Seattle latte
Photo: Maxstein5 · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Seattle shaped the modern American espresso drink. Starbucks opened at Pike Place in 1971 as a bean roaster; Howard Schultz brought the Italian espresso-bar template to the company after a 1983 Milan trip, and the latte (espresso plus steamed milk) became the city's lingua franca through the 1990s. The third-wave reset came from independents: Espresso Vivace (David Schomer, opened 1988 on Capitol Hill) wrote the textbook on milk-steaming and latte art; Victrola Coffee Roasters (2000) refined single-origin espresso; Caffe Vita built the city's roasting reputation from 1995. Seattle barista training still centres on milk-steam technique and rosetta latte art.

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 1Hands-on 5 minTotal 8 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 18g freshly ground espresso beans (medium-dark roast Seattle blend; Vivace Dolce, Caffe Vita Theo or Stumptown Hair Bender)
  • 200ml whole milk (cold, full-fat; the protein and fat are what make the microfoam)
  • 1 (340ml) cappuccino cup, warmed

Method

  1. Pre-heat the espresso machine 20 to 30 minutes. The group head must be hot or the shot pulls under-temperature.
  2. Grind the espresso beans fresh to a fine consistency (the grind should feel like icing sugar between your fingers; if it feels gritty, grind finer).
  3. Dose 18g into a portafilter basket; level the grounds; tamp firmly with 15kg of even pressure (a tamper that fits the basket exactly is non-negotiable).
  4. Lock the portafilter in; pull a 36g double-shot in 28 to 32 seconds (the shot ratio is 1:2, dose to yield). The pour should start dark, develop into ribbons of golden crema, then taper.
  5. Pour the shot directly into the warmed cup; let it rest 10 seconds.
  6. Steam the milk: pour 200ml cold whole milk into a metal steaming pitcher. Submerge the steam wand tip just below the surface; turn on full steam.
  7. Hold the wand at a slight angle to create a vortex; you should hear a paper-tearing sound (this is air being injected; it stretches the milk to microfoam) for 4 to 5 seconds.
  8. Once the milk reaches 35°C / 95°F, submerge the wand deeper to stop adding air and just heat through; bring up to 65°C / 150°F (the milk should be hot but not scalded; if it scalds, you have lost the sweetness).
  9. Tap the pitcher hard on the counter to break any large bubbles; swirl to integrate the foam with the milk; the surface should be glossy and paint-like.
  10. Pour the steamed milk from the pitcher into the espresso shot from height (about 10cm above the cup) until the cup is two-thirds full.
  11. Lower the spout to just above the surface; tilt the cup slightly; pour through the centre of the crema to create a white spot, then move side-to-side to draw a rosetta as the milk fills the cup.
  12. Finish by pulling the spout up and out, drawing a line through the heart of the rosetta. Serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. Whole milk is the only milk that gives proper microfoam; alt-milks (oat, almond) steam flatter and the latte art will not hold. Practice until paint-glossy.

Where to eat seattle latte

Seattle latte in Seattle

Espresso Vivace ★ 4.7

$ CaféWork-friendlyWifi

Espresso Vivace in Seattle's Capitol Hill is David Schomer's 1988 espresso bar: the cafe credited with bringing micro-foam latte art to North America.

DrinkCaffe Nico, the David Schomer cortado

Directions

Victrola Coffee Roasters ★ 4.7

$$ CafePublic cafe

Victrola Coffee Roasters in Seattle's Capitol Hill is the 2000 third-wave roaster on 15th Ave: single-origin pour overs, the Streamline espresso blend.

BeansEthiopia, Colombia, Kenya, Costa Rica

BrewsEspresso, Pour over, Filter, Whole bean retail

Directions

Caffe Vita Capitol Hill ★ 4.4

$ CaféWork-friendlyWifi

Caffe Vita Capitol Hill in Seattle is the 1995 flagship roastery and cafe, an early adopter of Farm Direct sourcing, with a downstairs roaster visible.

DrinkCaffe del Sol espresso blend

Directions

Anchorhead Coffee Downtown ★ 4.3

$ CaféWork-friendlyWifi

Anchorhead Coffee Downtown in Seattle is the CenturyLink Plaza flagship: a small-batch roaster known for the Hard Hat latte and a clean, modern espresso.

DrinkHard Hat Iced Latte

Directions

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