Piroshky on Madison is a little cafe/piroshky place on, well, Madison. The owner is very nice and the coffee and piroshkies are very good, although they don't have very many veggie options. Everything is made fresh, which is AMAZING. If you're looking for a pastry, try the ricotta and cranberry thing is lovely.
If you buy a coffee in the morning, you get a free cookie if they aren't out yet which are very tasty. They're kind of like mini, slightly fluffy snickerdoodles.
They also give out stamp card, which is nice. But you have to get two: one for piroshkies and one for coffee.

-Rikki

Bottega Italiana has best gelato and coffee ever. They have two venues in Seattle one on Greenlake, and the other in Pike Place. I've never been to the Pike Place one, but the Greenlake one is fabulous. An amazing array of mouth melting flavors which change from day to day. My favorite is carmel (Latte Mou). They use Illy coffee, like the kind you find in European cafes. Really smooth and no bitter after taste.

The baristas are very nice, the chairs aren't as comfy as the look, but the food is good. A summer cafe must.

-Kaya

Cupcake Royale

Why I haven't reviewed this cafe before is beyond me. It's fabulous and they have cupcakes! They have two venues: one in Ballard and one in West Seattle. And my friend Zoe says they have one in Madrona. I believe her. Though I've never seen it.

Anyway: Good iced tea, good coffee (by Verite), and AMAZING CUPCAKES. They have every flavor and then some. Like, lavender. Sounds weird, but it's good. My favorite is red velvet. Very good.

I prefer the West Seattle venue. No reason. The atmosphere I guess. Although Ballard, to me, feels very much like West Seattle.

This is a very scatted review. Anyhow, the base of this post is: Cupcake Royale is AMAZING. So good. Go there. Take a dozen cupcakes home, plus buy one for later, or in the car or for the walk to your car. Or for me.

-Kaya