A new Chinese-inspired cafe has opened this Lunar New Year, and lines are already out the door. A bright, cobalt blue sign welcomes consumers in as others settle into the cafe’s warm interior.
Offline Coffee is the original creation of two Gen Z friends, Lucy Kong and Krystal Graylin, who left their corporate jobs and officially went “offline” to build their dream cafe.
There is no shortage of coffeeshops in Seattle, but the city has yet to have its own Chinese-inspired cafe—Offline being the first of its kind.
Kong and Graylin originally met at the University of Washington, where they connected over their love of cafes. After hosting several home cafes for friends and “cafe-hopping” in their travels, Kong and Graylin started to bring Offline to life. The two friends have both taken great care to pull from their Chinese family background, while still staying true to being a part of the Chinese diaspora.
“When people think about Chinese food, they may think more about traditional Chinese restaurants or boba shops,” Graylin said, “But we’re trying to expand the vision of what Chinese cafe culture can be like.”
Kong herself grew up partly in China and believes Chinese cafe culture has a lot to offer Seattle. Many will enter a Chinese cafe and have preconceived notions of the interior design style. However, Chinese style is not just red lanterns, dragons, and hand-carved wood, and Kong and Graylin strove to prove that in Offline’s interior design.
The cafe itself hosts a signature cobalt blue in its tiling and benches. Lighter wood furniture is organized across the space with a corner dedicated to Chinese ceramics and prints from Chinese artists. Coffee cups are even stamped with the cafe’s Chinese name, “线下咖啡 (xiàn xià kāfēi)” by a traditional hand-carved stamp Kong herself sourced from China.
“We’re trying to get people to be more receptive to things that are Chinese,” Kong said.”
In addition to the cafe’s interior design, the two co-founders are hoping to introduce more people to different Chinese flavors. “It’s not just red bean flavor,” Kong said.
Many of the ingredients the two are hoping to experiment with are difficult to have a constant supply chain for in the U.S. As a result, they are hoping to do more seasonal releases where people can try different flavors across the year.
“For example, fruity and citrusy americanos are really popular in Asia,” Kong said, “So one of the ones that we tried over this past week was a green muscat grape, sparkling americano.”
The current menu features flavors such as black sesame, Chinese coconut, Chinese Plum, and orange osmanthus. Offline’s pastry menu also features traditional flavors such as a pineapple custard bun and pork bun, as well as savory and sweet croissants.
With its unique menu and modern Chinese-inspired interior design, Offline Coffee has quickly made its waves on social media. Both Kong and Graylin have documented their journey since the cafe’s beginnings and public interest has grown.
The picturesque cafe has made its rounds on many Instagram stories. However, Graylin states that they don’t want to just be “an Instagrammable spot,” where people take a picture and never come back. She hopes people will find a home at Offline.
“I hope people can see the amount of effort and care we’re putting into this,” Graylin said, “And also hopefully be inspired.”
The pair hope they can inspire other young people to start businesses; Kong is 25 years old and Graylin is 24. Gen Z coffee shop ideas and dreams can become reality, especially when the idea is from the heart.
“A lot of times when something is Chinese, people choose not to label it as such and it’s more pan-Asian,” Kong said, “But this whole process with Offline, I’ve seen that people are receptive to these ideas and concepts, especially when you are not afraid to be open and explicit about it.”
Offline coffee is currently in its soft opening at 711 Bellevue Ave E, Ste 100 in Capitol Hill. It is currently open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Tuesdays. For more information and updates, find them on social media at instagram.com/offlinecoffee.
