Sinking into one of the oversized leather chairs, pushing the newspapers littered on the table for the appropriate section, and making sure your purse isn’t being continuously rammed by an over-zealous stroller mom is part of the Zoka experience. It’s a big, somewhat messy, totally comfortable coffeeshop—kind of like an extension of your living room.

The coffee here is reliably good; signature blends run the gamut of fruity and slightly acidic to full-bodied with tobacco and brown-sugar notes. Although the quiche, sandwich, and sweets selections have dwindled over the past couple years, you’ll still find more choices here than your average Seattle brewhouse.

At lunch, the caprese sandwich is popular, as are the oversized cookies (try the chocolate truffle), massive wedges of banana cream pie, and “Zoka Bars” (essentially deliciously retro seven-layer bars). A few vegan selections, like the oat-y Jam Dots and vegan chocolate chip cookies, ensure happy eating and caffeinating for all.