“Have you been to Starbucks Reserve?”
My brother asked me one morning. I looked at him and asked if he was referring to the first Starbucks outlet at Pike Place Market.
“No..No..not that one. Then I shall bring you there. The weather is good today. Let’s go out!”
So, that day I declared it as a sibling’s day out. Erh, plus baby’s day out, too because my 3-months old baby niece, Callie, was also coming along. 🙂
• • •
That was on January 1st, that’s how we started the first day of the year. We went to the park and few other places before we stopped by at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room which is just nine blocks away from its original store, the first Starbucks outlet at Pike Place Market.
We reached there around afternoon. The building has the big letter ‘R’ and the star sign on the top of it. We could also see the hand-carved Starbucks icon, the Siren, on the facade. It was made specially from copper for the Roastery. Until that moment, I still had no idea what that place was all about. I thought it would only be another Starbucks outlet but bigger one or perhaps a museum about Starbucks. But I was totally wrong. I stepped in and well, if I were to describe that place in one sentence, it would be:
“A heaven for coffee lovers.”
I was overwhelmed with the things going on inside the building. The store is pretty with its industrial style of design – the copper elements and wooden ceiling. My eyes were busy looking around until a guy standing near to the entrance, greeted us and gave us the coffee menu and a map with some information about the place and the coffee process itself. So, then I know how big the place is. If it is a museum then it is a living museum.
Like other Starbucks outlets, there is a seating area for us to enjoy our coffee and mingle with our friends. But not only that, at Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room, there is a store corner where all the dazzling coffee makers machines, tools and things related to coffee are sold. And also a wood-fired artisanal pizza restaurant, Serious Pie, which operating in the adjoining space. There is also a library corner wherefrom the mezzanine, we could see the entire roasting operation at a glance.
Right in the middle, there is an island main bar where we can purchase our beverages and food pairing. Although it is a big store, however, it is still busy like any other Starbucks outlets. While I was waiting for my coffee, I took some snaps of the place and I looked at the copper tubes overhead me and wondering where it would end at.
Then I found out from the map given by the guy earlier that all the beans which eventually end up in our cup are actually coming from there. So, that copper pneumatic transfer tubes usher the beans from the loading bay to roaster then to the cask and to the coffee silo and eventually to its final destination: our cup or a bag of beans. It is quite a journey.
Not all coffees that available in Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room are available at other usual Starbucks outlets. They have their special seasonal creations coffee menus and coffee of the day which rotating based on the availability and can’t be found at any other outlets. We can check on the chalkboard for today’s selection of espresso and brew.
And finally this is me with my Smoked Butterscotch Latte from their Seasonal Creations Coffee Menu
There are few Starbucks Reserve outlets in Indonesia, too. I haven’t been there yet as I just found out recently. Anyway, remember to visit and grab a cuppa coffee from Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room when you are in Seattle! Your visit to Seattle doesn’t count without going there and to Starbucks first store at Pike Place Market. Aaah..it is just like going to Singapore without visiting the Merlion or going to New York City without going to Liberty. Who said that? Me.
Enjoy! 😉
Starbucks Reserve ® Roastery and Tasting Room
1124 Pike Street
Seattle, Washington 98101
(206) 624-0173
http://roastery.starbucks.com/
Awww, I missed this when I was in Seattle. I’ll have to go back and check it out! Nice photos, Tracy!
You should check it out. They sell beverages that can’t be found at other Starbucks’ branch 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Julianne!