For us, it was love at first sip.
We first met at a local coffee shop in Dayton, Ohio, where Mike was a barista and I was a regular. At the drive-thru window, we exchanged much more than a tall dark roast coffee and $1.65; we shared stories, laughs and longing glances.
That’s where our love first began brewing. Fast-forward to our one-year wedding anniversary and we still make the perfect blend!
To celebrate our anniversary, we took a trip to the West Coast where we indulged our love for coffee (and each other!) at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room in Seattle, Washington.
Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room is 15,000 square feet of coffee goodness. It’s the largest Starbucks store in the U.S., and offers guests a unique experience that’s well worth the visit.
Imagine watching as the entire process of making coffee – from storing green unroasted beans in silos, to expert roasting and grinding, to savoring a fresh brew in your cup – unfolds before your eyes. Peer down from the mezzanine as small-batch coffees are roasted on-site, carried across the building by pneumatic tubes, and dropped behind the coffee bar to be brewed to your liking. – Starbucks
We were lucky enough to find two seats at the Tasting Room bar and cozied up to enjoy a couple coffee cocktails to end the long and rainy Seattle day.
Mike ordered The Whiskey Cloud: Pressed Starbucks Reserve coffee, Amaro Averna, orange-piloncillo syrup, local single malt whiskey and chocolate bitters. Served hot with shaken cream and nutmeg.
I ordered the Starbucks Reserve Boulevardier: Barrel-aged vanilla syrup, Campari, sweet vermouth and bourbon poured over freshly ground Starbucks Reserve coffee. Finished with lavender bitters.
It was almost as fun to watch the barista (er.. bartender?) make our drinks as it was to drink them. Almost. The cocktails were smooth and sweet, with just the right mix of coffee and alcohol. They offered the best of both worlds!
Along with our coffee cocktails, we ordered tiramisu and a piece of sausage, rapini and fresh ricotta pizza served al taglio from Princi, the high-end Italian bakery inside the Roastery. One word: Delizioso!
After all the food and cocktails, you might forget to tour the space, itself, but you’ll regret it if you do! Browse the merchandise, lounge in the library and be amazed by process of making coffee.
If you’re taking a trip to Seattle, don’t miss out on this unique experience – especially if you’re a coffee fanatic. We promise: It’ll be love at first sip!
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