I have to agree with comments posted about the rudeness of the staff. I too have experienced at least a dozen visits where the only words spoken to me were the total of my order. I've given up being... More

I have to agree with comments posted about the rudeness of the staff. I too have experienced at least a dozen visits where the only words spoken to me were the total of my order. I've given up being pleasant when ordering and have watched other customers attempt to be friendly, only to be greeted by a cold, blank stare. If I didn't love their coffee, I would go elsewhere.
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I like the staff, sexy girls, sexy boys. The restrooms are the dirtiest in town, but it's OK. (just don't touch anything). I don't know if this happens to you: When I use my laptop there, every... More

I like the staff, sexy girls, sexy boys. The restrooms are the dirtiest in town, but it's OK. (just don't touch anything). I don't know if this happens to you: When I use my laptop there, every time someone walks in the place every tables are shaking because of the lame woodfloor, and I can't stand it. anyways... Overall a good place.
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Caffe Vita has a polished ambience, with lots of wood, dark trim, and orangey walls on its two floors. Indie rock standards like Modest Mouse and Bjork played a little too loudly over the speakers... More

Caffe Vita has a polished ambience, with lots of wood, dark trim, and orangey walls on its two floors. Indie rock standards like Modest Mouse and Bjork played a little too loudly over the speakers to have a decent conversation. I haven't been there enough to really comment on the drinks, although I will say that their hot chocolate is pretty good. There weren't really any outstanding features of the cafe that I could point out, so I'd have to say that if you like your coffee shops on the non-quirky/funky side, this would probably be a good place for you.
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Well, as much as I hate to write a bad review, something needs to be said and noted about Vita on Capitol Hill. I have been a (nearly) daily visitor for the last few years. Until about March/April... More

Well, as much as I hate to write a bad review, something needs to be said and noted about Vita on Capitol Hill. I have been a (nearly) daily visitor for the last few years. Until about March/April I never had a problem with this place. Decent staff, were all well trained and I never had a 'bad' experience there. Well, a lot can, and has, changed in the last eight months. There is a near complete turnaround of staff, which in itself is nothing that is exceptionally bad, except that depending on which of these new staff members you get, you can either get a good cup of joe or a really nasty cup of joe. And frankly, the joe as of late has been more often than not on the nasty side. Not only that, they seem to have set out to hire every scenester in Seattle as a part of their staff and what doesn't work about that is that you get scenester service. Meaning, you get the cold shoulder and attitude. And despite the fact that I go in there (or used to) on a near daily basis I still get that look of 'who the hell are you and why are you here?' from them. Never remembering my drink. Never acknowledging that I am a repeat customer, always doing 'other' things while myself and others wait in line. It's really absurd. Frankly, Vita now rivals Bauhuas for worst service in the city. Last week, I walked in, ordered my typcial drink from a guy who said not one single word to me the entire time. And then when I requested something specific, he challenged me and made me out to be an idiot. So he hands me my change (like 55 cents) and I was so irritated I didn't tip. Well, he looked at me and said, "Thanks a lot." As if he should have been rewarded for terrible service. I was like, you're kidding me, right? My drink was sub-par, which is most often the case lately. Again, they are hiring new people and not taking the effort to make sure they know how to pull a decent shot. I've never seen crema on an espresso dissipate so fast and taste so bitter. Again, they seem to be rivaling Bauhaus as of late in terms of their service and how crappy they can make their coffee. And for the record, these are not isolated incidences. This happens all the time, I see it happen to others and to myself. It's like this place has become a members only club or something. The seem to have forgotten that my three bucks a day plus tip translates to about 15 to 18 a week of lost revenue. I periodically will go back, just to see if things have changed, no such luck. At least not as of mid-December 2005. So yes, this place is a case of once being quite good, having decent service with people who would recognize and acknowlege you to going to a place that seems a bit too big for it's britches. Service, 0 out of 5 stars. Coffee, 2 out of 5 stars. Abiance, 3 out of 5 stars (depending on whatever strange music they are playing this can go up or down). I think management (or perhaps they are the problem) should take a look at the structure and re-evaluate their priorities. Because I cannot be the only customer they have lost due to all this. And lost customers equal lost profits.
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I have a cup of coffee there every time I'm around Capitol Hill. Too many goth kids, but the coffee is definitely worth visiting this place.

I have a cup of coffee there every time I'm around Capitol Hill. Too many goth kids, but the coffee is definitely worth visiting this place.
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For some of Seattle's greatest coffee, this is a great place to go. It's a large, uncrowded cafe, with free wifi. The drinks are of the highest quality. The prices are excellent, and the baristas... More

For some of Seattle's greatest coffee, this is a great place to go. It's a large, uncrowded cafe, with free wifi. The drinks are of the highest quality. The prices are excellent, and the baristas are pretty low on the "barista attitude scale" - they're friendly and will remake any problem drinks in the rare event something doesn't work out (note to self: don't get apple syrup in coffee ever again). Open late, until 11.
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Located in the former home of Café Paradiso, Café Vita manages to fulfill the café dwellers needs as well as any european café. First and foremost the coffee is near perfect. At this point let me... More

Located in the former home of Café Paradiso, Café Vita manages to fulfill the café dwellers needs as well as any european café. First and foremost the coffee is near perfect. At this point let me explain why I am uniquely qualified to make this kind of statement. I have a palate that is capable of differentiating good coffee from bad and I have drunk numerous cups of coffee throughout this country and around the world. Café Vita's coffee is the kind of coffee that you sip and then look up in surprise and state "wow that is the best coffee I have ever tasted!" As for the café itself, the decor is not annoying and neither is the staff or the regulars which is almost as important as the coffee.
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