Coffee, Community and Art Converge at Café Cesura

Coffee, Community and Art Converge at Café Cesura

Whether you can’t start your day without an espresso or are looking for a cozy-yet-modern space to unwind, stop by Café Cesura (pronounced says-YOUR-a) for a change of pace, a delicious drink, and so much more.

“Cesura” stands for a pause in music or poetry, which perfectly describes what it’s like when you walk through the doors of the café – the calmness and tranquility bring a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Nestled underneath Ashton Bellevue, Café Cesura has been both a coffee shop and a community center for Downtown Bellevue since opening in 2011. And now, the café is continuing to take on that role during the pandemic. 

At a time where many businesses are struggling to make ends meet, Shawn Nickerson, owner of Café Cesura, took it into his own hands to continue connecting the community. As the café’s profits hit a 40-60 percent decrease, he found ways to support local vendors by providing space to sell locally-produced food and goods while farmer's markets were temporarily closed. 

“We sold hundreds of flower bouquets from local farmers, blueberry juice from Bow Hill, eggs from Skylight Farms, and a few other local products,” Nickerson said. “It’s been great to meet so many folks through these collaborations.”

Café Cesura also partners with local community organizations to help give back. Most recently, the café joined forces with customers to provide coffee to Bellevue’s Congregations for the Homeless day shelter for a year, Nickerson said.

Open every day from 7am to 3pm, stop by for coffee, food and check out offerings from local proprietors. Our recommendation: try their house-made almond milk latte (with zero sugar added) alongside one of their scrumptious breakfast sandwiches, recognized by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine as on of the "Best in Seattle." And while you’re at it, enjoy the amazing art pieces displayed on the walls – the selection changes frequently, with Café Cesura giving dedicated space for local artists to showcase their work.

Ready to check it out? Whatever you try, make sure to share your favorite Café Cesura moments by tagging #HeartofBellevue in your photos. Cheers!

 

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This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.