Hello Em

Hello Em
Entrance exterior, 2023
Map
Restaurant information
Street address1227 South Weller Street
CitySeattle
CountyKing
StateWashington
Postal/ZIP Code98144
CountryUnited States
Coordinates47°35′50″N 122°18′56″W / 47.5973°N 122.3155°W / 47.5973; -122.3155

Hello Em Việt Coffee & Roastery, or simply Hello Em, is a Vietnamese coffee shop in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.

Description

Hello Em is a "sleek"[1] Vietnamese coffee shop on Weller Street in the Little Saigon area of Seattle's Chinatown-International District. The Seattle Times has described Hello Em as an "artisanal coffeehouse".[2] The business' name was inspired by a greeting used in Vietnam.[3]

Hello Em shares the space with Friends of Little Sài Gòn within the Little Saigon Creative, which offers programming for the local Vietnamese community and has an art gallery, a community library, and an area for events and meetings.[4][5][6] An interior wall displays historical facts about Little Saigon. A coffee roaster operates inside the front entrance, "so customers can watch the beans go from pale green to shimmering brown as they wait for their drinks", according to Naomi Tomky of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.[7] Beans sourced from Vietnamese are roasted on-site using a Neuhaus Neotec air roaster.[8]

The cà phê brûlée is coffee with egg cream, topped with torched sugar. The cà phê chuoi has caramelized banana, coconut, and an egg cloud with salted peanuts and banana chips, and the cà phê my dua is an iced coffee with a coconut cloud, pandan dust, and sesame seeds.[8] In addition to coffee drinks, the menu has included bánh mì,[9] a Seattle Dog-inspired hot dog made with Laughing Cow cheese,[4] pastries,[10][11] and "cloud mochi" (mochi balls with fruit, Oreo cookies, and whipped cream).[12] A breakfast sandwich version of bánh mì has pâté, pork charcuterie, fried shallots, and lemongrass sauce.[13]

History

Hello Em began operating in January 2021,[14][15] hosting a grand opening on January 24.[16] The business is owned by Nghia Bui[17] and Yenvy Pham, a co-owner of Phở Bắc and Phởcific Standard Time.[8] Hello Em is Seattle's first Vietnamese coffee roastery, according to the South Seattle Emerald.[18]

In 2022, employees of Hello Em attended a "special personal safety and de-escalation training" by the city's crime prevention team,[19] and sought help from authorities to clear a nearby homeless camp.[20]

Reception

Interior in 2023

Naomi Tomky included the egg cloud and egg crème coffee in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's 2021 list of 12 of the city's "most exciting, interesting egg dishes".[21] She also recommended a visit to Hello Em in a 2022 travel guide of Seattle published by Condé Nast Traveler.[22] Megan Hill recommended the breakfast bánh mì and cloud mochi in Eater Seattle's 2021 list of the city's "best coffee shop bites", in which she said, "The food menu is outstanding — and photogenic."[13] The website's Mark Van Streefkerk also included Hello Em in a 2022 list of the city's "essential" coffee shops.[11]

In 2022, Allecia Vermillion included Hello Em in Seattle Metropolitan's overview of a dozen "destination" coffee shops,[23] and Tasting Table included the business in a list of the 17 "best coffee roasters in Seattle that aren't Starbucks".[24] Megan Seling included the cà phê chuoi in The Stranger's 2023 overview of Seattle's "best bites" for ten dollars or less.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "After 4 decades, the Phams are still the first family of phở in Seattle". The Seattle Times. 2022-10-13. Archived from the original on 2022-11-08. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  2. ^ "Finally, somewhere in Ballard where you can get a beer, plus 7 more Seattle-area bar openings". The Seattle Times. 2021-11-10. Archived from the original on 2021-11-27. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  3. ^ "Seattle's Little Saigon is keeping its culture alive with or without 'real commitment' from officials". www.kuow.org. 2021-12-07. Archived from the original on 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  4. ^ a b "Need a bold caffeine fix? Visit Hello Em Việt Coffee & Roastery in Seattle". king5.com. March 7, 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-03-27. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  5. ^ Guarente, Gabe (2021-01-05). "Pho Bac Co-Owner Readies New Vietnamese Cafe and Roastery in Little Saigon". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  6. ^ "Friends of Little Saigon opens new creative space". Northwest Asian Weekly. 2020-12-24. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  7. ^ Tomky, Naomi (2021-07-19). "Vietnamese coffee finds Seattle's sweet spot". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  8. ^ a b c d Guo, Ann; Mudede, Charles; Keimig, Jas; Michelman, Jordan; Baume, Matt; Huygen, Meg van; Seling, Megan. "The Best Bites for Every Price: $10 and Under". The Stranger. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  9. ^ Guarente, Gabe (2021-06-02). "Iconic Pho Bac Readies New Downtown Location — with Some Banh Mi". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-11-08. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  10. ^ Streefkerk, Mark Van (2016-10-06). "Great New Coffee Shops in the Seattle Area". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  11. ^ a b "26 Essential Coffee Shops in Seattle". Eater Seattle. 2016-09-19. Archived from the original on 2022-02-13. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  12. ^ "21 New Coffee Shops This Year: Western United States". Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. 2021-12-27. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  13. ^ a b Hill, Megan (2021-06-18). "The Best Coffee Shop Bites in Seattle". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  14. ^ "Hello Em Việt Coffee Offers a Warm Greeting in Seattle". Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. 2021-02-19. Archived from the original on 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  15. ^ "Pho Bac owner opens new Vietnamese specialty coffee shop, Hello Em". Seattle Refined. 2021-02-26. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  16. ^ "Hello Em grand opening". Northwest Asian Weekly. 2021-01-28. Archived from the original on 2022-07-06. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  17. ^ Phan, Suzanne (2022-05-01). "It's AAPI Heritage Month, a local coffee shop wants spread the word on Vietnamese coffee". KOMO News. Archived from the original on 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  18. ^ "Hello Em Viet Coffee & Roastery Serves Coffee, Pastries, and Bánh Mì in Little Saigon". South Seattle Emerald. 2021-02-11. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  19. ^ Phan, Suzanne (2022-05-11). "Seattle businesses say safety training doesn't help, Little Saigon homeless camp must go". KOMO News. Archived from the original on 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  20. ^ Phan, Suzanne (2022-06-03). "Homeless encampment on S. Weller Street in Little Saigon moved; businesses find relief". KOMO News. Archived from the original on 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  21. ^ Tomky, Naomi (2021-04-02). "A dozen eggs: The 12 best places for egg dishes in Seattle". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  22. ^ "The Weekend Guide: Sculpture Gardens, Kayak Rides, and Shellfish in Seattle". Condé Nast Traveler. 2021-03-30. Archived from the original on 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  23. ^ "The Best Coffee Shops in Seattle". Seattle Metropolitan. Archived from the original on 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  24. ^ Howe, S. G. (2022-10-17). "17 Best Coffee Roasters In Seattle That Aren't Starbucks". Tasting Table. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  • Media related to Hello Em at Wikimedia Commons