Piedmont Cafe
Last visited: Mar 14, 2026
Soham ordered: Caffè Latte (12oz, $7), Almond Twist ($5)
Coffee (6/10): The latte was well balanced, though slightly milk-forward for my taste. The milk was a bit over-frothed, which gave it a foamier mouthfeel and resulted in latte art without clear separation. Overall, it was a pleasant cup, though perhaps a little overpriced.
Pastry (7/10): I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t overly sweet, had the right amount of moisture, and paired nicely with the latte. The almond flavor was pronounced and added a pleasant warmth.
Ambience (9/10): This is where Piedmont truly shines. The space isn’t minimalist, it’s unapologetically maximalist, and it evokes a Tuscan feel with exposed wooden beams adorning the vaulted ceilings and an abundance of plants bringing life to the room. Large floor-to-ceiling arched windows let in plenty of daylight, and decorative tiles add character throughout. On overcast days, the cool blue light from the windows contrasts nicely with the warm yellow glow from the lamps inside.
Workability (7/10): During my visit, the atmosphere was quiet with soft music playing, making it ideal for working. That said, it can get very crowded and noisy later in the day, which makes working difficult. They also enforce a 90-minute limit for staying or working, and the Wi‑Fi was unreliable during my visit; charging points are also hard to locate and rare.
Temple Pastries
Last visited: Mar 15, 2026
Soham ordered: Caffè Latte (12oz, $7), Turkey & Pesto Sandwich ($12), Kouign Amann (gifted)
Coffee (7/10): The latte was pretty good; I liked the roast from Broadcast Coffee, which left a distinct espresso flavor. Temple has a pretty good under‑the‑counter Mavam espresso machine, but the latte art was pretty much non‑existent, in part because the barista served the latte in a paper cup, and because the milk was too foamy.
Pastry (9/10): Temple is probably a pastry‑first establishment, so no surprises that the pastries were to die for. Tanvi’s cinnamon cruffin was insane – a great balance of sweetness with the crispy dough and powdered sugar coating. The sandwich came with perfectly golden‑brown butter‑toasted sourdough, with turkey coated in a pesto‑pistachio mix. Lindsey, who also works at Temple, gifted us a Kouign Amann, their favorite pastry, which Tanvi absolutely loved. It was a little too sweet for me, but I did enjoy the very crispy sugar‑coated pastry.
Ambience (8/10): Temple has large floor‑to‑ceiling windows, communal tables, and some outdoor seating. There’s plenty of sunlight and lots of plants adding a spark of greenery in all the right places.
Workability (8/10): Noise levels during my visit on a relatively busy Sunday were slightly high to work without headphones. Seating was adequate but I can imagine finding none during peak weekend hours. Charging points are abundantly available for almost every table, the music was nice but mostly subdued by conversational white noise, and the Wi‑Fi worked reliably without any time limits.
Guest review — Tanvi
Tanvi ordered: Mocha (8oz, $7), Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cruffin ($6)
Review (8/10): As a pastry and bakery enthusiast, it is rare to find such a good selection in Seattle, yet Temple has something for everyone. Their signature croissants are buttered, fluffy and layered perfectly. The coffee is decent, nothing out of the ordinary, but paired with a sweet treat and this is a great place run by incredibly sweet people!