks of all people! («Friends don’t let friends go to Starbucks.») Twenty-​five years ago, Starbucks really did sell insanely great coffee. But a quarter-​century later, people in the industry now act as if Starbucks were the Anheuser-​Busch of the coffee world. Coming here is a bit like drinking Blue Moon Organic or Shock Top Belgian white beer — the stuff is great, but its provenance is suspect.
Back to the interior. It’s totally jaw-​dropping. You can imagine the designers:
Intelligentsia, take that!
Blue Bottle, take that!
Sightglass, take that!
This place outdoes all the Intelligentsia and Blue Bottle coffee installations that I’ve ever visited.
Inside, there is no end of interesting brewing equipment: dripping cones, siphons, espresso machines,… In particular, there is an array of Clovers. Remember Clovers? A Clover is an automatic Aeropress-​like gadget that costs thousands of dollars. When the machines were introduced, lots of fancy cafes acquired them. After Starbucks bought the manufacturer (the Coffee Equipment Company) in 2008, it was as if the Clovers all acquired some communicable disease that necessitated their immediate burial. Clovers disappeared from all the cafes that I visited, seemingly overnight. It was a great pleasure to revisit the Clover taste at this Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room. I felt that I had been reunited with an old friend.
Inside, there is also wonderful coffee! A long time ago, I decided never to drink Starbucks on the grounds that it was over-​roasted and therefore devoid of character. Soon after, a friend worked at an Oakland Starbucks and gave me samples of some of their best small lot coffees.
I was amazed by how good those beans were. The coffees that I tasted at this location were even better — «excellent» does not begin to do them justice.
Although I’m a complete fan, I have at least one negative thing to report. On my second visit, I ordered a large («grande») Cameroon pour-​over with a pretzel bagel and cream cheese. Did I want the bagel toasted? Sure! After I sat down at the bar, a woman came over to tell me that the pour-​over would be delayed because the coffee had just been roasted. This was presented in a positive way — I’d be getting a really fresh cup of coffee (and I did!). Meanwhile, my toasted bagel with its side of cream cheese was sitting behind the bar on a wooden serving tray, waiting for the missing cup of coffee. I got someone’s attention and asked if I could get the bagel before it cooled down. «You want to start working on that now??» Yes, thank you: I preferred to have have a warm toasted bagel instead of a cold toasted bagel.
I drank a pot of siphon coffee on my last morning in Seattle. The barista who made my coffee gave us a detailed explanation of the process as we witnessed it in action. And of course the coffee was completely fabulous.
The Michelin guides award one star for «worth a visit,» two stars for «worth a detour» and three for «worth a special trip.» This Starbucks location deserves all three Michelin stars. One can argue that it’s worth flying to Seattle just to come here. I do hope to return!

Wow, what a space! This is nothing like the typical Starbucks we’re used to. They weren’t kidding when they conceptualized the Starbucks Reserve as an up-level’d Starbucks.
The space is huge! There is a lot of branded schwag. I mean, a LOT. I think we spent a good 15 minutes just looking at it. Though, TBH, we do dwell and look a at nearly every item.
There’s a spot for you to purchase the Reserve beans. There’s another space to get freshly roasted beans for your coffee. Pour-​over, siphon, «clover» (this is new to me), and a few other methods. These ways of making coffee have been around for a while. Starbucks just has the marketing power to reach the general public about ‘em.
We had a pour-​over coffee with a bean that has «blackberry jam, orange marmalade, and dark chocolate» notes. It. Was. Delicious. This is what coffee should taste like. Starbucks Reserve got it right. Oh man. I can’t believe I’m saying this right now, haha! Seattle is lucky to have this one.

«What’s new in Seattle?» «I’m visiting Seattle, where should I go?»
My answer to these questions is always Starbucks Reserve Roastery (and of course, Chihuly Glass Museum and Garden at the foot of the Space Needle).
This is the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory version of Starbucks, a great spot to take your out-​of-​town guests, architecture nerd friends, and Asian friends (and/​or those who enjoy taking pictures of pretty things more than the average person does). They have a fancy selection of premium coffee (be prepared to shell out $ 6 – 12 for them) and also a premium selection of delicious pastries and sandwiches, a couple notches above those you’d typically find at your local Starbucks store.
The place is almost always busy, but I’ve always been able to find a table for 2 – 4 people. They also have a small section of gifts and premium coffee beans. The gift items include exclusive Reserve items (cups, tea spoon, etc) and also non-​Starbucks items curated by the Reserve Creative team, such as the exclusive edition glassybaby candle holders. They also have a private meeting room that you can reserve for events and meetings for a fee.
I like that they’re open late and you can just chill for hours (although this is one of the noisiest Starbucks around, so might not be conducive for doing work or studying) without anyone bothering you.

I’m not a fan of Starbucks, but I love espresso and design, and I wanted to check out the place since reading about the concept on a design blog.
Overall, it’s a beautiful place– decked out in black and copper, which seems to be on trend these days. However, be prepared for hella tourists if you plan to visit during the day. They also don’t have chalkboard menus like their other establishments do, so make sure to pick up a paper menu near the cashier before lining up.
They also have nicer-​than-​normal merchandise particular to the place (eg. Reserve-​branded cups, nicely packaged coffees, Field Notes sketchbooks, featured design objects) that would make great souvenirs.
Coffee-​wise, I tried a couple of their tasty roastery specials– iced sparkling espresso with mint and the shakerato bianco. If you’re a coffee fanatic, it might be worthwhile to check out the rest of the place and ask questions about their beans which they were happy to talk about. It can appear to be pretentious, but if you’re curious, I wouldn’t discourage you from going.

This very unique location has very little similarity with a normal Starbucks. It’s a bit of a hike from most of the tourist destinations, but worth it. Our family group did the walk several times.
The location is wooden, cavernous and warm, and has the giant roasting apparatus for you to watch while you dry out in the comfortable seating areas. They have drinks not standard to the average Starbucks location and also have a tasting bar in the lower seating area. Among these drinks was the delicious Americano Con Crema. It’s spicy and barely-​sweet with a thick «foam» on top, which is really an amazingly delicious and slick, thick cream. This alone is worth the trip.

I told myself that I wasn’t going to any Starbucks while in Seattle. Of course that was before I heard about this gleaming pantheon dedicated to the humble coffee bean.
The first thing that you’ll notice is this place is downright beautiful! They really thought of everything when they renovated this old building. Not a dime of Starbucks corporate money was spared in the construction process.
In the tasting boutique they will brew you any roast they have in stock, in a variety of different ways. And yes, they have many, many different roasts. Each different roast and each different brewing method have different prices. I actually didn’t know how much the siphon brewed cup of coffee that we ordered was going to set us back until the final bill. This is one of those places that «if you have to ask»…
In the end, it’s still Starbucks coffee, and nothing too spectacular on that front. The customer service is what sets this place apart as you pretty much have your own private barista for the moment that you’re sitting at the tasting bar. They will drop knowledge on the beans used as well as let you know what’s going on during the brewing process. If S’bux rolls out a training plan like this for their international army of baristas, they could take over the world… Oh wait!
On the way out, we wanted to see what type of exclusive souvenirs they might have. We have enough cups, tumblers and other schwag, so we grabbed my babygirl’s son an exclusive Black Reserve Roastery gift card. Now he looks like a baller in front of all the ladies when whipping it out to pay for his drink. Even if his mama is ultimately footing the bill… Gotta love Starbucks for making it easy for them to take your money.

I’ll start off by saying I am not a coffee drinker. I am, however, a fan of new technology and all that is unique. My wife had this place listed on her bookmark list because it was ‘new’.
We had an opportunity to take a quick tour of Seattle, thanks to my wife’s relatives. On her list: Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. Upon walking into the giant building, we were immediately by happy workers in ‘beige aprons’. After placing my order for a cup of tea, I was pulled aside by one of the motivated employees. He gave me a history lesson on the location, the types of products they carry and even gave me a tour. That’s a happy employee. They just opened a year ago and they are slated to open another location in the near future. He did not devuldge the location.
There are several ‘ordering stations’, both upstairs and downstairs. There’s a small location down a few stairs. The elephant in the room… yup, the huge roasters in the back. You can’t help but stare at those machines.
Prices are on the ‘trendy’ and ‘pricey’ end, because yes, they are reserve roasts. Parking is on the street. Everything speaks of eco– everything.

well My sister told me about this place. So I am really excited when I got to visit this Starbucks reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. Especially for someone like me who is a fan of Starbucks. I can go crazy with the branding.
Came here and I had to take so much pictures. Its like a tourist attraction spot. Tried their drinks. The drinks they serve here are totally different from what they have at the regular Starbucks. Its like a high ended version of the regular Starbucks. So UP’ed the scale here.
Its pretty bronzely décor. They do have souvenir that you can pick up here.
Also there is full service here. I mean there is a server who would take your order.
Parking is not free here. There are street parking and is regular price basically the same you pay anywhere you go in Seattle.
definitely would come back to this beautiful tourist attraction place that doesn’t charge for admission. :-)

I was in awe when I saw this Starbucks facility from the outside, through the clear windows!
Before entering, it was glowing with charm already and when entering, I simply had to take a picture of the reserve star!
They have souvenirs to bring home that is specially reserved for reserves! Bought aplenty — especially when Seattle is the home for Starbucks! I just have to take some treasures home from here!
I adore the coffee bean facility that is hidden near the back and next to the bathrooms. The sink area is communal and there is a see through window to see the facility function. Pretty contemporary.
I loved it here. I will definitely return and reserve the time to pleasantly be.

What a great spot! For those visiting Seattle, you should come by here instead of the original Starbucks at Pike Place. There is plenty of memorabilia to purchase, including espresso and latte mugs, leather coasters, and even that heavy duty apron the employees wear.
My friends took me here and we tried their exclusive seasonal beverages available only at the roastery. There was ample seating and you can see all the machinery as part of the roasting process. The only con was that we saw a few fruit flies hovering over the pastries, so take a good look before you decide to buy one.

Visually– this is an awesome place to just stare at different things. Think of it as two steps up from a regular Starbucks– there are machines going, a small retail area, a few different areas that serve drinks… wish they had more of these around here.
I don’t normally drink coffee so I tried the matcha tea. It was delicious and had one of those iconic whipped cream designs on top.
Plenty of seating available in here though we had to scout for about 2 minutes before we found a place to settle down.

This is what people who actually enjoy coffee wish every Starbucks was like. Sure, you could hit up the original Starbucks and I’m sure that’s cool and all, but do yourself a favor and walk the opposite direction and come here. This place is 100% worth a visit and worth your time.
The building itself is beautiful — brushed copper, wooden serving trays, art, beautiful mugs and glasses, comfortable chairs and couches; Starbucks clearly spared no expense. Someone told me they even had something like a barista Olympics to find the best barista from every state to come work here.
This place is what your local coffee shop wishes they could be if only they had the money to pull it off. This specific Starbucks combines the real passion that goes into an excellent cup of coffee with a multi-​million dollar flare. You can’t deny its got style, even if it is a corporation.
The best part about this place? They really are all about the coffee — no basic bitch pumpkin spice lattes here. I’m not kidding. They serve some lattes and speciality drinks on a rotating seasonal menu, but you won’t find the typical sugary bullshit here. This place is for people who are serious about their beans and who don’t want a one way ticket on the diabetes train. You have several different options when picking your perfect cup of coffee and everyone here can help steer you in the right direction if you are overwhelmed with choices.
For the first time in my life, I was excited about being in a Starbucks. I had the hot chocolate and it was fantastic. I shared a cheesecake bite with my boyfriend and it was a slice of decadent cheesecake heaven for only $ 4. It’s called a bite, but it’s quite a bit larger than that. We each probably had five or six bites before it was finished. With our drinks, they also served a small glass of sparkling water. Everything was arranged on a wooden serving tray because they seriously spared no expense.
Starbucks makes mugs specifically for this location — mugs you can only purchase here. My boyfriend bought one and I bought one for my little sister as a present. The mugs range in price from $ 10 – 20, with most in the $ 12 – 15 range. They had some beautiful glassware made by a local company, but each glass was $ 75. I’m not made of money, so that was promptly set back down on the display. They also sell a variety of coffee accessories, each with the Reserve’s special logo.
The bathrooms were every bit as excellent as the rest of this place. Unisex, but with stalls that have real doors that won’t allow for any peeking. Not that I’m worried about it, but have you ever wondered why bathrooms in America don’t offer you full privacy? No need to worry here — you can go to the bathroom in peace. The mirror isn’t so much a mirror as it is a window into the roastery itself, because you should marvel at this place even while washing your hands.
If every Starbucks was like this, I wouldn’t mind giving them more of my money. As such, I prefer a real drink and not a cupful of sugar, so I’ll find my drinks elsewhere, but this place is something else. A Starbucks created with refined class and an elegance that would be hard to match by any other coffee shop. Not that it can’t be done, just that it would be difficult. They really spared no expense.

The fun never ends!
I first came here for the opening a while back. It was a beaming new building, lines around the block. We ooh and ahh at all the cool ways to make coffee. The coffee beans roasting, moving, bagging! All that fun! I made it for a coffee tasting as well. Sip, swirl and tasting coffee! Such a unique experience. Even got to taste some roasted coffee beans. So crunchy and toasty.
You can go on a coffee map, roasting fun and the process of bean to label! It’s amazing how much goes into making a perfect bag of coffee over here. Or a perfect cup for that matter. For instance, there was no coffee smell! They made sure you don’t smell anything from outside or inside for that matter. The building itself was bought and turned around in 18 months. They kept original flooring, added the amazing copper roasters and so on.
I like the decaf from Costa Rica, Tanzania mondul and my favorite Sumatra long berry! Decaf had that citrus taste while Tanzania one had a hint of chocolate. Sumatra long berry was full bodied and quite tasty. Coffee beans were shaped like~ long berry! Their study/​library is a great spot to gather and look at the roasting process too. It’s such a massive space. And built so well.
Now you can come here for an afternoon of coffee and work, fun, meetings and such too. The menu is extensive on how you want your coffee prepared, what kind of coffee blend you want and wait for it, what kind of dairy/​dairy substitutes! They have coconut milk! Almond milk! yummmmmm!
Favorite
Italian short ice coffee: delicious just like in Italy! Even my cousin fresh off the boat from Italy agrees!
Coconut milk anything! I had it with my cappuccinos: less foamy and more expensive but tasty.
Hawaiian blend is my favorite here for coffee beverages including French press.
The service is great. The place is always packed but you can find a spot! It’s like a chocolate factory but better cause it has COFFEEE! And they built it in such a special way so that you don’t stank like coffee from a mile away. Good ventilation system! It’s not where I’d go for a quick cup of coffee but it is definitely a place I take people when I want to catch up, talk or do a meeting or two. They also have a serious pie inside if you feel hungry for a slice or two!

26,30 USD für 2 Tassen Kaffee und 2 Brötchen sind eine Ansage! Am besten man schaut sich den grössten Flagshipstore von Starbucks mal an und trinkt dann nebenan seinen Kaffee. Denn die Preise hier sind astronomisch. Oder man kauft sich den schönen Signature Coffee Mug (den es nur hier gibt — in edlem Weiss oder mattem Schwarz) für 16 USD. Dann hat man wenigstens ein Souvenir auf dem Weg back Home für sein Geld. Aber hier Frühstücken, das ist wirklich kein Bargain.