Cherry Street Coffee House

The business was founded by co-owner Ali Ghambari.^[1] By April 2011, the business had five locations,^[2] and it had seven by late 2012. It planned to open an eighth outlet in the Pioneer Square district in 2013.^[3] A waterfront location that was expected to open in May 2017 was delayed^[4] and was never opened.^[1]

According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the business "saw sales plummet ... down at about 60 percent" in March 2020, which was followed by the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[5] In May 2021, Benjamin Cassidy of Seattle Metropolitan said seven of the business's eleven locations had closed and the number of staff decreased from 120 to fewer than 20.^[6]

In addition to coffee, the business has served dirty chai lattes—chai tea with espresso—and a drink called Milkyway that consisted of mocha with caramel sauce.^[7] The food menu has included veggie burgers.^[2] The location at First Avenue and Clay Street has offered "dinner menu of authentic Persian dishes available for dine-in or take-out" on select days. The menu has also included bagels, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and soups.^[8]

In 2019, Cherry Street began serving cocktails and weekend brunch.^[1]

In 2011, Allecia Vermillion of Eater Seattle said the Cherry Street chain's "internationally influenced menu includes a veggie burger that over the years has quietly racked up legions of rabid devotees, both vegetarian and omnivore".^[2] The website's Megan Hill included the business in a 2021 overview of Seattle's best "coffee shop bites" and wrote: "Cherry Street Coffee serves solid brews across its four locations, but the extensive food menu is a definitive draw. The menu is mostly built from ingredients made onsite, from pastries baked daily to bagel breakfast sandwiches to the Persian rice bowl and falafel."^[9] Brittany Fowler selected Cherry Street to represent Seattle in Business Insider's 2015 list of the best coffee shops in 13 major U.S. cities.^[10] The Daily Hive included the business in a 2020 list of the "12 best coffee shops to visit in Seattle".^[11]

In 2022, Molly O'Brien of Fodor's recommended, "Visit Cherry Street Coffee House to experience a welcoming community space that's been a part of the Seattle brew scene since the late 90s".^[12] Alison Fox included the business in Travel + Leisure's 2022 list the "coolest" coffee shops in the U.S. and said, "Seattle is known for its rainy weather, and this Seattle-based mini coffee chain is the perfect place to spend a cozy afternoon when the climate isn't exactly cooperating".^[7]