Coffee & Treats in Bellevue

A dozen cookies will let you sample most of The Cookie Company’s sugary smorgasbord of 15 regular and seasonal (non-specialty) flavors, including lemon oatmeal, oatmeal scotchie, toffee nut, iced ginger, snicker doodle, macadamia nut, and the chocoholism-enabling OD (chocolate dough, chocolate chips, chocolate frosting). Because they are made from scratch—the most mysterious and delicious element on the periodic table—and baked in small batches without preservatives, The Cookie Company's cookies are best enjoyed fresh within 3 to 4 days, though they can be frozen for up to a month.

Bear Creek Coffee ensures freshness in its brews by adhering to a small-batch micro-roasting process that captures flavor and quality better than the bulk roasting processes common at many coffee shops. Savor the caffeine craftsmanship with a to-go cup of coffee ($1.25–$1.75), or bring your own cup ($1–$1.50) and intake the energy-inducing liquid beans. Bear Creek Coffee's specialty espresso drinks ($3.25–$4.25) tantalizingly trigger taste receptors, with concoctions such as the decadent Seventh Heaven latte, made with white chocolate, caramel, and macadamia nut, or the Nutty Monkey, richly blending chocolate, banana, and macadamia nut into a brew sure to jolt the Jane Goodall dwelling within. Emulsified elixirs such as fruit and superfruit smoothies ($3.25–$4.50) are delicious treats.

Fresh fruits imbue the rainbow of smoothies that populate the menu at Tropical Smoothie Café with vibrant colors and vital nutrients. The café's staffers also create casual, health-conscious beverages, sandwiches, and salads. To create their sweet amalgams, staffers blend a full spectrum of top-quality ingredients, ranging from strawberries to white chocolate. They'll also fortify the naturally wholesome elixirs with nutritious accouterments, such as whey, soy protein, and supplements that help regulate weight, the immune system, and heart health. Furthermore, sandwiches and wraps swaddle an eclectic variety of fillings, such as hummus and wasabi caesar.

Caffeine Dreams helps buttress the fragile social fabric with a bevy of beverages and grub. Amidst a relaxing environment of cozy exposed-brick walls and wooden tones, slow-sipping patrons can nurse in-house roasted coffee that’s available in Fair Trade organic form. Grab a double-sized cup of one of their sweet caffeinated concoctions like the Muse with milk, espresso, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla ($3.75); the Day Dreamer with milk, espresso, chocolate, praline, and caramel ($3.75); or a classic double-shot of espresso ($1.65). A double-sized mate latte ($2.85) will soothe the pipes of tea fans with the earthy Argentinean blend of tea and milk. Please your taste magnets with sweet and savory treats, including the hummus plate ($5.75), the Thai chicken salad ($5.75), and the cinnamon roll ($2.75). Caffeine Dreams stays open late, and also offers an outdoor-garden-patio area for last-minute seasonal sips, plus plenty of parking for gluetus maximi and automobiles.

Bread Oven French Bakery's bakers strive to bring the flavors of France to Dundee, and they succeed in both sweet and savory ways. Authentically French flavors grace the cold prosciutto sandwich with French butter and the baguette smeared with Nutella and sliced strawberries. Freshly baked baguettes hold together hot, pressed sandwiches filled with ingredients such as crimini mushrooms and gruyere cheese. The eatery's kitchen also concocts house-made soups in flavors such as mushroom brie or butternut squash with herb crème fraîche. The Bread Oven's flavor ambassadors bake breads from scratch while whistling Jacques Brel tunes, adding to the classic French cool of never using preservatives or additives.

At Peyton’s Pantry, Laura Peyton pours her baking expertise into each batch of fresh, made-to-order cupcakes. Laura’s confections range from simple, plain chocolate cupcakes, to elaborate treats that mimic the flavors of key-lime pie, pink lemonade, and pumpkin-spice lattes, with more than 50 flavor choices in all.