The face of Redmond has changed dramatically over the last few years. But one place that has stood the test of time is Victor’s Celtic Coffee Co. When we walked into the cafe on a sunny Saturday morning, it was immediately clear why this institution remains: character. From the original roaster standing proud in the middle, to the plethora of board games available in-house, to the local guitar player filling the room with music, Victor’s provides a warm, unique coffee shop experience.
Victor’s was established in 1989 when the original Victor and Jane transformed what was once Redmond’s only post office into a coffee shop. Today, Victor’s is still a family-owned business, recently acquired by Andrea Parrish.
Parrish started working at Victor’s in the 2000s while she was in school. Things were a little different then, “Back in the day, you were dishwasher for a year before they even let you learn the bar—that was some privilege, to be on the bar,” Parrish says. Now, of course, she oversees operations of the whole coffee shop.
Parrish walked us through the drink menu, informing us that the ‘Irish Nudge’ (Irish cream, hazelnut, and chocolate) was one of their most popular signature drinks. Their cold brew comes in close second and we tried one at the end of our visit, which kept us buzzin’ all day.
For sweet treats, the cinnamon roll and bread pudding are fan favorites. One regular even stopped us to say Victor’s bread pudding was the “world’s best.” The breakfast menu looked very enticing, but we arrived too late in the day to try it, so we sampled the lunch menu instead. For lunch, Victor’s offers sandwiches and tomato bisque. And if you’re in luck, you can try the Alaskan fresh salmon sandwich – Victor’s specialty.
“[My mom’s] got the hook-up with her buddy who brings in fresh salmon. That’s special, we don’t get that every day. He comes in and he brings fresh-caught,” Parrish explains.
The space which Victor’s occupies deserves its own mention. A large roaster sits in the middle of the 5,000 square foot shop. Every Friday, Andrea roasts her own beans for the week. The coffee that Victor’s serves is a point of pride for Andrea: they source their beans from ethical sources, roast their own beans, offer a specialty cold brew or a number of signature hot drinks, and if you decline whipped cream, you might just find a beautiful heart or leaf amongst your milky foam.
Visitors on the weekend might just be treated to a performance by a local musician. The walls are decorated with paintings by local artists, which are generally switched out on a monthly basis. Parrish endeavors to create a warm, friendly atmosphere to serve her community high-quality coffee and food, the way she remembers Victor’s “always being.”
Visit Victor’s website.
Written by Sophia Ciserella. Photos by Andrew Meade. Follow more of his work here. While the products, services and/or accommodations in this story were provided without charge, the opinions within are those of the author and the Seattle Refined editorial board.