Seattle is known around the world for coffee, but long before latte art flooded social media, one small Capitol Hill cafe helped change espresso forever. Vivace Espresso is widely considered the birthplace of modern day espresso, and its influence reaches far beyond the city limits.
Founded in 1988 by David Schomer, Vivace approached espresso with a level of precision that simply did not exist at the time. While most cafes focused on speed and volume, Vivace treated espresso as a craft. Schomer obsessively tested grind size, extraction time, water temperature, and milk texture, creating standards that are now taught and practiced globally.
Vivace was one of the first cafes in the world to emphasize proper espresso extraction and milk steaming techniques. The result was a smoother, sweeter shot that highlighted the coffee itself rather than masking flaws with syrups or excess milk. This philosophy helped shape what we now recognize as modern espresso culture.
The cafe also played a major role in popularizing latte art. What started as a way to ensure properly textured milk became a visual signature that spread throughout the specialty coffee world. Today, latte art is everywhere, but its roots trace back to Vivace’s espresso bar.
More than three decades later, Vivace remains a pilgrimage site for coffee professionals and enthusiasts alike. It is not just a cafe. It is a classroom, a laboratory, and a cornerstone of Seattle’s coffee legacy.
Modern espresso as we know it did not happen overnight, and it did not happen by accident. It was refined cup by cup at Vivace, right here in Seattle.