macrina Bakery
Sodo CAFÉ
1943 First Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98134
206.623.0919
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Seating Capacity: 47
Outdoor Seating: Limited
A Little History
In September 2008 we moved our bread kitchen, wedding cake production, wholesale production and main office from Belltown to Sodo. While the neighborhood didn’t have much foot traffic, we decided to attach our third café, quite unsure how it would do. But people found us and to our surprise it became our busiest cafe. In 2016 we moved our production facility to a much larger space in Kent, but there was no way we could ever abandon our beloved Sodo cafe and the customers that have made it a part of their days.
The Sodo location received Silver level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification shortly after we moved in. This rating is granted by the U.S. Green Building Council for businesses that follow certain sustainable practices when building or remodeling a location. Some of the requirements we have incorporated in the building include using natural light sources and vents, energy efficient lighting, certified or farmed wood, low-VOC paints and stains, motion sensor faucets, low-flush toilets, repurposed kitchen equipment, efficient space design, compostable packaging, purchasing green power from Seattle City Light and composting of kitchen waste.
Meet the Sodo Café General Manager
GRETCHEN MILYKO
Sodo General Manager
ABOUT Gretchen
Baking and people are twin passions of Gretchen’s, which makes it no surprise that she found Macrina Bakery. After working in two bakeries in the Pike Place Market for a few years, she applied at Macrina Bakery, hoping to advance her career. Three years later, after working her way up to shift lead, then Assistant Manager, she took over the leadership role.
“I really care about the staff and like helping guide them,” Gretchen says. “And I enjoy seeing our regular customers every day. Working at The Confectional and Three Girls Bakery in the market was excellent training for what I do at Macrina. I enjoyed baking from the get-go, and I like the customer interaction in the front of the house.
Gretchen’s passion for baking doesn’t stay at work. She lives with her sister and her best friend, a pastry chef. “We bake all the time at home,” she says.
When Gretchen is not baking or working, you'll often find her reading a book or writing stories of her own.
Hometown: Missoula, MT
First Job: Face Painter
Alternate Universe Job: Novelist
Pastry You Couldn’t Live Without: Dill Scone
Dessert Specialty: Cheesecake
Weekend Getaway: Anywhere I can swim
Binge Food: Teriyaki
Dream Vacation: Scotland or a secluded island
Favorite Seattle Restaurant: Wann Izakaya
Seattle’s Best Kept Secret: Swimming at the tip of Seward Park
Food You Despise: Barley
Guilty Pleasure: Skyrim
Last Book You Enjoyed: “Fire & Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
What You Listen to Now: Townes Van Zandt, Thin Lizzy, and Nina Simone
Philosophy for Living: “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless” -Gandhi