alexinwords.com

by Alex Russell

It started with a chance latte.

One weekend last fall I had planned to shop at the downtown REI for some hiking boots, eager to catch the tail end of weather good enough to put the mountains on the other side of I-90 to good use. Espresso Vivace was right across the street and I needed a fix. I got my latte—they don’t do drip—walked outside and took a sip and stopped right outside the door. I looked at the cup. I was already in Seattle three years by then and this was the best latte I’d ever had in my life.

I used to smirk at the barista championships I’d see reported on television. They all used espresso and milk to make the same lattes and cappuccinos. I could not imagine any of them, simply by virtue of some magic-imbued twenty-something espresso guru, could be wildly different from the cups I picked up at Starbucks on my way to work every morning. Turns out it can, and the difference is immediate.

The baristas here at Vivace are trained artisans who take the creation of espresso drinks as a precise science, with their commitment to shot and steaming perfection every time, as well as an art, with the forging of leaves and hearts on the surfaces as they casually layer in steamed milk and foam with frothy brown espresso.

The space itself is good besides. The Alley 24 Vivace is in a small business village. The building it occupies houses storefronts, offices and apartments. Among the storefronts are a handful of chic shops including fashionable pet boutiques and designer furniture shops. Under the high ceiling of the café are sofas and tables for socializing over games or just conversation. There’s a separate partitioned area with big windows for people working. If the main area gets too loud for quiet work, you can just close the door. And the vibe for creative work is great, considering the inherent distraction of the local scenery.

The customer-base here ranges from local businesspeople in shirts and ties to twenty-something techies and the occasional UW student. It’s always a pleasant place to be, made more so by the friendly and highly professional baristas who take every cup they pour very seriously. After all, one thing you can’t really argue with is the best latte you’ve ever had. It seems everything else here at Vivace has fallen into place around that, which is how it should be.