Bellevue is a city where things do not come cheap. Often it is hard to find good quality things at a good if not reasonable price. Looking past the over-priced restaurants and mediocre coffee, 148th Ave. Coffee Shop has a refreshing air to it.
The Champion Center, near the upper parking lots of Bellevue College and across the street from the Shell gas station, houses the 148th Ave. Coffee Shop. It is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Sunday from 9am to noon.
“It is a place where anyone can come and hang out,” said Daniel Meija. “While it is run by a Christian organization, our goal is to make people feel comfortable and at home. Our slogan is Coffee, Relax, Study and Enjoy.”
In solidarity with this view, the 148th Ave. Coffee Shop is open to anyone of any race ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
A student of Bellevue College, Paulina Hui is a regular to the cafe.
“I love coming [here] with my boyfriend,” Hui said. “Daniel, the guy who runs the place, is really awesome. He makes me this special sandwich and calls it the Paulina sandwich.”
Unlike some of the coffee stands on campus, the 148th Ave. Coffee Shop has a spacious seating area, lined with couches a student can sink so far into that they’ll get lost. Another regular customer from Bellevue College, Ben Neilson, enjoys relaxing at the café.
“The coffee is good and the couches are comfy,” said Neilson. “There is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It is a good place to come meet new people and make new friends.”
Students who find the peaceful quiet and homey decor relaxing can now rent out spaces for group or individual study, and should talk to Meija for further details.
The shop is close enough to Bellevue College campus where a student can sip coffee between classes and not worry about running late. The atmosphere of the place tends to change with the seasons, but with the right lighting and the right music the café can easily transform into a nice and quiet place where one can chat with their significant other on a casual afternoon date.
The coffee is unrivaled in the immediate area. The coffee does not come burnt the way that Starbucks’ or the BC café’s coffee tends to come, and the milk alternatives available, such as almond milk, make things more convenient for lactose intolerant students who don’t favor soy. On of the best drinks served onsite are called dirty chai teas, because shots of espresso are added to chai tea. Upon request, the dirty chai can be topped with steamed almond milk, which has a nutty flavor that nicely pairs with coffee.
As morning classes end, and the fog begins to lift during this winter season, where better to pretend to do homework while browsing Facebook then the 148th Ave. Coffee Shop?