Irwin's Bakery and Coffee House, Wallingford Neighborhood

I can't tell you how many times I've driven by this place on a short cut to Fremont from the U District and have wanted to stop by. Irwin's is nestled in the Wallingford neighborhood at N. 40th and Blakely. The first thing I noticed was how comfortable and homey this place was. It's a medium sized place with wooden chairs and tables sit at, as well as a lounge area to relax in. At the counter, I was enticed with an array of homemade baked goods all calling my name (homemade apple pie, a variety of muffins, cookies, etc...) and they seemed fairly "healthy". Additionally, there were salads, sandwiches and homemade soup- with vegan and vegetarian options. Impressive by my standards. They had a good selection of teas, and coffee drinks, with the coffee from Caffe Vita.

I found a spot near the window which happened to have a the heater next to it. I enjoyed my coffee and apple turnover and did some reading. Nearby were other folks with their computers tapping into the free Wi-Fi.

If you want to escape to a neighborhood coffee place, this is it. I will definitely go back!