Starbucks SODO Reserve

Seattleite or not, nearly everyone has heard of Starbucks Coffee Company. You’ve had Starbucks coffee, you’ve grabbed a Chonga bagel here or there and essentially, you feel some sort of way about the company and/ or their products. The true question is, whether or not you’ve heard of a Starbucks Reserve.

If you’re like me, then you’ve always had a deep fascination regarding the Starbucks Headquarters building in SODO (south of downtown). It’s one of the largest buildings in SODO, boasting that green mermaid we all know and love. Unbeknownst to many people, Starbucks Headquarters is not open to the public. That means employees only; no tours, no way in for you, me or Joe Schmo.

Luckily, Starbucks knew that people wanted in, even if it was only a teeny-tiny glimpse. So, in February of 2018, doors opened to the very first Starbucks Reserve located within the Headquarters building.

Entrance to Starbucks Reserve in Seattle

Now this location is not just another Starbucks cafe or store. The Starbucks Reserve offers an experience. Yes, an experience unlike any other Starbucks you’ve ever been to or dreamt of.

The Reserve at SODO is beautiful, elegant, welcoming and different.

The first view you receive when walking into Starbucks Reserve in SODO Seattle

Located at street level, the space was created for the community. A place for employees and visitors to join together in a single space to enjoy good coffee. So, when you walk in I recommend you allow yourself a few moments to take it all in; no need to feel overwhelmed by it’s vastness, just look around from where you stand.

“When you walk into the space from the entry, you can take everything in in the sweep of an eye,” said Christian Davies. “We wanted people to walk through those doors and immediately find themselves in something different and unique, but they would still recognize as Starbucks.”
–Starbucks.com

During our visit, we began our journey by turning right and walking up to the coffee bar where a friendly employee welcomed us. As this location is a Reserve, the regular food & drink menu is nowhere to be found. Thus, we were asked what types of drinks we normally like and provided a few recommendations for us to choose from. After placing our orders, we stepped back and watched the magic happen.

The drinks created behind the bar here are all masterpieces so do make sure to take the time to appreciate your carefully crafted drink.

Drinks in hand, we moved to the left half of the space and found a seat by the gorgeous floor to ceiling fireplace. Gathered around other visitors, sitting in leather chairs, chatting and enjoying our coffee was a lovely experience. After a few moments we knew we needed to explore the center stage that is Princi Kitchen. With so many delectable options for food, we made our decisions and returned to our seats. After a few quick moments, a Princi employee happily delivered our snacks to us by the fire.

With empty cups and full tummies, we spent the next few moments exploring the nooks and crannies of the space. With so many interesting corners, so much detail and many moving parts, the Starbucks Reserve in SODO is truly an experience and way to spend a morning or afternoon in the city.