Restaurant

If coffee were a religion, Zoka would be one of Seattle's most popular places of worship. The reason for this is hardly oblique: Zoka roasts its own beans and is good at it. Amazingly good, actually; Zoka serves one of the best cups of coffee in a town known for its superlative cup of coffee. The baristas are trained within an inch of their lives, and the coffee is made in small batches to ensure freshness. These people mean business.

Not surprisingly, Zoka is busy regardless of the time of day. Many come to enjoy a latte and a fresh pastry from Zoka's bursting display case, and some patrons just don't ever seem to leave. We swear we've seen some customers stay longer than two hours, working on their laptops (Zoka offers wireless Web access) and ordering fresh cups whenever the spirit of Zoka's holy java moves them.

By Geoff Carter
NWsource staff