An underrated part about living in Seattle is how much is within driving distance of the city. In a few hours, you have access to the mountains, scenic hikes, waterfalls, coastal scenery, and national parks. Wanting a quick escape from the city, I decided to have my morning coffee at Espresso Chalet, a coffee hut off the side of the Steven’s Pass Highway. Why? Because who doesn’t love a little adventure in the name of your morning caffeine?

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My Experience

The night before, I saved the route to the Espresso Chalet in my phone, mentally preparing for the hour-long drive. I figured if I left early in the morning, I could avoid traffic and have my beverage at the normal time, 9:30 am. A friend recommended the coffee shop, telling me about its gorgeous mountain views.  

Halfway between Seattle and Leavenworth, Espresso Chalet is a popular stop to stretch your legs, have a coffee, grab their signature “Big Foot” cookies. The location is also near a number of hiking trails, like the Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls Trailhead. In the morning, the crowd was an even mix of hikers, locals grabbing a morning coffee, and Seattleites traveling to take pictures for social media.

After about half an hour, the congested, city driving and turned into winding mountain roads. The Cascades came into view, and I spent much of my time driving through mountain towns trying to focus on the road instead of the scenery (who knew there’s a town called Startup, Washington?). By the time I arrived at the Espresso Chalet, I was ready for my iced vanilla latte. Stepping out of the car, I had to break out the emergency fleece from the trunk. Less than 60 miles from home, it was much colder in the mountains than it had been in Seattle that morning. I knew that the spot only offered outdoor seating, so the extra layer was needed.

One thing I love about Washington is even the coffee spot on the side of a highway serves a great cup of coffee. This state takes its coffee very seriously and it’s something I appreciate. The Espresso Chalet was no exception, offering a pistachio white mocha as the special for the weekend.

The coffee shop is adorable, designed like a little ski cabin in the middle of the forest. The place leans unironically into the “Bigfoot” theme, with wood-carved statues, reflective road signs, menu items dedicated to the elusive creature, and merch. While waiting to order, there were shelves of hoodies, t-shirts, stuffed animals, and carvings. Something about the mountain air, the evergreen trees, the smell of roasted coffee beans, and the wood carvings created the perfect quirky balance. I found myself debating the merits of traveling home with a tie-dyed hoodie.  

Besides the Pacific Northwest theme and great coffee, the Espresso Chalet also has the most incredible views. Once you grab your drink, you can walk across the wooden patio to the back garden area. The area has benches and scattered metal chairs, making it feel like a secret garden. Sitting off the road, the area has sweeping views of the Cascade mountains. My initial thoughts were: “Holy sh*t, we have the Alps in our own backyard.” It was one of those moments where you know a picture won’t capture the scale of the mountains, the mist from the waterfalls in the distance, or how small the hundreds of trees look hugging the ridges. On a sunny day, the scene looked like a postcard, with snow-capped peaks and hawks and eagles circling above. I sat down and found myself just staring at the mountains, shocked by how beautiful they were in the morning light. I had seen some pictures on Google Maps the night before, and was happy to find that the lived experience was even better than what I had seen online. I spent almost forty minutes just sitting outside looking at nature, contemplating if I should order another drink to make the moment last longer.

Eventually I decided against having too much caffeine, packed up my emergency jacket, and got back in my car. The drive home from the Espresso Chalet was uneventful, but I certainly had enough energy from my latte. While I acknowledge not everyone might want to travel so far for a cup of coffee, the Espresso Chalet was about more than just your morning beverage. Driving there was an excuse to be out in nature, a fun, smaller-scale adventure outside of the city. You could take a round trip in the morning or afternoon and see an entirely different side of the state than in Seattle. It was a nice reminder for myself to add more unstructured “explore” time into my week. If you are looking for a spontaneous drive or are just heading in that direction, I couldn’t recommend this quick stop enough.

At-a-Glance

Main Location: 50000 Stevens Pass Hwy, Gold Bar, Washington

Best Time to Visit: Early morning to afternoon

Time Needed: 2-3 hours round-trip

Prices: $5-7 for a coffee depending on your order

Why Visit Espresso Chalet?

• Incredible Cascade Mountain views
• Excellent coffee and seasonal drinks
• Fun Bigfoot-themed atmosphere, cookies, and merchandise  
• Easy day trip from Seattle

Pro Tips:

• Bring cash for a discount on the coffee
• Check out the BigFoot merchandise and the “Big Foot” cookie for a sweet treat
• The bathrooms are port-a-potties, be warned

What to Wear:

• Outdoor shoes, long sleeves, and a warm jacket (I had a fleece on and had to break out my extra, emergency jacket from the car)

Rough Itinerary:

• Leave from Seattle; drive 1-1.5 hours depending on traffic
• Arrive at Espresso Chalet; walk around and take pictures for 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Continue driving to trailheads such as Heybrook Lookout, Lake Serene & Bridal Falls, or to Leavenworth
• Drive back to Seattle, 1-1.5 hours