Maiz is Serving Lattes in Pike Place Market
There is a very popular coffee shop that most tourists want to visit when they check out Pike Place Market in Seattle. It is known as the “first” of this shop, though locals know the actual FIRST was originally a couple of blocks away and not in Pike Place Market at all. Still, I completely understand the draw of the siren logo, especially if this is a company and a beverage that has somehow made it into your daily routine no matter where you live in the country. Good branding is good branding.
But, what if you’ve got a friend in town who wants to see the “first” but doesn’t care to wait in the long line to order their beverage? What if this friend trusts you to skip the line and try another tasty drink just steps away? In that case, Maiz is the trick you’ll want up your sleeve!
Maiz is a small traditional tortilleria right next door to the “First Starbucks on Pike Place”. Maiz is known for prioritizing the preservation of native corn sourced from small-scale farmers. This Seattle small business is focused on its short but flavorful list of offerings. Though a guest might normally start at Maiz by choosing their Antojito (small portions of corn dough, cooked in diverse forms and accompanied by various ingredients) my out-of-town guest and I were only there for our morning caffeine. Fortunately, Maiz also has a Cafesito Bar where we each ordered an Horchata Latte, one hot and one cold. Our beverages were delicious and we were out the door before the line outside seemed to move at all.
Do not skip Pike Place Market for your out-of-town Seattle guests, especially if they’ve never been. But, in my opinion, you can skip the lines of the big businesses in town and Support Small Business that delivers on flavor, speed. and soul. You’ll be glad you grabbed your cafesito from Maiz!
