Kaffeehaus de Châtillon — Restaurant in Mill Creek

My son and I found this amazing place during our trip through Seattle. We were a little uncertain and not sure what to expect but we were both so glad we checked it out. We also had to search around the center a little to find it - my son would blame it on my poor eyesight while I blamed it on not knowing how to pronounce the name 🤷🏻‍♂️. What an incredibly unique and special place!

We didn’t know it was a Viennese cafe but figured it out quickly after arriving. The ambience was different than anything we’ve seen. It was peaceful, comfortable and elegant - especially for a cafe. The fireplace was warm and cozy and the decor fit the Vienna style. I thought Von Trapp’s children were going to come out from behind the counter singing 🎵 the hills are alive….

The food, wow the food! It was delicious. Prior to this visit, my only experience with Viennese food was Swissmiss hot chocolate packets so I definitely needed some education on the menu. We got a croissant with Gruyère and turkey that had the perfect mix of cheese and smoked turkey in a warm and fluffy croissant. Saying it was so tasty doesn’t do it justice. We also got an Apple Galette that tasted like a warm piece of Apple pie with whipped cream on top. It was incredible and unlike anything I’ve had in the states. My son had what he described as the best mocha ever.

The staff was very friendly - even giving me some recommendations for my trip to Vienna this fall. They were also very patient as we tried to figure out the menu and super helpful in giving recommendations (I would have said, look you old coot just order your item and move on!). They were far more patient with me than I would have been.

If I am anywhere close to Seattle I’ll be making my way through the rolling hills to be transported to the streets of Vienna for pure...

What a jewel this place is! In no way is this your normal, run-of-the mill coffee shop...it is a small slice of Vienna in (of all places) suburban Lynnwood. The proprietor, "Gaston", is a charmingly cantankerous character whose goal is to uphold the Viennese tradition of serving luxurious, even decadent, coffee creations. Here you will find the famous Einspanner, Kaiser Melange, Ubersturtzter Neumann... Don't know what these are? Forget your usual bland corporate coffee drink offering, break out of the box, and live sumptuously! Come and give a real artist the opportunity to re-boot your taste buds with something that's got over 300 years of tradition behind it. But beware, no gross perversions or fatuous alterations allowed! The recipe is the recipe, honed and perfected through the ages.

And where else are you going to go, to find a coffeehouse with lovingly framed portraits of Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elizabeth of Austria, not to mention Margaret Thatcher? Little notes in the Basque language taped to the wall? The "Sissi" trilogy playing on the HDTV screen? A proprietor with deep knowledge of and enthusiasm for Napoleonic times? The answer is nowhere else in the world...

The Kaffeehaus de Chatillon is located just off the I-5, Exit 183 (164th St SW). It's extremely convenient. The best way to visit is this: just get on the I-5, drive several hours till you are feeling rather parched and peckish, and then pull in to the Kaffeehaus de Chatillon. There, and only there, will your mostly-dead body be given new life again. I guarantee it.

Just get there early, before my wife gobbles up all...

We had an hour to kill and were looking for non-$tarbucks coffee. This place was certainly stumbling across An Experience.

The cafe is plastered with signs that say things like WE ONLY SERVE THINGS AS DECRIBED ON THE MENU NO EXCEPTIONS and WE DO NOT TAKE ORDERS WHILE YOU ARE ON YOUR CELL PHONE and DO NOT WAIT HERE FOR YOUR COFFEE and DO NOT INTERACT WITH HERR OBER. Being in curly script ratchets up the passive-aggressive level. I have the kind of humor that finds this hilarious, but also, it's a little offputting: my expectation is not that a coffeehouse is going to have an environment similar to Customs and Immigration at an airport.

Fortunately, every human we interacted with (don't worry! We did not interact with Herr Ober!) was very friendly and helpful. The clerk recommended drinks that we enjoyed and the coffee was great with a distinctly different toasty flavor to the roast that I enjoyed. The expectation seemed to be that customers linger and take our time, which was also pleasant.

On a Sunday afternoon the pastry case was empty, which was a little disappointing, but also understandable. The bottom line is we'll come back next time we're in the area, but we'll also keep giggling...