Capitol Hill’s Super Chill Cafe Solstice Will Close This Sunday After Five Years

Capitol Hill is about to lose one of its more underrated coffee spots. The spacious Cafe Solstice on East Thomas St and 10th Ave E will serve up its final cappuccinos, lattes, and Americanos this Sunday, October 13 after five years (Capitol Hill Seattle was first to report). The vet clinic next door, Urban Animal, will take over the space soon, but the original Cafe Solstice location in the U District (which has been around since 2000) will remain open.

Tucked on a quiet corner near bustling East Broadway, Cafe Solstice’s 3,000 square foot Capitol Hill outpost has been a popular meetup spot for various groups due to ample seating and a laid-back vibe. In addition to its extensive coffee and tea offerings, the cafe also served up beer, wine, and a surprisingly decent small bites, including pulled Cuban pork sliders discounted at happy hour.

That said, being a little off the beaten path likely had its disadvantages as well, with reduced foot traffic. Co-owners Joel Wood and Doug Sowers — who launched Cafe Solstice as a small coffee cart in the early ’90s — are not planning to look for another location at this point, according to a manager at the Capitol Hill location. Sowers told Capitol Hill Seattle that the East Thomas St spot was a “really expensive space.”

• With Urban Animal Vet Clinic Expansion, Sun Will Set on Cafe Solstice Capitol Hill [CHS]
• All coverage of Cafe Solstice [ESEA]