Santo Coffee Co: High Design, Great Coffee 

Fredy Montero has made his name through excellence on the soccer pitch. A household name to anyone who owns a Seattle Sounders scarf, Montero is one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS history. Lesser known, but equally devoted to excellence, is Santo Coffee, Montero’s sleek coffee shop located in Seattle’s Roosevelt neighborhood that opened in August of 2019.

The welcoming space—floor to ceiling windows, gorgeous Victoria Arduino espresso machines, elegant modern furniture, polished concrete floors, a window-side bar made from a long “ribbon” of solid wood, plush green vintage couches—is the product of a vision shared by co-owners Montero and his wife Alexis and Mikhail (Mike) and Jessica Ghyvoronsky.

The stunning space transports you, somewhere dreamy, an international destination that’s hard to pin down.

“I’m originally from Russia, Jessica was born in Korea, Fredy grew up in Colombia and he and Alexa lived abroad for years,” says Mike, who can usually be found behind the counter. “We wanted to take inspiration and experiences we had in other countries and other coffee cultures and bring them here.”

Working with a local architect, they collaborated to dream into reality the kind of space they’d love to bring their family and friends to.

Santo Blend, their coffee, is a locally-roasted blend of Colombian single-origin varietals. The well-balanced coffee has a bright, lively flavor and is excellent both brewed and as espresso. It is available in whole bean form and elegantly crafted espresso drinks and pour-overs.

“Because of Covid, we’re only doing takeout right now, but we still have many customers who come every day for their coffee and a Macrina Nutella Brioche, coffee cake, or another favorite Macrina pastry,” says Mike.

For a café built to inspire people to gather around excellent coffee in an elevated space, the Covid-19 restrictions have been hard. Still, they’re taking it in stride and look forward to the day the café will again be made vibrant by people who share their passion for coffee and community.

With vaccinations underway, there’s at least a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. In the meanwhile, stop in, check out the digs, let Mike make you a great coffee, grab a pastry, a bag of beans, maybe a Santo crew, tee-shirt, or hat, and begin to plan future coffee dates.

“We wanted the space to be one that people felt inspired in and would take some part of that into their own life,” says Mike. “We can’t wait to see people able to gather here again.”

Photo credits: Andrew Story, John Hong

January Recipe of the Month: Mixed Mushroom & Kale Quiche

Have you heard? We recently started selling our Flaky Pie Dough at our cafés (order for pick-up two days in advance at ShopMacrinaBakery.com). The dough is perfect for many baked dishes, including double-crusted pie and savory quiche. The dough is frozen in discs and sold in a 2-pack. Each 12 oz disc rolls out to make a 10-inch tart or 9-inch pie shell.

With our Flaky Pie Dough, this savory quiche is an easy showpiece to make for brunch or dinner. The combination of mixed mushrooms, kale and Gruyère with the buttery crust is one of our favorite winter combinations. As the seasons change, you can substitute different combinations of vegetables and cheese. With a good crust and a proper custard, you can’t go wrong. Since they freeze and reheat well, you might consider baking two at once. Serve with a delicious mixed green salad or a cup of soup.

-Leslie Mackie

Ingredients:
Makes one ten-inch tart

1 disk Macrina Flaky Pie Dough (available frozen at our cafés)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms (a mix of cremini, chanterelle or other favorites)
2 cups kale leaves, stems removed and sliced into ½-inch strips
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
½ tsp kosher salt, divided
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
2 cups Gruyère cheese (5 oz), grated

Directions:

Thaw 1 disc of Macrina Flaky Pie Dough for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature. On a floured work surface, roll dough into a 14-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick.

Fold dough in half and lift onto a 10-inch fluted tart pan. Drop dough into pan and flatten at base of pan and edges. With the remaining overhang, fold into the pan to create an edge that stands a half-inch above the top of the pan. With your hand, smooth the crust edge to a consistent thickness. Chill for 30 minutes in freezer.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill it with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the base appears dry. Remove the beans and let the shell cool.

In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced kale.

Once the kale wilts, add the garlic, ¼ tsp salt and crushed red pepper flakes. When the garlic is golden, about 1 to 2 minutes, remove from heat. Let mix cool to room temperature in the pan.

Make the custard: in a medium bowl, combine the milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, eggs and remaining ¼ tsp salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Place the pre-baked tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter the grated Gruyère cheese over the base of the shell. Add the sautéed mushroom and kale mix, then top with the custard.

Place the quiche in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. When done, the custard will be set and have a slight golden-brown shine.

Let cool for 45 minutes. Remove from the tart pan and serve. Enjoy!

Printable PDF here.