Eatery review: Fonte’

I’ve been asked by a few folks to share more experiences about living in Seattle. So I thought I’d throw in a few restaurants, cafes and watering holes I’ve found.

Mmm, yyyessss

Fonte Cafe and Wine Bar is a pretty impressive place. Coffee house, lunch spot and wine bar are all mixed into one. And it works.

Good heavens, where's Niles?

Fonte is across the street from the Seattle Art Museum (SAM). It has an upscale feel, but still comfy enough for a nice brunch or after-work happy hour.

I was there with some friends from Las Vegas who were in town to scope out the city for a possible move down the road. Methinks Fonte helped.

Brunch often gets a bad wrap as a hipster refuge after a night of chugging Rainiers.

They threw the ring in Mount Doom before it was even forged.

But Fonte doesn’t have this pretention. They are very, very focused on quality beans and they offer “coffee flights.” Pick three from the menu and get small French presses for each.

Rotating selections keep things fresh

I was impressed at how different the blends can be. It’s fun trying each taste and finding the notes–just like wine. It’s an intelligent way to get people involved in your roasting. It’s accessible and not intimidating, but you still feel like you come away with knowledge.

The staff is very comfortable talking about the different beans, their origin and what they like. The Costa Rica came out on top.

Since it was brunch-ish time, I opted for my old standby—fruit, granola and yogurt.

Pretty much the perfect morning

While the prices are well, Seattle prices, but I felt like there is consistent quality and return on the money. I’ve been there for lunch and enjoyed the muffaletta.

Because it’s close to SAM, Pike Place and shopping, it’s a nice any-time-of-day place.

You can dress down or dress up and still have a great time.

Even at brunch.