Serendipity Cafe

The Basics:

206-282-9866
Serendipity Cafe

Where is it?
3222 West McGraw Street
Seattle, WA 98199

When are they open?
Mon-Thur: 7am - 8pm
Fri: 7am- 9pm
Sat: 7am - 8pm
Sun: 7am - 3pm

Is there parking?
2-hour back in angle parking, plus street parking--pretty easy to find.

Is there wi-fi?
Yes, and it's free!

What's the price range?
The cheapest thing I saw in terms of coffee was a single espresso for $1.75; a 12 oz. latte is $2.85, and the Steel Magnolia that I got was $3.35, all plus tax.

The Experience:

On this particular trip, the coffee was so-so, but on previous trips I have been more impressed. I ordered one of their signature drinks, the Steel Magnolia, which is a mix of hazelnut, espresso, milk, and white coffee. For those unacquainted with white coffee, it has a more tea-like taste slightly reminiscent of yerba mate; when mixed with hazelnut and espresso, it creates a unique and rich taste sensation that I have never tasted elsewhere. However, this time the drink was watery and weak, and the coffee itself is nothing special.

It's worth noting that Serendipity offers a full menu besides coffee, as well as gelato, and their food is exceptional. The food is a bit pricey, but it's what would be expected from a high-end bistro, with prices that reach the $10 range for a lunch entree.

I visited Serendipity around 1:30 on a Saturday, and they were busy! This cafe is uniquely geared for Magnolia, and serves full meals as well, so it caters especially to the brunch crowd with children; I would imagine it would slow down around 6pm or so, when parents start heading home to put their kids to bed.

On this visit, we decided to bypass the direct coffee route and chose instead to sit down and order. Due to the business, we were quickly motioned over to an empty table in the back; from then, service was good enough, but nothing special. It took a while to get our menus, then our waters, and after our food came, our waters were frequently refilled, but overall the staff was incredibly slow in getting to our table. While we were in no particular hurry, so it didn't matter, I wouldn't recommend trying Serendipity unless you have some time to kill.

Serendipity's strong suit is definitely its atmosphere--it finds the perfect middle ground between family-friendly neighborhood cafe and high-class bistro. For those who know Magnolia, it fits the stereotypical Magnolia family to a "t"!

As the pictures show, Serendipity has fantastically eccentric and urban furnishings, yet sitting there, you feel like you're in a neighborhood meeting-place, not a bistro downtown. There's plenty of seating, and a good-sized partially closed-off nook dedicated to kids, complete with chalkboard walls and a large playhouse. Overall, Serendipity is adorable, and definitely worth the experience of going.

{Review by Bekah}