Artly's Barista Bot Comes to Bellevue

The cutting-edge robotic cafe concept, is making its way to Downtown Bellevue!  Artly Coffee offers a futuristic twist on traditional coffee craftsmanship, combining the precision of robotics with the soul of a skilled barista. Visitors of this incoming location at Vulcan’s West Main property will catch a glimpse into the future of coffee culture. 

At the heart of Artly is the barista bot – a robotic arm trained through imitation learning to mirror the exact movements of a professional barista. Unlike vending machine-style automatic coffee makers that prioritize speed over craft, Artly's robot recreates the nuanced process of making coffee with near-perfect consistency. It mimics the process in its entirety, from grinding the beans and extracting espresso to frothing milk and creating art on top. 

The new Bellevue location will debut a highly anticipated new menu, developed with the help of a renowned Michelin-starred chef. While the full lineup has yet to be announced, Artly promises that fan-favorites like the rose latte will stay on the menu. Onsite, a human barista will still be present to help customers, prepare ingredients, and maintain the high standards the brand is known for. While Artly's official opening date hasn't been confirmed, you can stay updated on their Instagram and be the first to know.

"People that love our products are people that embrace technology, and at the same time, love and appreciate a good cup of coffee," said COO and Cofounder Yushan Chen.

Chen believes that Downtown Bellevue is the perfect fit for this innovative approach, due the community’s love of technology and caffeine. Artly’s emphasis on quality artistry meant that training the robots was a long, arduous process spanning over two years. Using a learning technology, they placed trackers on barista’s hands to record every movement from cup positioning to milk frothing technique. Then, they implemented visual feedback to hone exact details like hand placement to allow the right amount of air into every cup. Every day, the robots continue to evolve and improve based on customer feedback, keeping Artly at the forefront of technological advancement. 

This new outpost will be part of Artly’s growing footprint. The cafe currently operates 11 locations across the U.S. and Canada, but grew its roots in Seattle. However, expanding to this scale wasn't without its challenges.

"Retail isn't easy," explained Chen. "Renovating a space and getting permits can be a tedious and lengthy process – we've had to evolve to meet those demands."

Beyond running their own cafés, Artly’s main business is partnering with other companies to deploy their barista bots. Their robots are already popping up in retail stores like Muji. They also support corporate events for well-known companies like Microsoft and Salesforce, both of which have large footprints in Bellevue. 

“We’re excited to become more engaged with the community,” Chen said. “We’re very passionate about future collaborations opportunities we have with various partners. Bellevue is the right place for us.” 

This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.