RAIN CITY CAFE AND COFFE COMPANY >>>

Rain City Cafe and Coffee Company aims to fill your belly. The newest café to grace Market Street offers breakfast sandwiches, soups, leafy green and pasta salads, bagged chips and dessert and pastries from Corina Bakery. On the heartier side, Mike's East Coast Panini Sandwiches are packed full of winning ingredients and are a hot, quick meal for those on a short lunch break. Check out their specialty meat, mortadella, a cold cut of finely ground heat-cured Italian pork sausage. And their classic caprese sandwiches, which are spruced up with pesto mayonnaise spread.

Inside, 180-degree windows allow natural light in, which creates a pleasant vibe in the tasteful, uncluttered interior that has couches, a cozy fireplace and plenty of tables. A large off-street patio is certain to be popular come spring. Free Wi-Fi, books, magazines and games make it easy to stick around. Enjoy $2 espresso drinks during twice-daily happy hours (7-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m.). Food prices top out at $7-$8, coffee and beverages are $2-$5.

Also of note, Rain City plans to embrace the local art community by hosting the poetry open mic, "Mouths and Mics," every third Friday - hosted by Tacoma poet Antonio Edwards. 

[Rain City Cafe and Coffee Company, 744 Market Street, Tacoma, 253.383.2233]

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