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    Cardoon

    4.7 (65 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Cardoon Photos

    Business Info

    CARDOON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cardoon

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    Reviews With Photos

    The bar
    Mary J.

    Cardoon is hip and welcoming, a great mix. On a Sunday, there was a line out the door, but plenty of seating inside, for both groups and solo customers. The cafe draws a young, artsy, multicultural crowd, which is part of its modern bohemian charm. I got a simple latte (very good!), but they have snacks available too. Check them out!

    Ami Y.

    I live nearby and visit Cardoon every once in a while. I was feeling hungry one morning and craving some breakfast sandwich type of food, so I decided to try their sandwich. The egg is fluffy and the sauce they used on the sandwich tasted pretty good. It was pricey so I probably won't go for it for another while, but I'm glad I tried it.

    Chocolate chip cookie
    Greta G.

    I saw Cardoon listed on The Infatuation's top Seattle Chocolate Chip Cookies List and I knew I had to try it. My husband and I walk past Cardoon all the time, so one day we finally stopped in. The cafe is cute and cozy and makes good use of a small space with benches along the walls and low tables. It's not the kind of cafe you would work on your laptop for hours from, but instead meet a friend or read a book. They were out of chocolate chip cookies when we arrived, but the barista said they had a new batch in the oven if I could wait 30 minutes. I waited, and boy was it worth the wait. The cookie was warm and gooey, while still crispy on the edges. There are pools of dark chocolate and flakes of sea salt, and undertones of anise, making it a delectable cookie. Overall, a great experience and I will definitely be back to try some drinks!

    Andrew T.

    Absolutely love this coffee shop! They have a beautiful ambiance and environment and although it is pretty small, we are usually able to find a seat and I love getting work done here. Their their drinks are definitely the highlight and I really love their seaweed latte. They also have some alcoholic drinks and some really nice pastries and service is always really fast and polite. It's in the perfect location if you're spending a day in downtown Ballard or going to the locks nearby. Unfortunately there isn't much parking but we are usually able to find parking in the neighborhood or just pay for street parking up front

    Oat milk latte
    Greta S.

    Now this was a very nice latte.. triple shot, oat milk, 12 oz! I also ordered a dish with purple rice, tofu skins cooked in a very spicy tomato sauce. I could only eat half... richard finished it for me. Ohhh their pickled items were so yummy... soft salty pickle flavors. Loved it-- would order that as a side if they offered it on the menu. Rice dish was a good vegan option. And probably better with a beer than coffee lol We had just walked over from Fremont, but several other folks were in there working away while drinking the coffee. The staff was super friendly!!

    Jennifer H.

    I have tried this cute coffee shop a few times now, and can say it is one of my favorites! I love the variety of sweet and savory food they offer, and the coffee is great. I always get the caramel seaweed latte, which might sound strange but don't knock it til you try it! I really enjoyed their breakfast sandwich on a previous visit. The roll it came on was so good. Last time I decided to try the savory sausage toast since my friend said she liked it. This was a winner! The thick sliced toast is coated in some custard and topped with roasted veggies and sweet-ish Chinese sausage. Yum! They also offer a variety of sweet pastries. I would recommend the lava cookie!

    Seaweed latte
    Isra A.

    Solid latte, really good grasp on creative flavor profiles, and the coolest concept cafe in Ballard! Cardoon is a German-Chinese fusion cafe with rotating single origin coffee. The service is great, staff are super friendly and willing to answer questions. Space is limited- some outdoor seating, some cozy couch/chair seating inside, a bar, and a long table in the back so I wouldn't plan on an extended hang here, but the good news is that it's near the Nordic Museum and the Ballard locks so take your latte to go and walk around the area! I will have to go back to try the food and the shanghai fog!

    Lava cookie
    Ella H.

    I am writing this review for the Lava Cookie. It is so delicious. I have never had a better cookie anywhere in Seattle, and I love chocolate chip cookies. The licorice caramel flavor addition makes for a warm and complex pairing. I love this cookie. I cannot wait to have another. Their coffee is also very good; though I did not try any of their specialty drinks. They are extremely creative and unique!

    Water and straws
    Lyee C.

    A cozy coffee and small bites location, with fun twists on your usual coffee fare. I went here while visiting Ballard, as I heard it has the best cookies from a friend. Some outdoor seating, some seating inside too. There's free Wi-Fi and power outlets, so it looks great for hanging out for a while or getting a few emails in. There's a self serve water station too. I got the Shanghai fog, which was great. Like a London fog, but with Asian notes.. reminded me of a bubble tea, minus the boba and that it's hot. My friend got the cookie and seaweed latte. You can somewhat taste the seaweed, but it came off as more salty than anything else and didn't enjoy it. The cookie was fanatically baked, and had a hint of something spicy (I think it's like gingerbread, but my friend placed it as cardamom). Fun place, would go back to try more of the fun flavors or as a comfy spot to wait a while. Just be sure you're in the mood for an adventure with the flavors, as all the items on the menu looked adventurous!

    Lindsey N.

    One of my favorite coffee spots in the Ballard area. I would totally be here more often if their hours weren't so limited. They have amazing drinks. A really cool cozy and modern ambiance and the service is great. It seems like they are a bit Asian inspired in their regular menu, but I also saw some Ukrainian baked goods available so it's really cool to see the different options they have here Even their standard lattes and teas are amazing. So you really can't go wrong with an order here. It is on the main Street though so parking can be difficult parking can be difficult. Plan ahead or just circle around until you can find somewhere on the street

    Arlene S.

    I think I've found one of my favorite coffee shops. I ordered the rose cardamom latte, savory brick toast, and streuselkuchen. The drink tasted just as good as it looked. The barista created beautiful latte art and the flavors were well-balanced. I had cardamom lattes in the past where the spice was too strong and overpowering, but this one was just right. The savory brick toast, topped with Chinese sausage and chili oil, was very unique. The chili oil added a nice kick, though I wish it had a bit of salt. The crumble cake was also good with strawberries in the center. I really liked the ambiance of the shop and would love to come back with a friend to enjoy delicious coffee and snacks while catching up.

    Seaweed latte, oolong tea latte
    Green A.

    Wow this place quickly became one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle! We got the seaweed latte and oolong latte - both were heavenly and so good! The flavors are not too strong or sweet - it's perfectly balanced and delicious! There's not too many seatings but still cozy and nice. Will definitely return!

    Marie R.

    What a cute coffee shop in Ballard! I stopped by on a Sunday morning before work and there were a few people there already. I got the seaweed latte and was surprised by how distinctive but subtle the seaweed taste was! The space is so cute that I could see myself just hanging out there, maybe read a book. They have some good items as well so I will try them next time!

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    Service was great and the food was delicious. Everyone my husband and I talked to was very personable and passionate about their offerings.

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    2 years ago

    The coffee was fantastic and the bratwurst was delicious and an interesting combination of German and Chinese fusion. Strong recommend!

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    Great food (German-Chinese inspired) and excellent coffee. Friendly staff and cozy space. A true neighborhood gem!

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Cardoon

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    Baiten

    Baiten

    4.5
    (245 reviews)
    4.7 mi

    Baiten is a small window sweet shop in Capitol Hill. It's attached to Tamari bar and has some of…read moretheir offerings at Tamari bar. If you can find parking in the Cap Hill area I would definitely consider this as an option for a sweet treat. I think the prices are really reasonable considering some of the other options. Staff: 5/5 (nice) Sanitation: 5/5 (clean) Soft serve w/syrups (5/5) I've had most of the syrups that they offer with their vanilla soft serve. The soft serve itself is a really creamy and rich vanilla milk flavor. I would say it's closer to that Asian milk flavor if you know what I mean. I think the hojicha syrup is my favorite out of all the ones I've tried so far. It has a really nice roasty flavor and not something you can find at most other places. The matcha I would say is my second favorite. The flavor of the matcha syrup is definitely lighter compared to the hojicha but still is a nice compliment to the soft serve. The black sesame would be the lowest on my list out of the, all since I felt like the flavor was too nutty like it was a blend of sesame and potentially a nut. Overall I would definitely go back for the hojicha but if you're not into that there's definitely solid options for other flavors.

    for Japanese soft serve the deluxe sundae gives American sizing. Insane when they put out the…read morelargest cups of ice cream. Realistically the deluxe is for 2-3 ppl to share if you're not huge dessert person. The ice cream is creamy and just the right texture. The presentation is really a showstopper. Had a few people ask what it was and turned a few heads on the street. The meringue and logo flag was a cute decoration but thrown away immediately since it was kind of in the way. I always see a line when I pass by but service is fast and they hand your dessert to you directly after ordering. There's no awkward mix-ups or other people taking your dessert which I like. Will be back at some point to try out their other flavors and for a smaller portion!

    Photos
    Black sesame
    Black sesame
    Black sesame, hojicha, matcha soft serve
    Black sesame, hojicha, matcha soft serve
    Black sesame soft serve

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    Black sesame soft serve
    Nana’s Green Tea

    Nana’s Green Tea

    4.3
    (1.7k reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    Love love love!! When we arrived 30 mins before closing and…read morethere's about 40-50 ppl here with a line out the door, you know it's going to be good!!! We got a matcha float with mochi and a hojicha float with mochi. We love the hojicha better. The matcha is prob one of the better I've tasted, but not often you can find hojicha ice cream and milk tea. It was creamy and mildly sweet. So good, refreshing and satisfying! The mochi were ok. It was very bland and not sweet at all. I do prefer my mochi to have a little sweetness to them, like a sweet bite. This was like chewing a bigger non sweet boba ball. So I'd pass on the mochi here and maybe do all ice cream. If ever we're in Seattle would visit again. Update: we came here a few yrs later. The drinks were still good as ever. My husband got a frappe and loved it. We had a salmon bowl which was decent. Not something I would order again here but we were so hungry from traveling and meeting friends, we needed some food. This time no line out the door. We got a seat inside. We came in June this yr, nice weather outside but inside was super hot as they did not run the AC. They had the windows/doors open but no breeze and mosquitos were inside attacking. I can't imagine a good breeze when the cafe is wedged btw two huge buildings. It made our visit this time very stifling.

    This is a very nice space to sit and chat with friends in, and the drinks are fancier and nicer…read morethan a standard bubble tea location. My drink (red bean brown sugar latte) was obviously extremely sweet but it was pretty good with plenty of red bean. My one complaint is that they don't have boba straws, which is a bit baffling to me. Sure they don't technically sell boba but the red bean topping in my drink was constantly stuck in the straw because its so narrow! Seems like an odd oversight. I had to use a spoon to eat the red bean by itself at the end.

    Photos
    Bussing Station and Restroom, Complementary Water
    Bussing Station and Restroom, Complementary Water
    Black Sesame Shiratama Parfait
    Black Sesame Shiratama Parfait
    Matcha + Vanilla

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    Matcha + Vanilla
    Milk Drunk

    Milk Drunk

    4.0
    (500 reviews)
    7.2 mi
    $$

    The Sunday sundae specials are excellent! This one was a caramel banana sundae - it's huge,…read moredefinitely can split with two people. Their fried chicken sandwiches are also excellent and very filling - they are $11-15. The seasonal sandwich right now is the southern bird, which is my favorite. This place was packed on a Wednesday evening, but the line moved quickly since most people were just getting ice cream.

    This place has been all over my social media feeds and the cheese sticks looked too insane to not…read moretry. Also heard the soft serve was worth it, so naturally I had to make a visit. Since it was dinner I couldn't go full dairy chaos and just order cheese sticks and ice cream, so I added a sandwich to the mix. Good call -- the burger was honestly my favorite thing I ate, which surprised me given how hyped the cheese sticks are. Really loved it. The cheese sticks were fun though -- great cheese pull, very satisfying. The breading was a little plain on its own but with the sauce it worked well. I ate two and could only finish half the sandwich, so pace yourself. Soft serve after was a nice finish -- I got the seasonal flavor and enjoyed it. There's always a line but it moves quickly. Service is fine -- fast food vibes but maybe a notch friendlier. Seating inside and outside fills up fast so grab a spot when you can. Very casual overall. Worth the visit if you've been seeing it everywhere -- just don't sleep on the burger.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Fries are best when theyre curly
    Fries are best when theyre curly
    Kale salad

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    Kale salad

    Cardoon - coffee - Updated August 2026

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