Starbucks takes the art of coffee brewing to a whole new level with its Starbucks Reserve Roastery. These roasteries, located in multiple cities worldwide, are not just your typical coffee shops but immersive coffee experiences.
First introduced in Seattle in 2014, the concept has since expanded to cities like New York City, Tokyo, Milan, Shanghai, and more. The roasteries serve their famous Starbucks blends and offer rare, small-batch brews you cannot find elsewhere.
Guests can witness the intricate process of coffee preparation – from the roasting of beans to the art of brewing, creating a unique and educational experience. Moreover, these roasteries often feature intimate coffee-tasting rooms, bakery kitchens, and mixology bars, providing diverse culinary and coffee delights.
With its stunning architecture, soothing atmosphere, and exceptional craftsmanship, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is more than just a place to grab your morning caffeine fix – it’s a destination for coffee connoisseurs and lovers of the finer things in life.
What is Starbucks Reserve?
Starbucks Reserve is a line of high-end, rare, and exotic coffee carefully sourced and roasted by Starbucks. The Reserve program consists of small batches of coffee beans harvested in limited quantities to compete in the high-end coffee market.
Skilled roasters in the Starbucks Reserve Roasteries then roast these beans, using the latest techniques and equipment to create unique blends and flavors. By experiencing Starbucks Reserve, you can taste the rich and complex flavors of these rare and exotic beans not found in your everyday cup of coffee.
Roasteries, reserve bars, and stores: The three types of Starbucks locations
You’ve likely heard of Starbucks Reserve locations – exclusive spots that provide premium coffee experiences. But did you know that there are three distinct types of Reserve locations? Here’s everything you need to know about these establishments.
Starbucks Reserve Roasteries
Starbucks Reserve Roasteries are large, immersive spaces dedicated to providing coffee lovers with the ultimate experience in coffee roasting, brewing, and mixology.
You can enjoy freshly roasted coffee, try out a variety of baked goods, drinks like custom coffee cocktails, and food. You can also take a guided tour of the Roastery to learn the coffee-making process from start to finish, including tasting the coffee at every stage.
You can find Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations in major cities worldwide, including Seattle, Shanghai, and Milan.
Seattle
Seattle, home to Starbucks’ headquarters, is also where the Seattle Roastery is located. Situated just nine blocks from the Pike Place store, it proudly stands as the inaugural Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
Starbucks opened this 15,000-square-foot space in December 2014, offering visitors a distinctive and engaging coffee experience. Seattle’s Roastery features state-of-the-art equipment for small-batch roasting, allowing customers to witness the entire process from start to finish.
The space also includes several different tasting rooms where visitors can sample various types of coffee prepared using varied brewing methods. The Seattle location also provides exclusive merchandise and limited-edition drinks you cannot find elsewhere. The Roastery also offers a full food menu that features artisanal pastries and light bites sourced from local purveyors.
Shanghai
The Shanghai Starbucks Reserve Roastery, which opened in December 2017, showcases the fusion of Chinese and Western industrial design and incorporates interactive elements for visitors to witness coffee bean roasting.
Notably, a two-story copper cask roasts small-batch beans before they get transported to a tiny copper pot system for serving. With 30,000 square-foot space, the largest Starbucks location at that time features multiple brewing methods that offer guests a rare taste experience. The Roastery also has a marketplace, a bar for scooping bags of beans to purchase, and a spot where you can sample different coffees offered in Starbucks stores.
The Shanghai Roastery follows in the footsteps of Seattle but with an added emphasis on bringing high-end luxury to customers. This location further provides a non-stop stream of unique Coffee cocktails and Brandy-infused lattes.
Milan
The Milano Roastery, Starbucks’s Reserve Roastery located in Milan, is a treasure trove for coffee enthusiasts. The Italian hotspot opened on September 7, 2018.
With 25,000 square feet of space, this Starbucks Reserve Roastery is the largest Starbucks in Europe. The historic Palazzo Broggi houses it, showcasing a blend of tradition and modern design.
The Starbucks Reserve menu allows customers to explore diverse coffees through origin, cold brew flights, and brew comparison flights, demonstrating how different brewing methods affect flavor. Skilled baristas showcase various brewing techniques that bring out unique flavor profiles.
The menu also includes handcrafted Roastery Beverages, ranging from classic espresso drinks to innovative creations, capturing the exceptional flavors of Starbucks Reserve coffees.
The Milano Roastery features a main bar with seven coffees, a self-service bean bar, a bakery, the Princi food service area, a retail space, and the Arriviamo Cocktail Bar. The main bar has an affogato station that makes ice cream with liquid nitrogen.
Princi, a Milanese bakery partner, complements the experience with its high-quality bread, pastries, sandwiches, breakfast and lunch options, pizza, and desserts.
New York City
You can find the New York Roastery in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. This establishment spans an impressive 23,000 square feet. It offers a variety of features, including a coffee roastery, two coffee bars, a cocktail bar, a bakery operated by Princi, and a captivating terrarium.
The bakery delights customers with baked goods, pizzas, salads, and bread, while the Arriviamo Bar serves enticing coffee- and tea-based cocktails.
Artistic squares and rectangles adorn the establishment’s ceiling, reflecting the building’s exterior architecture. The terrarium is meticulously designed to resemble Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks’ exclusive coffee farm in Costa Rica. It is worth mentioning that this farm is the first and only one owned by Starbucks.
Tokyo
The Tokyo Roastery, designed by Kengo Kuma and constructed with Japanese cedar for the roofing on the terrace, opened in the Nakameguro district on February 2019. With its purpose-built 32,000 square feet space, this Roastery showcases a unique architectural design.
The interior has four floors, enthralling visitors in a captivating Japanese cultural atmosphere. The establishment’s first floor is home to the main coffee bar, while the second floor offers an impressive Teavana tea bar.
On the third floor, you will find the Arriviamo Bar, where a wide range of tempting coffee- and tea-infused cocktails and Japanese interpretations of classic cocktails and non-alcoholic options get served.
As for the fourth floor, it houses the Amu Inspiration Lounge, which is well on its way to becoming a certified training location by the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan. Enhancing the ambiance are 2,100 copper cherry blossoms, paying homage to the iconic cherry trees that line the Meguro River. The coffee roasted in this facility caters to the Roastery itself and supplies retailers throughout Japan.
Chicago
The Chicago Roastery is the world’s largest Starbucks coffee shop. It is a five-story establishment located at 646 North Michigan Avenue on the city’s Magnificent Mile, serving as the center of coffee culture in the area.
With its impressive size of 35,000 square feet, each floor of the Roastery offers a unique experience, creating a memorable journey for coffee enthusiasts. The coffee bar and retail section on the first floor showcase a diverse selection of coffee brewing methods and a range of delicious dishes to try out.
The second floor features the Princi Bakery and Cafe, where customers can enjoy their coffee while admiring the preparation of handcrafted baked goods like croissants, sweet tarts, and pastries made with organic ingredients.
The third floor houses the Experiental Coffee Bar, showcasing the avant-garde coffee culture and a wide range of special blends. Skilled artisans demonstrate experimental brewing techniques and serve coffee in specially designed glassware.
The fourth floor is home to the Arriviamo Cocktail Bar, offering innovative cocktails infused with coffee and tea flavors, including exclusive creations by local mixologists. Finally, the rooftop terrace provides a luxurious setting to enjoy coffee while taking in the scenic views of Michigan Avenue and the bustling activity of the Roastery below.
Reserve coffee Bar
More akin to the traditional Starbucks outlets, Reserve Bars still offers a unique coffee experience. The baristas offer exclusive coffee blends and brewing methods, including rare single-origin coffees with the pour-over or siphon brewing. You can also enjoy premium tea and decadent small bites with your coffee.
There are a total of 43 locations, each offering the regular Starbucks menu and a dedicated coffee bar, providing a similar experience to the coffee bars found in the roasteries.
Reserve Store
The Reserve Store is usually located within another Starbucks store. It features an expanded menu of Reserve coffees. The store has a more relaxed atmosphere as it is designed to showcase the artisanal and craftsmanship behind the Reserve coffee.
There are around four operating Reserve Stores; you can find one in Starbucks’ headquarters at Starbucks Center in Seattle. The other stores are located in New York, Mumbai, and Shanghai. These stores offer a range of merchandise, food, and beverages, including Reserve Coffee, Princi food items, and locally inspired merchandise, providing a similar experience to the roasteries.
Wrapping up
Starbucks Reserve Roasteries is a coffee lover’s ultimate destination. From the moment you step inside, you get immersed in an unparalleled coffee adventure. With meticulous attention to detail, exceptional beans, and innovative brewing techniques, these Roasteries deliver exquisite flavors.
The Roastery’s elegant design, inspired by coffee’s heritage and local culture, creates a charming ambiance. From the sight and sounds of coffee preparation to the enticing aromas, you can indulge your senses in this sensory haven.
The Roasteries also offers interactive tastings and a chance to witness craftsmanship in action; this embodies Starbucks’ commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing, setting a commendable industry example. The Roasteries is a pilgrimage for coffee enthusiasts. It’s a place to delight your senses, expand your knowledge, and connect with folks with the same passion for coffee.
Source: Travels & Treasures