RyanPalmer Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles Expertise: Pro Barista
Posted Sat May 12, 2007, 3:31pm Subject: Portland coffee standouts
I am interested in what cafes/coffee shops in the Portland area are the absolute best, and why people have chosen them to be one of the best. I'm not just looking for "The Division Stumptown, because its Stumptown man" type of answer. I am looking for why YOU go to that cafe, is it the passion of their barista's? Is it simple the quality of what's in the cup, or is it the scene that draws you?
So far I know quality of the following shops, but I don't want to discourage you to shout out about these too, I want to know the ones I'm missing, along with the ones that I have been too. If you can, include some links to pictures, give personal experiences, funny stories, etc. I even like to hear from shop owners and employee's why they think their shop rocks so hard.
Albina Press Bakery Bar Coffeehouse Northwest Crema Extracto Fresh Pot @ Hawthorn Fresh Pot @ Mississippi James John Kobos @ Market Kobos @ Vaughn Ristretto Roasters Stumptown @ Ace Hotel Stumptown @ Belmont Stumptown @ Division Stumptown @ SW 3rd
I am mostly looking for the good experiences, I have had plenty of bad ones, even at the best cafes, not everyone is perfect all of the time.
puma996 Senior Member Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Portland, OR Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Starbucks Barista Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Posted Sat May 12, 2007, 6:21pm Subject: Re: Portland coffee standouts
I have only been to one on your list, but I've been there a lot....Crema is absolutely my favorite. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is inviting and the offerings are the best. They make consistently fabulous espresso drinks and their baked goods are out of this world. I think what makes them one of the best (if not the best in Portland) is that all the baristas are highly skilled and the ingredients they use are the best available.
I've been going to Cooper's Coffee lately (60/Stark), and I think they are pretty good, albeit a notch down from the heavy hitters. All the staff are very friendly and the space is very comfortable. Even though they use Portland Roasting (not the best IMO), they can make very good espresso drinks. Their downfall is the lack of consistency. Two of the baristas are very good, and the others don't have as much skill. While not at the level of Crema, they are definitely above Starbucks and most other small coffee houses, with the exception of the list you provided.
Posted Sun May 13, 2007, 9:58am Subject: Re: Portland coffee standouts
I have been to 3 of the Stumptown locations (didn't know about Ace Hotel), Albina Press and Ristretto Roasters. Stumptown on the eastside is OK, downtown seemed a little sterile. Albina Press pulls fantastic shots, and Ristretto Roasters was excellent as well. Ristretto Roasters was the best conversation, and didn't give me that "oh great another amateur barista" look when I talked about espresso with them. In fairness to Albina Press, they were usually pretty busy and didn't have a lot of time to visit when I've been there. I steer people to Albina Press as my first choice. Albina Press has a little better seating than Ristretto Roasters. I definitely try to make it to one or the other when I am in Portland.
Coopers sounds interesting, I'll stop by there soon. Does anybody have any pictures of their cafe trips maybe? I would really love to see some great pictures of Fresh Pot and Ristretto, as I have none. Thanks for the great input, keep the experiences coming!
I was also going to mention Blue Gardenia because I've heard a lot about them. The shot I had there wasn't the best, but I took some of their roasted coffee home and it was great. A lot of people talk up the Coffee Plant, too, where they use Hair Bender, but the shots I've had there haven't been as good as those from Albina or Stumptown cafes. It's not really in Portland and I haven't been there yet, but of course there's Lava Java in Ridgefield, WA, where Phuong Tran works. I have been to Paradise Cafe and Espresso Bar in Vancouver, WA, and I highly recommend it. In addition to roasting their own blend, they have a single origin espresso that changes weekly, I think. It's run by Philip Search who roasts the coffee and has participated in barista competitions in the past.
naznar Senior Member Joined: 6 May 2005 Posts: 127 Location: portland Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat May 19, 2007, 9:05am Subject: Re: Portland coffee standouts
I think Coffeehouse nw on 19th and burnside (nw) half and half acorn
deserve mentions, im skewed though as the last two are my clients.
coffee house's drinks are on the same line as albina press, which is to say pretty good. ive always liked the customer service at h&h and acorn is a sister shop to the h&h
On day 5 of my stay at the Ace. It is a fantastic hotel, beautifully renovated with a funky but comfortable, unpretentious design and really, REALLY pleasant, if spare (in a good way for the most part) guest rooms. Mine has an interesting bath in that the shower is separated by a dividing wall from the rest of the bath but is otherwise completely integrated into it, like a locker room shower- very neat design, would love to replicate it at home. I'm staying at the rear so no view, but it's really quiet and I am thrilled to have made this choice. With the Canadian dollar at historic highs right now it's cheap too (my room is $130 a night US).
Stumptown is a delight- FOUR Clovers and TWO Mistrals. Amazingly expensive setup. Well staffed, good pastries too.
Albina Press is (to answer my own query above) easily accessible from DT on transit; the #4 bus stops right in front of the cafe, or you can take the yellow line, get off on Prescott and walk a meandering few blocks (meandering to find a street that will take you over the freeway- I found one called Skidmore St) to Albina Press. Mr Wilson himself made my my macchiato. However it was really stuffy in there so I didn't linger.
I was in town to attend reunions at Reed College, which is in SE Portland around Woodstock and 39th and I wandered around my old neighbourhood (where we rented a house my junior and senior years) around 41st and Holgate, and along the stretch of SE 41st Ave, between Long and Steeles is a former little corner store that is now a cafe and funky neighbourhood resto- and they serve Zoka there! First in Portland! And the barista was also a Reed alum (19 years younger than me, but cool nonetheless). I don't recall the name of the place, sorry, but it's the only business on that otherwise residential strip, west side of the street.
My fave place so far is Coffeehouse Northwest, Burnside and Trinity on the north side of Burnside (NW). It's a PERFECT coffeehouse. Skilled and nice people, a SYNESSO (what is with you guys and the La Marzocco cult?), great tunes but not so damn loud like at the Ace. And I am going to say this: I have been getting way too much overheated milk at Stumptown- almost every drink I've had so far has been too hot. NW was PERFECT.
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