Moore Coffee Shop

Moore Coffee started in 2011 in a tiny space on the main floor of the Moore building, the shop's own site says, and soon ran out of room and took over the old tailor shop next door. A 2016 Tacoma Ledger profile said the founder had worked in the Moore building since 1995, starting as a dishwasher, before opening the cafe in September 2011. Intentionalist and Wikipedia name the owner as Lupe Chavez. The shop's Instagram calls it Latina owned, and The Stranger described it in 2023 as Latinx owned.

The draw is in the cup. The Tacoma Ledger reported in 2016 that regulars found the shop through Instagram for milk art of bunnies, puppies and flowers; the shop's own Instagram in October 2026 shows heart designs on cappuccinos, so the animals may depend on who is behind the bar. The Stranger's 2023 guide mentioned a big jar of marshmallows for decorating your drink. No source names the roaster, so that is a question for the barista.

Food on Second Avenue centers on what the shop's site calls its famous breakfast waffles. The Stranger described colorful Mexico City style decor in 2023. Back in 2016 the Tacoma Ledger listed brie and turkey sandwiches, cheesecake and macarons in the case; ask what is on today, since the menu has had a decade to change.

Plan around the calendar. This shop is closed Monday through Wednesday and opens 8am to 3:30pm Thursday through Saturday and 8am to 3pm Sunday, per its own site. The second Moore Coffee, a small shop around the corner at 112 Stewart Street, is open Monday through Saturday, so that is the fallback early in the week.