Caffe D'Arte's five espresso roasts and their excellent decaffeinated blend are as different from every other espresso option in Seattle as a full-color movie is from a black-and-white newspaper photograph. I did not know the full potential of espresso until I tasted this espresso. The shop is handsome and unassuming; the focus is on the coffee rather than on any sort of youth-culture image. Taste the coffee; you won't need the image. The baristas whom my wife and I met were friendly and well-trained, eager to educate about their excellent coffee but without any superiority complex. The only nearly comparable espresso I have found is Illy, and Caffe D'Arte is as good at half the price.
Pros: Best coffee. Well-trained baristas. Fast shipping. Half-pound bags available for order.
Cons: Not in Maryland.
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