Ampersand Cafe

Awesome food, awesome beer, awesome hot chocolate, and an unbeatable view. This place rocks.

Nice atmosphere, friendly people. But only 3 stars because I had to ask for a ceramic cup (otherwise they give you a paper cup), and then they burned my cappuccino. This is unacceptable for a place that presents itself as a quaint café. :-(The panini was decent, tho.

Best view ever for doing laptop work in Seattle. Windows right to the water. Outlets, comfortable seating, also yes. Coffee is ok, but I’m here for the real estate!

Exactly what I was looking for!
I wanted to study at a café that served food and had a great view of the water, and that’s what you’ll get here.
I tried the bacon biscuit, which was delicious, but it was a little pricey for the size of the biscuit.
The staff was really friendly.

Horrible customer service. I live and work on Alki Beach, so I thought it would be nice to have a local place to go. I tried it out twice and the service here sucks. The baristas only care about customers they recognize. If I asked for anything (last time they were out of napkins in the dispenser and I had spilled hot coffee on my hand) they act like I’m bothering them. (That time the female barista was too busy chatting to someone about her black lab.)
I told myself I’d try it again, I did. Still horrible. I won’t be going back. And I’ll be telling my neighbors and coworkers on Alki about my experience.

How I heard of this place: We walk along the boardwalk at Alki regularly, but it wasn’t until a sunny summer day with our newest addition — and thanks to the Chinook Book — that we made our way into these café doors.
Type of cuisine: «Locally roasted Hawaiian Coffee; breakfast & lunch sandwiches; Biscuits, cinnamon rolls & other baked goods; 35+ bottled beers, cider & wine & beer on tap.»
«All breads are made from scratch in-​house. We cure and roast our ham, bacon, turkey, and roast beef in-​house. Our pastries are house-​made and baked fresh each morning. We use Twinbrook Jersey milk, which means no hormones, no pesticides, no commercial fertilizer… Just happy cows raised locally in Lynden, Washington (check them out at
).
We have our very own garden where we grow many of the herbs we use in our recipes. The view, duh. We have six rotating beers on tap and over 35 bottles of beer, many of which are local, all of which are extremely tasty. We offer wine by the glass and by the bottle. Mimosas! Our Hawaiian coffee in locally roasted.»
Ambiance: A beach-​ready space with large outdoor patio, doors that open to the inside café and rustic feel with sand on the floors, shabby-​looking wood and simple décor. The focus is on the view of the beach across the street, and dreams of the sand between your toes.
What I ordered: My husband and I both selected a large, iced white chocolate raspberry mocha ($ 5.43 each). Mine came complete with whipped cream!
What I loved: The whipped cream!
Why I loved it: A cold cup of delicious to enjoy while strolling along the beach with my family. Yay.
Cost: Average ($ 3 — $ 6 per espresso beverage)

So I just recently discovered Ampersand and it has everything that you want in a coffee place: good coffee, locally made food, and a nice atmosphere. In other words, it’s good. The inside isn’t super cozy but it is on Alki which provides a great view to just chill out and watch the water.
Here’s the kicker though — they make their own bread and bagels. Yep, bagels. In house. Their French Toast is killer and a good price, the egg salad is good, sandwiches are a normal size — it’s all good.

As a person who frequents a number of coffee shops, you can definitely tell a lot about a café based off of something as simple as drip coffee. I’m unsure of the beans that they use, but I was straight up disappointed with my coffee. Not only was it luke warm, but it was on the burnt tasting side much like a certain Seattle coffee company!
The upside is that I do like the location. If I find myself back in the area, I would be open to the idea to stop back in and try something different, but we’ll have to see. As a side note, I want to also let others know that their menu is more pricey compared to some of the other local coffee shops in the area (for those who try to limit their caffeine addiction!)

Eh. The staff was friendly enough. The café was small and cozy. There was an outside seating area so the breeze was nice, and the inside had plenty of tables and chairs for lounging.
The espresso I ordered with a flavor shot was darn strong. It was in such a medico cup that my friend and I wondered what the heck I ordered. It was in a miniaturized cup that was twice the size of the clear cups you use to hold sauces in for to-​go orders. Seriously. It was as if she gave me a pure shot of espresso… So I ended up adding a load of sugar and milk. At least my friend enjoyed his tea. Yikes for this choice of beverage.

Cool spot to unwind after a beach day. They have some good beers on tap and they have some decent food. I got the egg biscuit and it was a really solid biscuit for $ 5. I also really enjoyed the beer I got and sitting outside in the sun. I would definitely come back here next time I’m at Alki beach.

Taking a staycation at a friend’s house overlooking Alki this weekend, and Ampersand is the closest coffee shop. With blues music playing gently in the background and a sunny spot in the corner looking out at the beach, hot coffee in hand and a decent fritatta sandwich, I’m feeling good about this Sunday. The coffee is from Hawaii. Mine doesn’t taste as strong as I like, but it’s ok for now.
Despite being on the Alki strip, it’s nice and calm in here right now. Beach living is sweet.

This is a great nondescript place to grab a beer, glass of wine, or coffee and people watch. We came here on a Saturday afternoon and found it surprisingly empty! The service was fast, they had a good selection of drinks, and the view is great! You can pass by all the chain on Alki and just come here! Parking on Alki is a pain and this place is no different, but at least it’s not packed!

One of my favorite places to work from on Alki. Coffee is always strong and artfully crafted. They usually have TuneIn reggae radio playing which creates a nice work vibe. There is a steady flow of people coming in to order coffee, but they usually just grab and go.
Just recently ordered food — tried the egg salad sandwich. It was delicious… but it was about ¼ the size of a regular sandwich. Almost like it was made on cocktail bread. It was only $ 5.50 but I was a little shocked at the size when it came out.
Wifi = usually full signal but kind of hit and miss as to whether or not it’s working
View = amazing
Noise = not as loud and crowded as the chains down the street
Plugs = 2 to 3 along the wall
Baristas = spot on

Great place to sit outside with a book pretending to read while you are actually people-​watching. Decent beer selection. Halfway decent coffee. My choice on Alki if I want some sunshine and a place where I feel comfortable taking up a chair for 5 hours.
But whoever is in charge here needs to get it together. Sometimes they’ll make me an iced green tea, sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they’ll be rude about it. Sometimes there’s 1 person working on a sunny afternoon, leading to a 15-​minute line. Sometimes your sandwich will come out in 5 minutes, sometimes it will take 20. And there’s one particular barista who needs to think about getting a non-​customer-​service oriented job, if she hates people so much.
Also, either my boyfriend or I ALWAYS hit our heads on the tilt-​up windows. Our own faults, I know, so not factoring that into the rating, but damn I wish they would open those all the way and secure them.

Spectacular coffee and kind baristas.
Menu is artfully written on chalkboard and boasts coffee from Hawaii. Haven’t tried any of their sandwiches, but the coffee is fantastic.
Skip Tully’s and Starbuck’s and swing by Ampersand instead and relax on one of their lovely outside tables.

Cute and quaint place if you looking to grab a bite. Customer service is better than any of the other café spots in the area as well. HA! Will definitely come back to try the homemade bagels.

I ordered coffee and a ham & cheese sandwich. They pumped out coffee at lightening speed but when it came to my ham and cheese sandwich, it took forever, and disappointingly, it tasted like it too. My ham and cheese sandwhich, which was literally just ham and cheese slapped inside two pieces of bread, took 30min to come out. That’s long enough wait if you are by yourself, you know how long that feels like with an anxious, crying toddler? ETERNITY. and when the sandwich finally arrived in my mouth, it tasted as if it grew wary and stopped being a sandwich – dry, cold and depressed.
At least their coffee was good.

During the summer, I’m sure this place is insanely packed with patrons, but during the winter months this is as wonderfully-​cozy little coffee and brew shop. A nice menu of local beers and ciders on tap and in bottles, plus some good wines. Coffee is good as well as the house-​made sandwiches and pastries. A good spot to curl up and read or study on a rainy winter day…

As an Alki Beach resident, I take pride in supporting the many local, awesome businesses that are all in walking distance to my apartment.
About a month ago I realized I had never been to Ampersand and immediately wondered why? I walk by it all the time and have always wanted to check it out. I guess I just hadn’t found the time to do so. Shame on me! I’ve been missing out this whole time!
For starters, they make awesome espresso drinks. And for a café that’s pretty darn important. Their foam is perfectly velvety and their espresso is rich in flavor and incredibly robust. If you’re looking for a more adult beverage, they have a great selection of beer.
Since my first visit I’ve dropped in for one of their delicious pastries, and I cannot recommend their biscuits and biscuit sandwiches enough.
Service is always friendly, although on the slower side.

Awesome place to get a cup of coffee. Biscuts are tasty. Sometimes it’s annoying when it gets busy because depending on what time of day, there’s only one to two people.
I wish they multitasked better. Like, maybe ring a few people at a time, and then do the drinks instead of one customer at a time, or at least, note the times of a rush and then staff accordingly.
They also have great beers there.