Satellite Coffee (48 Good Days in Tacoma: Lovely Little Satellite Rises From the Old Temple)

Do you remember The Temple of the Bean? I don't, it was way before my Tacoma time, but lots of people seem to have very fond memories of the place. The tiny space it occupied above Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium and Supernova Tattoo, across the street from Wright Park, has finally reopened as a new, non-corporate coffee spot, Satellite Coffee.

The worship of the bean still reigns in the old Temple location, Satellite takes their coffee very seriously and serves only Stumptown coffee, a Portland-based brand known for buying directly from growers and insisting on perfection. Part of that perfection extends to places like Satellite, the owners had to be trained on-site at Stumptown and meet rigorous standards in order to sell their product.

All this preparation definitely shows in the drinks they pour. My soy latte was perfectly (there's that word again) smooth, with just enough of the espresso flavor coming through. It made me think of Vivace, when I'd never had coffee as good as Vivace before. These days, I think I like Stumptown a bit better. I've been on a bit of a caffeine bender lately, so I was pleased to note afterward that although it picked me up and got me through the afternoon, it didn't make me jittery. There is such a thing as too much caffeine, and I like to know that one shot of espresso isn't going to make me orbit the moon. Makes it easier for hard-core addicts like me to control their daily dose.

If you're new to this space, you should know that it's tiny and accessible only by a small flight of stairs on the exterior of the building. They've done a lot to make the 350 square foot interior inviting, however. It would be a great place to bring your laptop (wifi!), a book, or just sit and talk with a friend. It could be a little too small for small children if there are a few people there, but today I could have brought the kids and we'd have had the place to ourselves.

The owners and I reminisced a little about Capitol Hill coffee shops of the 90s, which made me feel nostalgic (and old). There's something about the place, even for someone like me who never knew the Temple of the Bean, that makes you remember the day you found your Favorite Hangout.

Satellite will be open M-F 6am-6pm, Saturday & Sunday 7am-6pm, for the time being. The owners hope to extend the hours to 11 pm very soon. The more coffee we buy from them, the faster this will happen, so go check them out soon.

Satellite Coffee

Division and I Streets (above Supernova)

Tacoma

dining, coffee, coffee map, StadiumDo you remember The Temple of the Bean? I don't, it was way before my Tacoma time, but lots of people seem to have very fond memories of the place. The tiny space it occupied above Tricky's Pop Culture Emporium and Supernova Tattoo, across the street from Wright Park, has finally reopened as a new, non-corporate coffee spot, Satellite Coffee.

The worship of the bean still reigns in the old Temple location, Satellite takes their coffee very seriously and serves only Stumptown coffee, a Portland-based brand known for buying directly from growers and insisting on perfection. Part of that perfection extends to places like Satellite, the owners had to be trained on-site at Stumptown and meet rigorous standards in order to sell their product.

All this preparation definitely shows in the drinks they pour. My soy latte was perfectly (there's that word again) smooth, with just enough of the espresso flavor coming through. It made me think of Vivace, when I'd never had coffee as good as Vivace before. These days, I think I like Stumptown a bit better. I've been on a bit of a caffeine bender lately, so I was pleased to note afterward that although it picked me up and got me through the afternoon, it didn't make me jittery. There is such a thing as too much caffeine, and I like to know that one shot of espresso isn't going to make me orbit the moon. Makes it easier for hard-core addicts like me to control their daily dose.

If you're new to this space, you should know that it's tiny and accessible only by a small flight of stairs on the exterior of the building. They've done a lot to make the 350 square foot interior inviting, however. It would be a great place to bring your laptop (wifi!), a book, or just sit and talk with a friend. It could be a little too small for small children if there are a few people there, but today I could have brought the kids and we'd have had the place to ourselves.

The owners and I reminisced a little about Capitol Hill coffee shops of the 90s, which made me feel nostalgic (and old). There's something about the place, even for someone like me who never knew the Temple of the Bean, that makes you remember the day you found your Favorite Hangout.

Satellite will be open M-F 6am-6pm, Saturday & Sunday 7am-6pm, for the time being. The owners hope to extend the hours to 11 pm very soon. The more coffee we buy from them, the faster this will happen, so go check them out soon.

Satellite Coffee

Division and I Streets (above Supernova)

Tacoma

Since I wrote this post back in 2007, Stadium has expanded to three Tacoma stores. (All just as good as the original.  

Additional locations:

2811 6th Ave (Adjacent to Masa)

Market St, Between S 11th & S 13th (shares a space with Smooth & Juicy)