{"id":5655,"date":"2026-02-12T23:55:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T23:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.macrinabakery.com\/blog\/?p=5655"},"modified":"2026-02-12T23:56:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T23:56:00","slug":"could-this-be-the-busiest-cafe-in-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.macrinabakery.com\/blog\/could-this-be-the-busiest-cafe-in-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"Could This Be the Busiest Caf\u00e9 in Washington?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Inside Sea-Tac\u2019s 24\/7 Dilettante Mocha Caf\u00e9, where 1,500 daily customers, a choose-your-cocoa \u201cChocolate Scale,\u201d and a veteran crew keep the Central Terminal buzzing.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 4 a.m., the Dilettante Mocha Caf\u00e9<\/a> in Sea-Tac\u2019s Central Terminal is already humming. The line moves briskly as red-eye travelers and airport staff grab a quick breakfast and a caffeine boost. Steam wands hiss, and the morning crew of eight sees to it that their signature chocolate-forward mochas, all manner of coffee-based drinks, breakfast sandwiches and pastries come out quickly. If you\u2019re racing the clock, there are grab-and-go items including hot-case breakfast sandwiches, Macrina pastries, and drip or cold brew at the register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With renovations in 2019 and 2023 complete, the Central Terminal has become the airport\u2019s beating heart. In 2024, a record 52 million passengers traveled through Sea-Tac, the bulk of them passing through the bright, soaring space. Dilettante\u2019s Mocha Caf\u00e9 is situated in the middle of it all, open 24 hours, seven days a week, an oasis for those seeking sustenance and gift boxes of chocolates and other indulgent treats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debra Tyner, the general manager who oversees the caf\u00e9s, has been with Dilettante for ten years. The Central Terminal is her home base. \u201cIt\u2019s a 24-hour caf\u00e9, so I\u2019m pretty much on call all the time,\u201d she says. Good, experienced baristas are key to the caf\u00e9\u2019s success, from quality to customer experience. Many baristas have been working at the caf\u00e9 for years. In fact, Debra\u2019s first hire is still there nine years later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 1976 by third-generation chocolatier Dana Davenport, and rooted in family craft that reaches back to 1898, the original Capitol Hill \u201cThe Dilettante\u201d evolved from a chocolatier and late-night dessert temple into today\u2019s Mocha Caf\u00e9. Debra says, \u201cChocolate is still at the heart of what we do. The Mocha Caf\u00e9 combines both: our chocolate heritage and coffee culture. When you walk through the airport, we\u2019re the only caf\u00e9 offering a chocolate scale where you can choose your mocha\u2019s flavor intensity. We offer a range, from white to milk to dark, plus our signature Ephemere chocolate and an extra-dark option. You\u2019re not just ordering a mocha, you\u2019re designing it around your preferred richness or sweetness.\u201d Alongside the drinks, travelers pick up boxed truffles\u2014salted caramels, raspberry and espresso truffles, nut clusters, toasted-coconut haystacks. Dark chocolate mousse cups are the top-selling dessert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Macrina drops off fresh-from-the-oven pastries and cookies at 3 a.m., just before the rush. By 10 or 11, they\u2019re usually gone. Beyond coffee\u2014drip, cold brew, lattes, cappuccinos, and the famous mochas\u2014you\u2019ll find breakfast sandwiches and burritos, bagels, and a small lunch menu of turkey, ham, or chicken salad sandwiches. Simple salads (Caesar or arugula-pear), deviled eggs, snack packs, and cold-pressed juices round things out. For dessert, the case tempts with Midnight Mousse Cake, carrot cake, brownies, macaroons, and more Macrina cookies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a recent visit, the line moved quickly. Guests in a hurry were steered to drip coffee and grab-and-go items. Those after something more personal waited a moment longer for custom drinks. Despite the volume, the drinks arrived quickly, with the sort of velvety foam that only comes from the hand of an experienced barista. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Busiest in the state? There\u2019s no centralized database, but it seems plausible: a caf\u00e9 in the center of Sea-Tac\u2019s Central Terminal, open around the clock, serving a community that never really sleeps. People stream past with carry-ons, pausing for something warm and good before the next gate call. As Debra said, \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how many people order coffee at two in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inside Sea-Tac\u2019s 24\/7 Dilettante Mocha Caf\u00e9, where 1,500 daily customers, a choose-your-cocoa \u201cChocolate Scale,\u201d and a veteran crew keep the Central Terminal buzzing. By 4 a.m., the Dilettante Mocha Caf\u00e9 in Sea-Tac\u2019s Central Terminal is already humming. The line moves … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nCould This Be the Busiest Caf\u00e9 in Washington? - Macrina Bakery Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.macrinabakery.com\/blog\/could-this-be-the-busiest-cafe-in-washington\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Could This Be the Busiest Caf\u00e9 in Washington? - Macrina Bakery Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Inside Sea-Tac\u2019s 24\/7 Dilettante Mocha Caf\u00e9, where 1,500 daily customers, a choose-your-cocoa \u201cChocolate Scale,\u201d and a veteran crew keep the Central Terminal buzzing. 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