There's a monkey at Rococo Coffee Roasting. You might not see him right away - he's hanging from the mirrorball above the counter. Come by at the right time, and you might see him spinning slowly, while the ball throws flashes of light around the small shop. Oh, and the coffee's excellent, and the food's great too.
It certainly doesn't hurt my feelings that Rococo is on the first floor of the building where I spend most of my weekdays - there are some days that I wake up to a Rococo coffee, grab a late lunch there, and swing by for a sweet treat before heading home. No matter what time of day or what I get, it's always good.
They're a friendly bunch behind the counter at Rococo - in a fairly short while they've come to know my drink preferences and my sense of humour. They're always ready to heat up that sandwich or take an extra second to chat, and the baristas are good at what they do - one quiet day, the office half-empty due to a holiday, I got an extra treat with my coffee: the face of a bear looking up at me from the foam. It was so pretty, I almost didn't want to drink it - at least, until my need for caffeine won over my aesthetic sensibilities.
The coffee at Rococo is something special too. It's not the best I've had in Seattle, but it's consistently excellent and a solid cut above your Starbucks or your Tullys. I favor the hazelnut latte most days, but their mocha is also yummy. Their breakfast sandwiches are lovely, the muffuletta sandwich, warm and toasty, makes for a fine lunch, and many of the pastries come straight from Macrina's bakery - automatic win in my book.
Sometimes I wish that Rococo was open just a little later, for those late nights at work. For most of the day, though, it's one of my regular stops for coffee, snacks, even lunch.
And when I need my mirrorball and monkey fix, it's the only place in town. read more