Seattle’s beloved specialty coffee company Boon Boona Coffee has opened at Pike Place Market! Doors swung open earlier this year, adding to the market’s famous cultural scene (and awesome coffee options). Let’s take a closer look.
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
As told to Sprudge by Efrem Fesaha.
For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?
Boon Boona Coffee began with founder Efrem Fesaha’s desire to connect two worlds: Seattle’s coffee culture and the East African coffee traditions he grew up with in an Eritrean family. A 2011 trip to Eritrea, particularly the vibrant cafe culture of Asmara, inspired Efrem to leave a career in finance and build something rooted in coffee’s African origins. He started Boon Boona in 2012 by sourcing and distributing green coffee before eventually roasting and opening the first cafe in Renton in 2019. Today, Boon Boona has grown to five cafés across the greater Seattle area.
Can you tell us a bit about the new space?
Our Overlook Walk cafe brings Boon Boona Coffee to one of Seattle’s most iconic gathering places, connecting Pike Place Market to the Waterfront and Elliott Bay. It’s a space where our love for African coffee, culture, and community comes together, welcoming our Seattle neighbors alongside millions of visitors experiencing the city and Boon Boona, for the first time. Guests can enjoy thoughtfully roasted African coffees, locally sourced pastries and food, Métier Brewing, and Washington wines. Most importantly, we wanted the traditional East African coffee ceremony to have a meaningful presence in the space, inviting guests to experience coffee as it has been shared for generations in Ethiopia and Eritrea—roasted, brewed, and served in the traditional way.
What’s your approach to coffee?
Our approach to coffee starts with Africa—celebrating the incredible diversity of flavor, people, and traditions across the continent. At Boon Boona, we thoughtfully source and roast coffees to highlight their natural character, from bright, fruit-forward profiles to rich, complex cups. At Overlook, we bring that philosophy directly to the guest through espresso, pour-overs, seasonal drinks, and our traditional East African coffee ceremony—creating an experience that is approachable, educational, and deeply rooted in hospitality.
Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?
We’re fortunate to be part of an incredible coffee community in Seattle where some of the best equipment in the industry is being built. With our good friends at Slayer, we chose the Slayer Steam EP three-group as the centerpiece of our espresso program—giving our team the consistency and control that they’ve come accustomed to across our cafes. Our friends at La Marzocco round out the bar with the Swan and Jay grinders, which are dedicated to decaf and rotating single-origin coffees. We were also fortunate to get early access to the beautiful Modbar Pour-Over system, allowing us to bring precision to our African coffees.
How is your project considering sustainability?
Sustainability at Overlook shows up in many ways, from our locally sourced fir tabletops that bring warmth and a sense of the Pacific Northwest into the space, to artwork by the incredibly talented Yeggy Michael, who brought his own artistic lens to the SCA Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel. Behind the scenes, we’ve built thoughtful compost, recycling, and waste practices into our daily operations. We also intentionally partner with local small businesses for our pastries and food, using Overlook as an opportunity to introduce thousands of waterfront visitors to the incredible makers and entrepreneurs in our community.
Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that you’d like to mention?
Boxwood (Architects), Yeggy Michael (artist), Splinter and Slag (tables), Bryant Garduque (photographer)
Thank you!
The 2026 Build-outs of Coffee is presented by DONA, Pacific Barista Series, and La Marzocco.
