I was recently watching an episode of Bizarre Foods that had a lot of interesting facts and information on the Seattle coffee scene. People in Seattle take coffee very seriously, and they should! It has quite an interesting history there and a lot of fun facts. Today I will cover some the cool things I learned from watching this foodie show starring Andrew Zimmern.

First, Seattle is home to the very first Starbucks ever! Starbucks opened its first store in 1971 in the Pike Place Market, that is located in downtown Seattle. The original Starbucks location decided because the Market is a historic district with design guidelines, the store retains its original look from the 1970’s! It is a pretty cool looking place and I would love to visit this store someday. However, as the show pointed out Seattle is also known for all of its Mom & Pop coffee shops! That is what really makes the city an interesting coffee-lovers place to visit.

One of the most impressive coffee shops in Seattle is Seattle Coffee Works. Seattle Coffee Works showcases a cafe and a tasting room. It is a place known for experiencing and experimenting with coffee in its richly diverse forms and varieties. They call the tasting room their “Slow Bar” and the Slow Bar is a place to explore if you have a serious passion for coffee and new discoveries. They like to compare such as a French-pressed Costa Rican to a siphoned Tanzanian to a World Blend Espresso Blend that includes South and Central American, East African, and Indonesian coffees. This is a coffee experience that is truly one of a kind!

Seattle is also home to Sebastian Simsch, who is known for making coffee the old-fashioned way, by using what is called the vacuum coffee-making method. It is a very precise art that utilizes water at perfect temperatures, testing tubes, and a whole lot of skill. Just watching this man make coffee is exciting. On the show he brewed a cup of Colombia Cup of Excellence Coffee where the beans were harvested from a small family farm and cost over $100 per pound! Mr. Zimmern said it was quite possibly the best coffee he has ever had!

Seattle is also home to the makers of “The Slayer” espresso machine that costs upwards of $20,000! It changes the flavors of coffee by simply changing the pressure at which it is brewed. If you are a true coffee lover, like me, Seattle may be on your next vacation destination wish list!