Spokane, WA

On the western edge of downtown Spokane, green awnings covering an outdoor seating area boast the name Rocket Bakery. This charming café looks to be the type that would charge $5.00 for a tall mocha from the outside, but once you enter the glass door of the attractive brick building you realize you are far away from yuppie-dom. The tattooed teenagers employed there ignore you as you walk into the brightly painted café. Drink prices are scrawled on a chalkboard behind the counter, which holds a mouth-watering display of cakes, cookies, bagels, and frosted cinnamon rolls. Mismatched chairs and tables are scattered throughout Rocket Bakery’s vast square-footage. I love this place.

Don’t let the long line at the cash register in the late morning hours deter you from this coffee-lovers’gem at 1325 W 1^st Avenue. People come here for the quick service, delicious pastries and coffee beverages made to perfection. Once you make it to the cash register, the person taking your order writes it down on a post-it and sticks it to the side of the espresso machine for the barista. After frequenting Starbucks, who repeats your order loudly and completes a checklist on the side of your cup, I was unsure how accurate this method actually was, but they haven’t gotten a drink wrong yet.

Your food order can be dressed up any way you like; cut in half, heated up, put on two plates, you name it. Don’t forget to browse the display on the other side of the cash register as well: It holds bowls of pasta salad, trays of quiche, and desserts that will make you salivate even if you aren’t hungry. Refrigerators stocked with international beers and a freezer full of gourmet ice cream follow, and on the south wall of the café are 10 foot shelves piled with boxes of wine and chips.

Finding a place to sit may seem daunting, but there is always a space tucked next to the oversized windows, which also open up to the outdoor seating area. Rocket Bakery’s customers are just as diverse as its assortment of bagels. Enjoying the café are carb-seeking bicycle riders, pastry-loving church-goers, and the caffeine-cravers looking for a WIFI connection and a Sunday morning pick-me-up. You could go for a quick coffee stop or sit there all day, reading the Inlander and people-watching. All ages and types would enjoy this one-of-a-kind café.

One more thing all of downtown Spokane has Wifi so you can get it here. It is a bit noisy here so I wouldn’t recommend working if you need a quite place.