Palouse Coffee Club
At a glance
- Roasts inSeattle, WA
- CafesSeattle
- VisitorsOpen to the public
Ugly Mug Cafe & Coffee Roasters is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Washington: an independent roaster based in Seattle. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.
Their story
The cafe has stood near the Ave since 1995. Its current owners, who once worked there part time as students, bought it in September 2010. After taking over, the owners began roasting beans at home before moving to professional roasting. The Daily UW identified co-owner David Lee as a former UW student who bought the cafe with friends after working there part time.
Once in charge, the owners replaced the equipment, trained staff and remodeled the shop to give baristas more room. In 2014 the cafe dropped its sandwiches and soups, which Lee blamed on light rail construction next door and a tiny kitchen, to focus on coffee and micro-roasting single origins.
What they roast
Single origins on the list when we checked: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe G1 Kayon Mountain, Guatemala Huehuetenango Florencia, Honduras Finca El Naranjo, Peru La Coipa Flor de Selva, Colombia La Primavera Huila, Brazil Eagle Mogiana, Sumatra Tano Batak and Mexico Oaxaca Coop Sierra Mixteca de Yucuhiti. Espresso: Espresso Yourself! (Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia). Decaf: Swiss Water Decaf Blend. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-28.
Where to drink it
Two cafes, one in the U District and one in Interbay.
- U District: 1309 NE 43rd St, Seattle
- Interbay: 1607 W Dravus St, Seattle
Address
1309 NE 43rd St, Seattle, WA 98105
U District cafe.
Why buying from Ugly Mug Cafe & Coffee Roasters matters here
It spent years serving University of Washington students and faculty from its spot in the U District. Espresso Yourself, the signature blend, combines Brazilian, Colombian and Ethiopian beans roasted to a medium profile. Online bags are roasted on demand, so orders take two to three business days to go out; the second cafe is on West Dravus Street in Interbay.
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 Ugly Mug Cafe & Coffee Roasters is part of the club.
Are you Ugly Mug Cafe & Coffee Roasters? Email coffee@palousecoffeeclub.com to correct or remove this page.
More Washington roasters
- Zanarkand Coffee Roasters, Seattle
- Victrola Coffee Roasters, Seattle
- Caffe Vita, Seattle
By Joe McRose, Palouse Coffee Club. Updated . Facts from Ugly Mug Cafe & Coffee Roasters' own pages and public sources, read 2026-09-28.