Pullin' Shots: Kuma Coffee in Wallingford
In Pullin' Shots, Seattlest visits some of the region's best coffeehouses. Nothing is more Seattle than our unique coffee culture, and it is our goal to uncover what makes our famed "third places" so special. Today, Pullin' Shots stops in at Kuma Coffee in Wallingford.
Where do they get their beans? Kuma brews their own beans that are roasted at their facility in Bellevue. They roast their 9 different blends on a vintage 1950's cast iron L12 Probat in small 25 pound batches. They even go so far as to sell their fresh, green beans if you are the DIY type.
What espresso machine do they use? 3-group Synesso
What kinds of milk do they carry? Whole and skim milk, rice, and soy.
What food do they offer? A small selection of grilled sandwiches, a soup of the day and a rack of pastries from Upper Crust Bakery in Magnolia, which were all sold-out the afternoon of our visit.
Music? None
Snob Factor? Pretty Low, but Kuma definitely takes their coffee very seriously. They are very proud of their beans and are not afraid to let you know about it. Don't be surprised if they throw out a shot or two while making your drink as they are perfectionists. We could see how their passion and pride in their product could be viewed as a tad pretentious, but just try their coffee and you will see where they are coming from!
Ambiance/Clientele: Kuma's shop is more friendly grab and go coffee stand (along the lines of Vivace's Sidewalk Stand on Broadway) than a sit-down and chill kind of spot. They do have a few stools at the bar by the window if you want to linger for a bit over your cup or lunch, but this is not the place to camp out with a laptop. They cater mostly to a neighborhood clientele as they close up early for the day at 2pm during the week,1pm on Saturdays and are closed Sundays. It is also refreshing to see that their menu prices thoughtfully include tax so that when the menu says $3 for your latte, you actually hand the server $3.
Kuma Coffee
4110 Stone Way North
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 633-5862
