Tougo Coffee Co.

Finding a coffee shop that’s versatile enough to provide community meeting space and productive work stations and children’s playthings isn’t an impossible task. That versatility, paired with artfully prepared fair-trade beans, comes to life at Tougo Coffee Company in Seattle’s Central District.

Today’s visit

I tagged along with Christina this morning while she hung out with Kelso n’ Keaton. We decided to camp out at Tougo because of the kids play area—sure to be full of little ones for Kelso to befriend—and the delicious java.

Our visit, in short: Keaton noshed on a chocolate Mighty O donut while Kelso put wooden trucks in the kitchenette’s microwave. Kelso built block creations while Keaton tried to disembowel my wireless mouse. Keaton contemplated climbing into the lap of a random mom while Kelso arranged rings around the neck of an inflatable seal. Then Kelso made new friends while Keaton smeared chalk on strange women’s chests. Nice.

Meanwhile, I hid behind the confines of my computer, clutching my coffee and supervising Christina as she chased the energetic twosome. Just watching those babies is exhausting.

The feel

Tougo’s got a good vibe…as long as you’re not afraid of small children. You can park your dog out front and lounge in an Adirondack chair while sipping your morning brew. Or, you can carve out a quiet-ish workspace in the spacious lower seating area. And, for those mommy-child pairings that Tougo never seems to weary of, there’s a good-sized play area—complete with books, blocks, chalk, and toys—in the rear of the cafe.

The baristas are on a first-name basis with most of the coffee-seekers, and the neighborhood moms have claimed the café as part of their morning routines.

The goods

The java selection at Tougo is unique. Instead of exclusively partnering with a single roaster, Tougo “works with four roasters dedicated to supporting the true artisanship of coffee farmers as well as the fair cultivation and treatment of their land and communities.” The line-up of artisan roasters includes Stumptown of Portland, Ritual Coffee Roasters (California), Chicago-based Intelligentsia Worldwide Cup, Everett-based Velton’s Coffee Roasting Company, and PT’s Coffee Roasting Co (hailing from Topeka, Kansas, of all places).

The café serves Mighty O donuts, along with breads, muffins, scones, and sandwiches from Macrina Bakery.       

Where it’s at

The intersection of Union and 18^th in the CD (more specifically, 1410 18^th Ave) 

When it’s open

6 to 6, Monday through Friday and 7 to 6 on weekends

In summary

Tougo is delish. Swing by or stay awhile—either option is sure to please.