Icon Coffee

This place is now a Café Vita. Icon Coffee was easily my most favorite café. Although, not much has changed (the coffee is still really good, there are plenty of bench seats and electrical outlets for laptops, they have windows that now open up for those warm summer days), one thing keeps me away from this place now:
The staff are now rude and stuck up. The typical art-​school student attitude. You know, the guy that’s got his nose buried in some book or magazine, ignoring you until he can finish the paragraph, then, giving you that annoyed look because he actually has to make you a drink. No thanks.
I used to look forward to my morning chat and latte before hopping on the #5 downtown. Sometimes, I would skip a bus just because I was really enjoying the coffee and conversation with the baristas or another employee. Now, I rarely come in unless I am in serious need of coffee, otherwise I’ll grab it at Uptown Espresso downtown.

Ok this is now a Vita shop, but not much seems to have changed. this is one of the more dependable coffee shops in fermont. i am typically hard on vita, because i feel they could use some fine tuning with there beans/​roasts. This being said, this coffee shop is cute.

Icon was recently bought by a local chain. New owners, new baristas, new coffee, no art, smaller sizes.
Over all the place went to hell.

I used to live right by icon and visit everyday. Now its rare for me to stop by and I miss my baristas. They were always very friendly and remembered my drink, gave cookies to my dog, and made an excellent latte. If you live in the neighborhood I would recomend you make this your regular coffee stop, you cant beat the organic coffee, mightyo donuts, and great service.

The most powerful espresso ever. It was sweet and coffielicious, but it was also somehow immediately cold when served in a large cool ceramic cup. Not sure how this is thermodynamically possible, but it happened.
Besides the coffee there isn’t much here. There is some old typewriters in cabinets on the wall presented as if to say, «Look. I know it’s pretty sparse in here, but we’re trying to show that we have kitch, so drink come coffee and write here.»
It isn’t exactly what I would call a comfortable atmosphere, but I would call it upright and correct for those looking for a quick spot of bean-​juice.

I wanted to like this place, I really did. I live a block away. But after 3 tries, I give up. My lattes looked beautiful, but one was barely lukewarm, another tasted so bad I could barely drink it, and the last one was both warm and bad. So it’s back to Lighthouse. Icon has the better atmosphere, but it’s all about the espresso drinks for me.
I understand one poster’s comments about taking it slowly, but Icon is across the street from the Route 5 bus stop and the 3 lattes all took so long to make I nearly missed my bus.

Sometimes it’s all about the basics. Icon coffee has the basics down. Good coffee, a comfortable layout, a rack of newspapers, free wi-​fi, and air conditioning.
I know you couldn’t care less about air conditioning right now, but file this information away for that one week in August when you really need it.

A great addition the neighborhood. I used to live right by here, and just a few years ago there were no coffee shops that stayed open past 7, and Icon I believe is open until 9 every night. A nice quiet joint, small, but tucked away so I’ve usually been able to find a seat. And, a bonus, the laundromat is right across the street so you can sit here, relax, and keep an eye on your laundry through the window.

Icon blows Lighthouse out of the water. The staff is friendy and gregarious, and the quality is very consistent with a very competitive price.
If you like your coffee strong, please ask for extra shots, since their blends tend to be on the weaker end of the spectrum.

Slightly spartan, bright interior (perhaps a bit too bright when the sun shines through the windows). Fixtures and shelves made from recycled items. Interesting artwork on the walls. Friendly employees. Good music.
But let’s get down to business. Kris, Liz, Sophia & the gang pull some of the best shots in town. And don’t kid yourselves, the shots are my reason for going to these places. If the shots don’t cut it, I don’t go back. And I go back here whenever I’m in the area, or even getting near the area. Do it, you’ll like it.
Full disclosure: One of my best friends runs the place. However, before we were friends I already thought he was one of Seattle’s best baristas.

Most of us are used to lickety split «gimme my latte NOW» coffee. And those places (read: Starbucks) are crap. Icon’s baristas take their time to make sure that the latte/​americano/​mocha/​etc. is the best coffee drink that they can make. I’ve actually seen them pull my espresso shots, analyze them, decide that they aren’t good enough, pour them out, and then pull the shots again to ensure that it’s the best it can be. And even though it takes a couple of extra minutes to get my latte, it’s ALWAYS absolutely delicious. The baristas are friendly, and the «day old pastries» never taste like they’re a day old, and they’re cheap!

I live in Capitol Hill, but I thought I would venture out to try the ‘other’ coffee shops. I was pleasantly surprised when I came into Icon. The place is simple, small, but it has a lot to offer. Its a good place to go to sit and read, check your email, or watch people going by. Its a really quiet place (even the music is toned down), so I wouldn’t suggest meeting your 3 friends there and chatting up a storm (its just not so pc). The menu covers all the basics, including blended drinks. Also check out the day old pastry basket, some good buys.

I love this place. It is a new addition to our neighborhood and might be unwelcome competition, but have you ever known a coffee shop in Seattle to go out of business because a new one opened? Ha! Best everything bagels in town (but they usually only have one). Save this place for a rainy day because the sun is brutal coming through the windows.