Palouse Coffee Club
At a glance
- Roasts inSeattle, WA
- Founded1992
- Founded byPaul Odom
- CafesSeattle and Bellevue
- VisitorsOpen to the public
Fonté Coffee Roaster is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Washington: an independent roaster based in Seattle, founded in 1992. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.
Their story
The independently owned roaster runs cafes in Seattle and Bellevue and one in Balbriggan, north of Dublin in Ireland. The company also operates the Uptown Espresso cafes, with shops in Belltown, the Junction and Magnolia. Paul Odom started the company in Seattle in 1992, choosing a name that is Italian for source.
Its master roaster, Steve Smith, came from Starbucks, where the company says he trained under the original owners and was the only roaster there to earn the Master Roaster title. Every batch is roasted by hand rather than by digital profile, and wholesale orders ship within a day of roasting in bags with one-way valves.
What they roast
House blends include Uptown Blend, First Avenue, F2 and Fonte AA. Single origins on the list when we checked: Vietnam Dung K'No Natural, Costa Rica Monte Brisas Danto and El Salvador Quezaltepeque Finca La Esperanza. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-28.
Where to drink it
- Fonte Cafe Seattle: 1321 First Avenue, Seattle
- Fonte Cafe Bellevue: 10500 NE 8th St, Bellevue
- Fonte Seattle 8th Avenue: 1918 8th Avenue, Seattle
Address
5501 6th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108
Roaster address in the site footer.
Why buying from Fonté Coffee Roaster matters here
Hotel, restaurant and cafe clients get equipment installation, staff training and round-the-clock equipment help. Besides the First Avenue cafe, the site lists The Fonte Bar at Rainier Square and two Bellevue cafes, one at the Hyatt and one at Civica.
Every bag bought from a Seattle roaster pays roasting and cafe wages in Washington, and the coffee reaches you days after roasting instead of months. That is the reason the club exists. Why local roasters matter.
About this listing
Listed as a local favorite. A listing does not mean Fonté Coffee Roaster is part of the club.
Are you Fonté Coffee Roaster? Email coffee@palousecoffeeclub.com to correct or remove this page.
More Washington roasters
- Fundamental Coffee Company, Seattle
- Giddy Sloth, Seattle
- Gloom Coffee, Seattle
By Joe McRose, Palouse Coffee Club. Updated . Facts from Fonté Coffee Roaster's own pages and public sources, read 2026-09-28.