If you built a trip around it, adjust your itinerary before you set out. For any reopening news or changes, check the official Starbucks website rather than relying on older travel listings.
Why the Roastery Drew Crowds
Starbucks launched its Reserve program in 2010 to compete with premium roasters in the high-end coffee market. The focus was small-batch arabica and what the company considers its rarest coffees, often sourced from a single origin.
Inside, the Seattle roastery stretched across about 15,000 square feet. Its signature feature was that split-flap board, built by the Italian firm Solari di Udine in the clattering style once common in railway stations, and it showed which coffees were being roasted at any given moment.
Reserve roasteries are often compared to theme parks, and it is easy to see why. They typically bring together:
- Coffee bars offering tastings
- Cocktail bars
- Spaces where guests can watch roasting and brewing up close
- Food counters, with local artwork throughout
These facilities also roast, package and ship coffee to stores in their regions, so each one works as a production site as well as a showroom.
Where to Find Reserve Coffee Now
Roasteries still welcome guests in Shanghai, Milan, New York City, Tokyo and Chicago. Head to Chicago's Magnificent Mile for the largest Starbucks in the world, or to Tokyo for a roastery designed by Kengo Kuma in Japanese cedar, the only one built from scratch for the purpose.
Closer to home, Starbucks runs Reserve Bars, which are regular stores with an added Reserve coffee bar, and some Reserve coffee is sold at standard locations too. Use the official Starbucks store finder to see which Seattle shops carry it today.
Spend a Capitol Hill Afternoon Instead
Capitol Hill has plenty to fill the hours once spent at the roastery, from leafy green space to pieces of local history.
Volunteer Park and the Conservatory
Stroll the 48.3 acres of Volunteer Park, designed by the Olmsted firm. Climb the 1906 water tower to its observation deck, then visit the Seattle Asian Art Museum. At the north end, step into the Volunteer Park Conservatory, a 1912 Victorian glasshouse with five display houses, where you can find carnivorous bog plants and a jade tree grown from a 1916 cutting.
Capitol Hill Farmers Market
Come on a Sunday or Tuesday, when the Capitol Hill Farmers Market sets up at E Denny Way and Broadway E, a block from Cal Anderson Park. Pick up local food and catch the neighborhood at its busiest.
Plymouth Pillars Park
At Boren Avenue and Pike Street, a small triangle displays four columns saved from a downtown church damaged in the 1965 earthquake. Plymouth Pillars Park also has an off-leash dog area and a walkway that carries you above I-5.
Capitol Hill Branch Library
Pause at Harvard Avenue East and Republican Street, where the Capitol Hill Branch Library fills a 2003 building by Cutler Anderson Architects. It makes a calm place to rest between walks.
Sweet Stops on Capitol Hill
The roastery is gone, but the neighborhood still has well-regarded spots for a treat.
Frankie and Jo's
Head to E Union St for plant-based ice cream that wins over people who are not vegan. Try one of the adventurous flavors, such as a charcoal-tinted salty caramel or a coconut-cardamom scoop with notes of smoked pine. It suits anyone curious about unusual flavors or avoiding dairy.
General Porpoise Doughnuts
Grab a sugar-dusted filled doughnut at this bright shop from James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Renee Erickson. Fillings range from rich custards to fruit jams, inspired by London's St. John Bakery, making it a natural pick for pastry lovers.
Hours and menus change, so check each business's own website for current details before you go.
