Kitanda Espresso & Acai - Greenlake

The coconut bun and cheese roll were delicious. The customer service eas good and yhe atmosphere was nice, quiet and relaxing.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Cheese Bread

I truly appreciate the concept behind Kitanda and what the space could represent for the Brazilian community in Seattle. Unfortunately, my experiences at some of their locations have been quite disappointing — and I can confidently say they do not reflect what authentic Brazilian service is about: warmth, attention to detail, friendliness, and genuine care for every customer, regardless of who they are. As a Brazilian, I honestly feel embarrassed by this representation of our culture here.

Disappointment after disappointment. This past Saturday, while my husband and I were having coffee at the Green Lake location, his chair suddenly broke — and, to be honest, it was already extremely uncomfortable for a café setting. Luckily, he managed to hold onto a nearby table and avoid a more serious accident. Even so, it was quite a scare.

What shocked us the most, however, was the staff’s reaction. One employee, sitting in the same area and witnessing everything, didn’t move — not even a look of concern. My husband asked her something (she wasn’t wearing headphones), and she completely ignored him. When he addressed her again, asking whether she had seen what had just happened to one of her customers, she rolled her eyes and said she couldn’t do anything because she was “on her break.” Really? How about being human? Represent your company with dignity.

I completely understand that breaks are necessary, but that situation required at least a minimum of empathy and awareness. A simple gesture of concern would have made a big difference. None of the employees seemed to be Brazilian, and the overall attitude toward customers was distant and unwelcoming — the atmosphere felt heavy and indifferent.

For years, I’ve seen similar feedback about this location: poor service, lack of training, and an absence of genuine hospitality, which contradict the beautiful idea behind the brand. It might be time to reevaluate processes and invest in proper staff training. More attentive professionals — ideally Brazilian, who truly understand the essence of what Kitanda stands for — could completely transform the customer experience. Unfortunately, it seems the owners have reached a point where they no longer value or even consider the feedback generously offered on this and other platforms. What a shame.

On the other hand, the Kirkland location is quite different: the staff there tend to be friendlier and more pleasant, creating a more welcoming environment. The only note is that they often speak too loudly, which sometimes affects the calm atmosphere one expects from a café.

I genuinely hope this review serves as constructive feedback. Customer service should reflect the warmth and care that Brazilian culture is known for. Personally, I don’t plan to return to any of the locations — and for now, I can’t recommend Kitanda as a standout café. Sadly, it has become just another average coffee spot in the area.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 1

Extremely rude female staff person who didn't provide a receipt and gave an attitude when I asked a question. The chairs are hard metal. I would not think this location would have problems with people loitering, but the chairs seemed more appropriate for a prison than for a cafe. Cold atmosphere and rude staff.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Coffee orders take about 20 minutes. Seems to be a common feature of Kitanda.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Cry face people who burn coffee and shots nothing is fresh and neither is there attitude 😒 I wanted a refund and was denied for food I didn't eat and coffee I didn't drink I threw it in the garbage in front of her and she was smiling not a good place at all terrible customer service

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Terrible service. Got in before closing, rushed to get there and they refused to make an acai bowl. They said their utensils were already clean even though they were open. Never again

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Now it is necessary to speak English so that they attend to one in kitanda?? that bad attention of the manager and an employee are literally symphobic you should really dismiss them check their cameras are supposed to attend to the client when they arrive but it is the opposite the client has.

Service: 1

Bad attention: The girls who work here are rude, have not a little bit of education, treat clients as they wish, they should change staff in the morning, what bad attention.

Service: 1

Tried the acai bowl. Good and reasonably priced.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Better bowl then Emerald

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

As a brazilian I can say that any place you eat in Brazil will be way, way better than this place. Is actually frustrating want to eat things that you miss and taste that horrible food they serve there. Something with no spices, no taste, no color, so dry that stuck on your throat when you are eating.
If you are looking for a taste of our delicious food this place is the worst for it.
Rum!!!

Food: 1

I paid $12+ for a fist full of smoothie. There are no sizes indicating. I figured it would be a regular sized drink. I am a 5.7 woman. My hand is not large.

Love getting breakfast or a snack here. Acai bowls are fantastic and their baked snacks are a fantastic savory treat on the side. They could probably use some more chairs but that being said I've always been able to find seating.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

My favorite gf snack place for cheese bread! If I could live here, I would :)) 💗pão de quejo 💗

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great options for small bites, coffee, and fantastic Portuguese bread! The Açaí bowl was a little pricey, and the topping options were limited, but still very good. Note that if you add protein to an açaí bowl, they don’t mix it into the base, but this, while strange to me, is clearly stated on the menu. The menu has several other options though of small, fresh sandwiches and breads that are more reasonably priced. They have a small section of Portuguese groceries near the back which was a nice touch — this includes frozen bread to make at home! The staff were very friendly, but the service was a little slow. The space has plenty of small group seating, fitting 2-4 per table. Near greenlake park, and a good place to grab a snack!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5