Café Allegro

Let's dispel a myth: it's this place, not Starbucks, that's the oldest functioning coffee bar in Seattle. Founded in 1975, it was a bona fide espresso bar when Starbucks was still just a store that sold coffee beans and machinery. Stuffed into a back alley between NE 42nd and NE 43rd Sts, the cafe hasn't changed much over the years.