Bauhaus Books and Coffee in Seattle, WA: See and Be Seen

Bauhaus is yet another haunt in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood with floor to ceiling windows, courtesy of the buildings past life as a turn of the century car garage. What's even cooler is the view that goes with; if you look west from the bar on the first floor, the Space Needle is perfectly framed by the window pane.

Bauhaus Books and Coffee should really just be called Bauhaus Coffee since the only books featured are the decorative encyclopedia sets that line the floor to ceiling bookcases. They should also change the tagline from 'colder than elsewhere' to 'hipster central' or perhaps just 'see and be seen'. Outside of the nightclubs, this is the place to watch people and have people watch you. If you ever get tired at gazing at the Space Needle, you can check out the citizens of the Hill as they pass by.

It's also a good spot to meet a friend, due to its central location, or to distract yourself from doing your homework. I recommend sitting on the first floor in the section by the door if you want to have your friend find you fast. If you're not expecting someone or just want a more private space, sneak into one of the booths around the corner from the counter or just take a seat at the bar by the giant window with the view of the Space Needle. There's also a second floor if all the seats on the first are taken.

The menu at Bauhaus is pretty basic: assorted coffee drinks, some sodas, juices and teas, and pastries as long as they haven't run out for the day. The pastry selection is really hit or miss. While they order the same amount and assortment of baked goods every day, the demand always changes. Some days there are good pickings at 5pm, other days everything has been cleared out by noon.

An interesting note about Bauhaus: sometimes the music they play is really weird. I've heard everything from obscure indy to Dolly Parton there. The baristas can play whatever they want over the sound system, so my guess is the variety is based on the whims of whoever controls the stereo for that shift.

You can find Bauhaus Books and Coffee at the corner of Pine and Melrose at the western front of Capitol Hill, just before the I-5 freeway. They are open until one in the morning every day, making this a good stop for night owls who like caffeine more than alcohol.