Caffe Ladro is a coffee shop chain and roastery in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. Established in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood in 1994, the business operated fifteen locations as of 2017.

Description

Caffe Ladro ( Italian for "coffee thief") is a Seattle-based coffee shop chain and

roastery Roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. The roasting process is what produces the characteristic flavor of coffee by causing the green coffee beans to change in taste. ...

. The business roasts its own coffee beans and bakes its own pastries at a central bakery. The menu has included "light meals" and vegetarian options. According to ''Moon Seattle'' (2019), the business is "known for high-quality coffee and consistent service". The '' Not for Tourists Guide to Seattle'' has said Caffe Ladro serves "strong coffee for the strong coffee drinker".

History

Caffe Ladro was founded by Jack and Ohly Kelly in 1994. In 2002 it became "the first multiple-unit chain in the country to sell 100 percent

fair trade coffee Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced to fair trade standards by fair trade organizations, which create trading partnerships that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect, with the goal of achieving greate ...

". There were 16 locations as of 2022, and 18 locations as of 2023. In addition to Seattle, the business has operated in Kirkland. Rachael Ray visited Caffe Ladro for a season 1 (2002) episode of ''

$40 a Day ''$40 a Day'' was a Food Network show hosted by Rachael Ray. In each episode, Ray takes a one-day trip to an American, Canadian, or European city with only $40 US, to spend on food. While touring the city, she finds restaurants to go to (often ba ...

''. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the business released a special blend to support the Restaurant Workers' Community Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Reception

Caffe Ladro won in the Best Independent Coffee Shop category of ''Seattle Magazine'' readers' choice poll in 2017. Callie Craighead included the business in Seattle Post-Intelligencer's 2021 overview of Seattle's best coffee shops and wrote, "Caffe Ladro is one of Seattle's bigger local chains that still manages to hit the nail on the head for quality drinks." Caffe Ladro was a finalist in the ''

Bellevue Reporter Black Press Group Ltd. is a Canadian publisher of prominent daily newspapers in Hawaii and Alaska and numerous non-daily newspapers in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, and (via Sound Publishing) the U.S. state of Washington. Black Press M ...

'' Bell of Bellevue list in 2021. Allecia Vermillion included the business in

Seattle Metropolitan ''Seattle Metropolitan'', or ''Seattle Met'', is a monthly city magazine covering Seattle, Washington. Its first issue was published in March 2006, and features reporting and feature articles on Seattle events, politics, people, dining and restaura ...

's 2022 overview of a dozen "destination" coffee shops. Mia Salas included Caffe Ladro in Eat This, Not That's 2023 list of "9 Coffee Shop Chains with the Best Quality Coffee in America".

References

External links

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Caffe Ladro
at the Food Network {{Restaurants in Seattle 1994 establishments in Washington (state) American companies established in 1994 Coffee in Seattle Coffeehouses and cafés in Washington (state) Companies based in Seattle Restaurants in Seattle