Different people like different places. I haven’t been to every coffee place on Capital Hill. However:
Victrola is a nice comfortable independent place on 15th Ave E.
The Tully’s at Pike and Broadway is a nice location.
Zoka and Peet’s are two nice brands of coffee place in Seattle too, though I don’t know offhand if/where they are on Capital Hill. Ladro is also good.
Just discovered a new coffee shop (love Vivace, Joe Bar on Capitol Hill) on 12th and Pike, I think, called Cafe Presse. It’s a french place, and in addition to delicious coffee, I had a really wonderful omelete and they have authentic French bread. Stumptown is right next to Cafe Presse, and that is the first coffee shop that dares to come up from Portland. It must be pretty good!