Ledger

Seattle may be the home to coffee giant Starbucks, but a new blend of local cafes is brewing in the South Sound. Over the next few issues, Ledger writer Molly Biehl will take you on a tour of the best local joints. This week, Molly visits the Shakbrah Java and The Kickstand Café.

Sixth Ave & N. Fife St

Mon – Sat,

7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sun 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

*kitchen closes at 5 p.m.

Sometimes a place can manifest nostalgic feelings of home; Shakbrah Java is one of those places. It smells and feels like Mom’s kitchen: fresh brewing coffee, sizzling butter in a skillet and a mishmash of posters hung like the artwork on Mom’s refrigerator. In this kitchen, though, you can order breakfast and dessert all day. You can have tall stacks of pancakes, hearty omelets, freshly baked cookies or caramel nut brownies that melt on your tongue. Perhaps you’re in the mood for lunch; in that case the Shakbrah has an equally enticing menu of grilled burgers, deli sandwiches and steak fries.

With Shakbrah’s reputation for great food and family recipes, trying something from the menu is absolutely a must! But don’t overlook their fine selection of coffee and tea because it’s another taste of comfort and local tradition. Pioneer Coffee Roasting Company, based in Cle Elum, supplies the beans, and Market Spice (the same brand found at Pike’s Place Market) stocks the teas. Sip any variety alongside a plate from the menu and you’ll notice the home-cooked taste and slower pace at Shakbrah Java. But don’t hold the slower pace against them, take the time to enjoy it.

(Sixth Ave & Fawcett Ave)

Looking for a quiet place in the city? Try the Kickstand Café. What it lacks in commotion it compensates for with loud colors and art, plus food that screams with flavor. Flavors like coconut lentil curry soup and black tandem mochas (dark chocolate and caramel) are favorites at the café. Other notable features include a long list of fresh sandwiches and an even longer list of beverages including brewed coffees, lattes, mochas, americanos, espressos, fruit smoothies and loose leaf teas.

Weeknights, the Kickstand is most conducive for studying – there’s even a separate back room with more space and solitude. For weekends, the Kickstand Café is the perfect before/after hangout for moviegoers next door at the Grand Cinema. The back room also transforms into a small stage for live acoustic performances.

For students, the Kickstand Café is a place for tasty snacks and a kick of caffeine, as well as a place for studying and for entertainment.