While Neumos has remained a rock in the Seattle music scene, Cafe Presse is the up and comer in our vast field of coffee merchants. Neumos is that taste of Seattle music everyone who visits is looking for. From the random disco ball and chandelier to the 21 and over bar & balcony make this spot a unique and enjoyable music venue. Cafe Presse, on the other hand, is that touch of Europe within the Seattle scene. While being one of the only coffee shops open until 2 a.m., this gem of Capitol Hill also offers Caffe Vita coffee, an amazing breakfast menu, and (for guy’s day out) a showing of every soccer game a futbol fan could ask for. Neumos & Cafe Presse: The perfect 1, 2 date combination!
Our city’s cultural landscape has long been defined by two things: music and coffee (you could probably name a few others, but this intro wouldn’t make as much sense if I said “computers and airplanes”). The former is largely due in part by the grunge movement of the early nineties and the latter is due to our corporate coffee culture (i.e. Starbucks). Needless to say, this post was a long time coming.
Neumos has long been one of my favorite venues in Seattle. If you happen to like music at all, this can make for a great date venue. If you’re not particular about your music choice (i.e. must have top 40!), one of the best dates can be just going on a random night see who’s playing…although, as a word of warning, tickets can run up to $20 a piece, but are usually between $7 and $12. If you don’t like the music, just hop over to Moe Bar and grab a drink. Happy hour runs from 3pm to 7pm and offers $2 beers and wells.
As a warning, parking can be really bad around this area, so expect to fork over some cash for parking or be forced to drive around for 20+ minutes looking for the poor guy pulling out of his parking spot to end his night early. I once spent 45 minutes looking for parking…and, yes, I do regret it.
TIP When you go to a concert at Neumos the balcony is the place to be! For the most intimate concert going experience you should head straight upstairs (unless you’re a minor, in which case you’re probably not allowed). You’ll get a sweeping view of the stage and the crowd with access to a bar sans the ridiculous lines…there will normally be a line, it just won’t be ridiculous, usually. In addition, remember that music sets the mood for the evening. If your date really likes the death metal band that’s about to rock your world, it will be a lot of fun, but don’t count on a lot of romance. I can’t recall many dates I would classify as good that consisted of some guy in makeup yelling at me for an hour. Lastly, concerts are usually packed. You can use this as a great opportunity to get a little closer and institute some “I’m just trying to make sure that jerk won’t bump you any more” touching.
Once you’ve had your eardrums ruined by the booming bass your mother warned you about, it’s time to make a choice: cut your losses and grab a street meat cream cheese hot dog to take home alone or move on to Cafe Presse for that new revival. Honestly, I think both options are pretty tempting (mmm, cream cheese).
If your choice is “The 
Presse”, you will be pleasantly surprised. This small dose of France has a cure for most of the post concert blues. I’m usually (1) tired and (2) hungry. They provide a full “breakfast to dinner” menu consisting of a few sandwich and breakfast classics (and not so classics) combined with an array of meat centric dishes (pan roasted semi-boneless quail, Penn Cove mussels, ground natural veal, Washington natural chicken…need I say more) that’s served until 1:30 a.m. The OEufs Mayonnaise I’m told is amazing, but the combination of hard-boiled eggs and mayo doesn’t do much for me. I’d recommend the Croque Campagnard consisting of hard sausage, gruyere and tomato served hot on country bread. This post is really starting to make me hungry!
When it comes to coffee, just go with what you’d usually get at Starbucks, Tully’s or wherever else you normally get your cup of Joe, just don’t expect any crazy Frappuccino drinks. Vita coffee rarely disappoints and the baristas at Presse use their coffee like Michelangelo used paint.
A few logistics, parking is normally pretty easy to find, especially late at night. Prices run from about $4 to $16, but for a simple meal and coffee for two expect to pay around $30 with tip. They have an enormous news stand, so if you’re running out of things to talk about on your date it may be time to grab that People Magazine.
Lastly, I’d like to add, while I’ve found most coffee shops provide pleasant service, the folks at Cafe Presse seem to go above and beyond. From a warm greeting at the door to the delivery of your tall skinny cafe latte, for such a small eatery the staff always seem to be on the move and never seem to lose their smile. We were asked several times if we needed anything else. Just enough service to feel important, not so much as to be annoyed.
Enjoy!
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