Café Cesura

Before I begin, I just want to say that I’m not a frequent coffee drinker, however I do know what a good cup of coffee tastes like and in all honesty, this place just served mediocre coffee. I was stuck between giving them 2 or 3 stars but I opted for 3 only because the environment of this café is aesthetically pleasing. If you’re into the very rustic and raw designs, then this place will not be an eyesore.
So I’m from NYC and I was just Unilocaling a nice café to have coffee with my family and came across this place. I figured that since it had 4 stars and a good amount of reviews, it will definitely be a satisfying visit, but I was wrong.
First off, they don’t really have a big drink menu… I don’t know why I expected this place to have a huge variety of drinks but needless to say, I was disappointed when I got there only to see that they probably had no more than 10 drinks?
Secondly, I wanted to order some scones or like a muffin or something to snack on so I went over to the display case and I was pointing to some of the scones they had out and asked what some of the items were cause they weren’t labeled. I asked the lady who was taking my order and she did not even know what they were… her lack of knowledge in what food they served actually left me quite irritated because she left me unattended and had to find somebody to ask what it was that I was pointing to. Like. how do you not know what they are? Aren’t you supposed to familiarize yourself with the food? The man that she found to answer my questions was very helpful though. Anyway I don’t even remember what names of the scones I ordered; all I know is that one of them was like chocolatey and the other one was like oats and honey or something like that. They weren’t anything spectacular.
For the price you pay at this place, it’s not worth it. As I’ve mentioned, I’m from NYC and I don’t know what the other coffee shops or cafes in the area are like, so I can’t make any comparisons but I’d say you can skip out on this place and go elsewhere.

When I think coffee shop, I think: soft music (maybe jazz), low lighting, and of course coffee. This place is breaking stereotypes in the music arena because it was LOUD. John Lennon came on and someone hit the skip button which makes me think that easy listening isn’t their deal. It was like I was at a bar and I felt like everyone around me was yelling.
Layout/​décor: A smaller coffee shop with one large table and high top tables lining the wall. Seems to be more of a social gathering area rather than a study spot. I would opt for the library down the street if that’s what you’re looking for.
Food/​drink: Despite the loud music that isn’t ideal for reading or studying, the coffee was pretty good. It was put in handleless mug. Or soup cup. I just want to point it out because I found it to be unique. I also had a breakfast sandwich which one of the reviews mentioned is one of the best. It was pretty good, not overly greasy or anything like that. My total bill for the sandwich and medium coffee was around $ 11. Pretty pricy.
Overall, not too shabby. They appear to offer a variety of drinks and treats, but not my cup of tea (or coffee).

Coffee is exceptionally good when the dark-​haired/​eyed man is your barista. can’t say the same for the other as I wouldn’t know. But I live around the block so if I see him working, I stop in for my latte! +they use organic milks.
Parking is awful around here but it’s downtown Bellevue.

I like their coffee and I am a regular here. My previous experience has been 4 – 5 stars but today’s experience was horrible and I cant give more than 2 stars.
I ordered 12oz latte as usual and when I got my latte half of the cup was filled with foam. I told the barista that this is more than usual and I don’t like my latte this way and she said thats because every barista makes it different. So I should come to this café expecting different style of coffee every time??? And another barista came and told me that there is nothing they can do since she already made the latte. So I asked him to take off the foam so after paying for 12oz latte I walked away with 8oz latte. Their service hasn’t been the best anyways but today was definitely the worst!

This review is solely for the White Chocolate Americano I ordered. As a coffee shop manager myself, I was blown away by my experience here.
This wasn’t my first time at this coffee joint. Been here a few times and always ordered the Americano which is just «Meh» to me.
So I brought my parents in here for their first time and ordered 3 WHITE CHOCOLATE AMERICANOS. I asked the Barista if they used the powder form. He looked at me with like a disgusted face saying, «No, we use white chocolate syrup here.» As if that was the only way to do White Chocolate. Any TRUE barista knows that when it comes to white chocolate… powder form is the best. I just nodded my head and said «Okay, I’ll take three of those.»
We get our drinks, and immediately, I knew something was wrong because instead of a creamy color the Americano looked like a mocha. Even my parents knew something was wrong with the color. We taste it, and not surprised at all… it just tasted like Water, Espresso, and Chocolate.
I got back to the Baristas and ask them, «These were White Chocolate Americanos correct?» And the barista that made it looked a little confused and the barista on the till looked at the other saying, «I said White Chocolate, did you miss that part?» They both looked confused and I was really whatever’s about it, but then they told me, «Oh our white chocolate is just our chocolate with vanilla syrup.»
Chocolate and Vanilla…
Hmmmmm Chocolate and Vanilla???
I was speechless when I heard that. I was like okayyyyy and walked away.
Obviously the reason why I came up was none of us were satisfied with our drinks, and instead of offering to remake our coffee, they made it seem like I was the one that didn’t know what I was talking about.
Lol chocolate and vanilla syrup…

Let’s just say, I’m sad I moved and am so far away from this café, because they make my drinks to PERFECTION… and I mean it.
I worked a couple blocks away and decided to try a new place and they blew me away with how awesome they got my order of chai with a variety of other tea flavors. It wasn’t too strong or too bland, but literally just right to my taste.
I do wish I tried their pastries or paninis, but I never really have much time to spend here when I do get around to coming here. They get pretty busy during lunch, but coming here during the morning before the rush of everyone, is always nice.
As for customer service, I’ve been told they can be a little snotty, and yes they can. Coming from male and females that work here… they make your drink and kind of just leave it as «here’s your drink. go away» luckily the drinks make up for it.

The Good:
The drinks are pretty good. My partner said her cappuccino was the best she ever had, even with the temperature being soo lukewarm. My latte was ok, but not the best I have had. A mocha latte is easy to do, so when it is done right it is awesome, here, it was meh.
The Bad:
BAD attitudes by BOTH baristas, male & female. No friendly greeting or smiling or anything but cut and dried Q&A while ordering.
The Ugly:
The crowd. Since the drinks taste good, people flock here. And apparently praise it too.
Conclusion:
Generally a cold, industrial, rude, pretentious place that we will never return to despite the flavor of my partners cappuccino being the best she’s ever had anywhere.

Café Cesura is my most favorite café to go to in Bellevue, regardless of the fact that finding parking around there is the hardest thing in the world. I always have to park on the other side of the block so that I can walk 5 minutes to get to the café. This being said, you can’t be in a rush to go to this place, because it’s also usually pack throughout the day.
Inside the store, the design and decoration have a bit dark theme (I don’t know if it’s appropriate to use dark, but it just doesn’t have much lighting inside)., open ceiling and wooden tables. They have one really cool and big piece of wooden tables in the middle where multiple parties can sit there. The store also has a good number of power outlets around the store making it a popular place for people to stay in to study or do work. They have several board games for you to borrow, but I have never seen anyone using them so far. I just don’t think it’s the best place for gaming haha.
There are 2 things that I also go back to Café Cesura for. 1. Mocha is soooo good. It is probably the best Mocha in Bellevue in my opinion; well blended coffee and chocolate with perfect amounts of ingredients. 2. Breakfast Sandwich. Hot-​pressed sandwich with ham, egg and cheese on the inside. Simple stuff, but they make it well. The price may be a bit pricey, but it’s worth every penny.
Their service on the other side has gone up and down. There are some good days, but not everyday is a good day. They staffs can be friendly and taking care of you well. If it’s not too busy, they can even serve the drinks to your table! Although, their service isn’t consistent, I will let it go and give them a 5 stars based on the quality of their foods and drinks :)

This is an energetic urban coffee shop. Pastries are superb and more sophisticated than usual fare. Baristas are friendly. Not the greatest for more than 1 companion. Seating is not utilitarian and it’s loud, but general feeling is upbeat and positive, not frenetic and stressed. Coffee is delicious. Soy, almond, coconut, and hemp options available… but give me good old fashioned cow milk.

This is a first impression review after my first visit here. In general, the place is very nice. With a rustic industrial theme, high ceilings, and chalkboard menu, it definitely feels trendy and special.
I don’t know if it was just an off day but I would give the service a 2.5 star rating. It was very obviously my first time here and the ladies working weren’t happy or inviting. They didn’t do or say anything necessarily wrong or rude– but a friendly barista always makes the whole experience better for me. So I was a little disappointed with their snappy responses and inattentive attitude.
The food/​drink — I would give 4 stars. I’ll start with the 12 ounce mocha w/​vanilla bean. It was super delicious! The foam was super smooth and the coffee wasn’t bitter at all. The leaf design was also very well done! My sisters drink on the other hand had a very sad looking leaf
The breakfast sandwich was very… Okay. A 3 star rating a would say. I was super hungry so I ate the entire thing. Had I not had such a huge appetite, I don’t think I would have finished it all. The egg was perfectly rectangular and a bright yellow throughout… Suspicious.
Overall, I enjoyed the coffee here. Probably won’t get food again and now I know to expect no conversation with the staff. It’s a great place to being a book or your laptop and study.
You can park in the buildings parking garage for up to 2 hours or there is street parking. If I had only gotten the coffee and the staff had smiles on their faces, I would have had no complaints.

Honestly, I was having a hard time finding a place on the eastside that actually serves tea, isn’t a fricking Starbucks, and wasn’t chock full of pretentious sanctimommies.
I’ve found it!
Thank you, Café Cesura, for being just a short 10 minute walk from my office, and thank you for serving AWESOME loose teas.
I love your crazy music selection, I love that your staff is so friendly, I especially love that you have genmaicha on hand.
I’ll be back to visit again soon :)

I really hate giving places one or two stars, but I need to be honest. I’ve recently came back after about 6 months cause I was recently craving for a green tea latte and this was the only place I could think of.
I should have came here a little later because it was really crowded on a Friday morning, but at least I was able to score seats by the window. The lady that was taking my boyfriend’s order was kinda snobby. She didn’t smile before asking what my boyfriend wanted nor did I hear a thank you when he paid. My boyfriend paid with a card and had to sign and confirm the price on the iPad while the lady left for a little bit to prepare our order. He requested a receipt, but the lady didn’t give any. My boyfriend would have asked, but we feel like she should have knew anyways instead of having him telling her. I get that it was busy though, but still.
The green tea latte was alright. It was my first time trying it and I wasn’t expecting it to be the best. I remember when my friend and I came here months ago and she ordered the same thing as well, but she also said that it was alright. I should have gotten something else instead. I also wanted to get the Nutella brioche, but it was already gone. :(oh well, second time visiting this place was enough and as much as I want to give this a good rating, I can’t. Like I said, I’m just being honest.

This is probably the best coffee that you’re going to get around the area. I haven’t found any other coffee shops though, but it definitely does stand out from the many Starbucks and Tully’s that cover Bellevue.
Free wifi. Its a nice place to do some work. Its very urbanesque with its dark cement interior and high ceilings. The first time that I visited was pretty busy, but the way the place is laid out helped eliminate that cramped situation.
The drinks are more on the pricier side and are at the $ 4 range. I’ve come here twice for their caffe latte. Its more creamy vs. having a strong roast taste. It’s kind of weird, maybe it was just my experience but, my drink varied and wasn’t a full cup when I first tried Café Cesura. Other than that, I’ve had excellent experiences with the café.
They sent me a rewards after my first purchase via email after using my card. They also have a «buy so and so amount of drinks to get a free beverage.»

(I stumbled here on a late Saturday morning looking for some coffee and a place to finish some personal work. The actual Café itself is fairly small – I’d say there’s only room for about 20 – 25 people. However, I was able to find a barstool spot right near the counter for serving coffee. About five minutes later, I found a sitting place. And 10 minutes later I got a coveted spot near an outlet.)
Atmosphere: It’s fairly open, but since it’s small, the experience is quite cozy. It looks like you would imagine Wifi is fairly fast, and if you wait long enough, I’m sure you’ll find a spot with an outlet. Most of the people here seem to be quick visitors or here for coffee chats. When I was there, they had a good music selection too! Think a mix of 80s rock and typical coffee shop music. It’s a great café for working since it’s still busy, but not too loud. The staff is friendly.
The Coffee: They have a wide range of espresso, tea, drinks, etc. (also it’s fairly common café food like pastries, danishes, etc). You can customize your coffee flavor which is neat – you can add pumpkin spice/​cinnamon honey/​vanilla/​etc. I had their americano, which was standard — it wasn’t burnt, and was strong. I also had their cinnamon-​honey latte — I highly recommend this! It wasn’t overly sweet, but still packed with flavor (if you’re ok with extra spices). I honestly think their coffee is what you would find in any coffee shop, but the ambiance kicks this place up a notch. Next time, I“ll stop in for a Matcha Latte and an Almond Chai Latte.

I came to this downtown café to spend an afternoon on the laptop, and was thoroughly impressed by the selections of espresso drinks, tea, and atmosphere. Despite the sterile outlook, the interior included wall-​to-​wall paintings of local artists, natural lighting coming through the windows, and seating arrangements that were conducive for laptop users, group hangouts, and people watching. Upon entering, it all started at the wall menu, followed by the long glass display of pastries, macarons, chocolates, and the cash register before picking up my drinks.
My Decaf Americano ($ 3.25) tasted airy, smooth, complex, without a hint of burnt. The quality was obvious and striking, one of the best Americanos I have tasted. They also have an extensive list of tea options, and the White Chai ($ 4) was light, flavorful, and arrived piping hot.
Santi’s Pumpkin Spice Latte ($ 5.50) was truly delightful. The Pumpkin Spice was homemade, and made with real pumpkin. According to Santi, the latte tasted like drinking a slice of warm, rich, and creamy pumpkin pie. As a signature experience, I shared her observation and really enjoyed it as well.
They have 10 varieties of milk options to choose from, so the menu was all-​inclusive but also specialized for those with discriminant taste buds. The WiFi was fast and accompanied by plenty of outlets along the walls. Service was friendly, warm, and knowledgeable. I wished they would open late into the night, and that all espresso drinks could come with latte art. What a fantastic place to spend an afternoon! I would love to return to try their Matcha Latte, Maple Latte, and repeats of Pumpkin Spice.

2 stars for service and coffee.
I am passionate about coffee and I’m even more excited to talk about coffee with people!
I was really excited to try this coffee shop as there aren’t any good ones on the Eastside.
Walking in, the person who greeted me was friendly and looks like any other great coffee shop.
The person who made my coffee, on the other hand, was a different thing all together. Although I was the only person in line, I was surprised the barista had his head down and wasn’t socializing or talking. He was just there for making coffee and wasn’t passionate about sharing the cup that he had made.
The latte was mediocre and fell flat. There was nothing distinctive in the coffee flavors like nutty or juicy. It just tasted heavily of roast and milk, which is basically like any other bad coffee shop or kiosk drive-​thru.
I really wanted this to work, but sorry to say, I will not be returning. There is nothing distinctive about this place that makes it any better. I’ll just keep getting coffee from Seattle-​side.

So I’ve darkened their door before but never for an almond milk chai. What a fabulous cup of chai they make. I’m depressed without it!
The café shop is totally hip and friendly at the same time. I’ve seen plenty of moms come in with their kiddos in tow.
I haven’t tried any of the other coffee drinks but I must say if you are looking for a creamy almond milk whatever, this is the place. Best. Ever.
Reason I didn’t give it five stars is that I seem to come when the food options are a little low. Would love to see what the case looks like at full volume, as well as if they have any gluten free options. If there was a 4.5 option, I’d click it.
Anyway, hands down, I’m very happy and will continue to thoroughly enjoy that cup of Chai for a long time! Thank you!

I think I’m kind of a little bit in love with this place.
It’s full of warm wood and high ceilings, yet minimalistic with grey and exposed pipes. It is not overly cold like some coffee houses. They don’t mind you hanging out to do work (free, no-​password-​needed wifi!) or lingering over a coffee with a date or a pal. Cool chalkboard menus. Long tables and little tables. Friendly, knowledgable staff. Good coffee. Solid selections of pastries and sweets. They also have breakfast sandwiches and grilled cheeses.
I came to catch up with a friend at lunch and we ordered vanilla lattes and grilled cheeses. The lattes were so delicious, warm and not overly sweet. The latte art was beautiful, even after you starting drinking it! The only fear I had was taking my very full cup from the coffee bar to the table. Also, the cups have no handles so they are perfect for cupping chilly hands around. The sammies were perfectly toasted with melty provolone, we think, so a different delicious cheesy experience.
2-​hr parking on the street if you can grab a spot. Would definitely love to try their matcha latte next time I’m in the neighborhood!