Tried this based on Infatuation's recommendation. The soy sauce caramel and seaweed latte was...underwhelming. Soy sauce can bring a lot of deep flavor to caramel, and that was just lacking here. The seaweed was an interesting touch. The food items were fine, although they were not correctly labeled in the display case leading to some confusion. None of this was a big deal. Unfortunately the barista was needlessly rude, which is a deal breaker for me, especially after I've tipped. I won't make it a point to return after this experience. read more

I stopped in at Cardoon after reading that they won the best chocolate chip cookie in Seattle from The Infatuation. The cafe was definitely busy with people coming in and out, but they didn't have a long wait. Service was great - they were friendly and helpful with suggestions. I tried the lava chocolate chip cookie ($5.50), egg and cheese sandwich ($9), and an iced oolong latte ($6). The sandwich was a great breakfast sandwich - kind of hard to eat as a sandwich, but flavor was great. The latte was just okay - if getting a tea latte, I would recommend not using oat milk because it throws the consistency off. The cookie didn't live up to my expectations - it had a nice kick to it, but the texture was more cakey than I expected and it's an incredibly expensive cookie compared to the rest of their menu. Overall, while I didn't love everything I tried, the cafe still had a great vibe and great service. I would be open to giving other things on the menu another shot! FYIs: they have a few seats outside and some seating inside, but it wouldn't be good for large groups. Parking in this area is street parking only. read more

Cardoon - from left to right: lava chocolate chip cookie, egg and cheese sandwich, iced oolong latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Been enjoying exploring Cardoon's menu as it grows. One of my favorite dishes is the Tomato "egg" Rice it's flavors are reminiscent of a dish my mom made. They recently have done an Apertivo Hour Thurs and Fri from 4-7pm last week and I popped in on Friday to check it out. i had a late lunch so I tried one of the three $4 cold dish offerings. The Sea Bean Potato Salad was so flavorful. I don't usually like Negronis but their alcoholic version is a smoother version than the traditional. It's calked Royal Retreat. Just making my way through the menu tried the other alcohol cocktail called Spatzett much like an Aperol Spritz last night at a pop up event they held. But my favorite of the cocktails is still the N/A Shiso Salty. Love the inventiveness of their menu. read more

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Coffee shop with interesting/unique specialty drinks and light food. I got the Shanghai fog which is oolong tea and milk and was good! Also tried the seaweed latte which was ok and pretty mild flavor. Overall, pretty good vibes and nice place to chill with some coffee. read more

Cardoon - Seaweed latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Great place to get coffee such as their unique seaweed latte, or snacks too like their lava chocolate chip cookie and their yummy egg and cheese sandwich! Great spot to dine, study, and meet up. I'd come back! read more

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Everything here was soo good! The rose cookie tastes like fruity pebbles and the chocolate chip cookie is perfectly crispy and soft and the egg sandwich, I've never had anything like it before, I loved it. I really like the Chinese German inspired flavors, definitely a great place to try : ) read more

Cardoon - Rose cookie, chocolate chip cookie, egg sandwich, lattes - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This little gem blew me away! It's hidden in the first floor of one of the newer apartment buildings towards the locks, but it's really a lovely spot! The staff are all very kind and helpful and seemed to greet most customers by name. They talked me through the menu items and drink options and helped me make some selections. I highly recommend the seaweed latte! It's not weird, it's really tasty and if you like a sesame or salted caramel latte, then you'll probably like a seaweed one. My food and bakery items were also great! There's not a ton of seating in this little spot, but it is a cozy location to read or get some work done or just hang out and chat! Highly recommend and will definitely be back! read more

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The honey cake was perfect!! Super good lattes too!! It was crowded when I was there so limited seating space. Staff is super friendly though! read more

Cardoon - Honey cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We came here around 2pm on a Sunday. There were a few tables left but it started getting busy as we were leaving. We ordered the Seaweed Latte and Yuzu Vanilla Expresso Tonic. The Seaweed Latte was super good. It came with a nice latte art and it was garnished with seaweed flakes. It was a slightly savory latte which I enjoyed. The seaweed flavor was pronounced enough that I could make it out. The Yuzu Callie expresso tonic came iced. It was on the sour side which I was initially not used to, but it would make a great summer drink. read more

Cardoon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We thought this would be more of a lunch place, but it is really a cafe/bar place with the usual handful of people plugged into their computers. That said, the red rice dish we had was delicious as were the pickles . We also indulged in the lava chocolate chip cookie --definitely worth it. I would not return here for the coffee. It was properly prepared, but not particularly flavorful. The service as pleasant and timely. read more

Cardoon is a very cozy little shop, close to the heart of downtown Ballard. It's definitely small but they have used the space really well; I can't believe how much seating they fit in, without making it feel cramped. Still, this is not a good place for large groups. I just got an iced Americano. My boyfriend got the Tomato "Egg" Rice. I stole a bite and found it so flavorful and tasty! I didn't get to try the honey cake but it looked very enticing, with all of those delicious layers! Next time! Service was so friendly, despite us being under-caffeinated and confused. Also, their bathroom is so clean! And because I always look out for my fellow fat people, their stools look nice and sturdy (unlike soooomme neighborhood coffee shops, cough, ROOT, cough) and there is some bench style seating which was very comfy. I'm excited to discover this place in time for the big dark; it looks like the perfect shop to spend a bit of a gloomy fall day. read more

Cardoon - The space. So stylish and well used. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The drinks were amazing- I tried the Shanghai Fog, the kombucha, and the latte. I also recommend the bratwurst, rose cookie, and tomato egg rice. Great atmosphere to sit and chat with a friend or do a little work. read more

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My wife and I were visiting Seattle and we were looking around on Google and yelp for highly recommended coffee places and this one had the best reviews in the area we were staying at by far. My wife got the seaweed latte and it was unexpectedly really really good. Not overwhelming with seaweed at all. I got a simple iced Americano and I usually have to add sugar or milk, but this coffee was so well done. I didn't need anything. I drank it black. We then had the egg sandwich and some toast with their house made butter, which was really really good. For a place with such good food and coffee, the price was really really awesome. Not to mention the servers were really kind and amazing. We highly recommend if you're looking for some quality coffee. read more

Beautiful new coffee shop! Love the German Chinese inspiration in the decor. Well balanced lattes especially the seaweed - the caramel is rich, refined and not too sweet at all! Can't wait to try the rest of their menu. read more

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As soon as you walk in from the cold you immediately walk in to a warm vibrant room. You can clearly see the owner has a passion for their cafe. I tried a vanilla espresso tonic and it was amazing. The staff were friendly and the tonic was brought out fast. read more

Amazing lava cookie (one of the best cookies I've ever had) + iced seaweed latte. Great service with a super friendly staff. Lovely ambiance inside. The soy sauce caramel latte was underwhelming, but offset by everything else. Will happily visit again! read more

We were visiting Seattle from San Diego and were told to check out Ballard. Came across this cafe and It didn't disappoint. The owner was incredibly friendly and told us about their menu with unique options, blending flavors from all over the globe. It's a really cozy cafe that you can easy do work in or catch up with a friend. My partner loved his late with dried seaweed and I got the rose cookie. I was a little hesitant at first because of the chickpea flour but It was SO good, buttery, salty, sweet and a hint fragrant. Would love to have that with a cup of tea next time. Definitely get It as it's not too big and a good size to accompany your beverage! read more

Ordered a lava caramel oat milk latte and it was interesting. Customer service here is okay. I don't think I'd go back here again and the space is small. read more

Got an iced chai and their lava cookie, the cookie was pretty good but was pretty salty in the center, the chai was good but not the best i've had but maybe i ordered it wrong ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pretty cozy interior and the staff were really nice this is a good place to go if you live near here and wanna make friends with the staff read more

This is my favorite cafe in Ballard! The service is great and the space is nice and cozy. I highly recommend the Seaweed Latte and the Rose Cookies. I'm not a big coffee person but the latte here has me craving for more. read more

Cozy and lovely cafe shop!! Ordered the Yuzu Vanilla Espresso Tonic which was super unique tasting as the tonic gave a nice kick to the coffee blend. It paired well with the brick toast which was also delicious and perfectly sweetened. Would highly recommend for any cafe aficionados! read more

Service was great and the food was delicious. Everyone my husband and I talked to was very personable and passionate about their offerings.

Love this place in Ballard. The food choices are unusual, interesting, surprising, and delicious! Coffee is always spot on. Staff is delightful. read more

The coffee was fantastic and the bratwurst was delicious and an interesting combination of German and Chinese fusion. Strong recommend!

Great food (German-Chinese inspired) and excellent coffee. Friendly staff and cozy space. A true neighborhood gem!