Cloud City Coffee

Curator's Notes

Jill has been running two of Seattle's most beloved neighborhood cafes, Cloud City Cafe and El Diablo Coffee Company, for over 15 years. When she started roasting her own beans, she had a distinct advantage most roasters don't: she already knew exactly what her customers loved. Her approach is refreshingly practical. Most people want chocolate, body, and something cozy. Single origins should be fun and true to their origin character. And every farmer deserves fair, transparent pricing. Cloud City sources with an eye toward environmental responsibility and roasts to a philosophy of genuine hospitality: empathy, respect, and a golden rule culture that extends from the farm to the cup. In the cup, expect crowd-pleasing, chocolaty, cozy coffees that make everyone at the table happy.

From the Roaster

My philosophy is unique in that it is based on a long café career followed by a shorter roasting career. As a café owner, I know intrinsically what my customers like and do not like. Most customers like medium and dark roasts. As for single origins, they have preferences based on an idea of what that origin is, such as earthy for Sumatra and fruity for Ethiopia. About 10% of my clientele are serious coffee enthusiasts and want to learn about origin, terroir, preparation and the best hands-on way to make coffee. When buying coffee, I buy to make the blends taste chocolaty with great acidity and body. I think about how each origin will taste in the seasonal blend. And I aim for fun tastes for the single origins. But regardless of the type of coffee, I aim for price transparency and fairness to the farmer.