Like all places, Portland seems to be filled with places that make excellent coffee, places that only serve coffee because it's a breakfast staple, places in between and then places like my local Einstein that said I couldn't order vanilla lattes anymore, because it's no longer on the menu. What the?
Luckily, this month found me at some of the better coffee joints in the city.
Stomping Grounds
I've been going to the same hairdresser for longer than I've been with my husband (12 years married, 4+ years dating). She moved a few times, but I've still been going to her salon in the same area for at least a decade. I've seen this coffee shop over the years and have never stopped there, because either I was on time for my appointment or off to have lunch/bruch with my mother. We arrived super early for our last appointment and decided to go in, and I'm so glad we did.
Stomping Grounds is cozy and welcoming with a lot of places to sit. It was really busy and you could tell it was a usual haunt for a lot of people. They have a nice drink menu and lots of food options, but we were in (sort of) a hurry, so we ordered a couple bagels with cream cheese ($2.75 each) and some coffees to sip a little faster than normal.
My mom got a regular latte and I asked for their most popular drink and was told that was the Spanish mocha ($4.75), also cinnamon in anything is pretty top notch in my book.
The coffee had some lovely depth to it and my cheddar bagel was toasted perfectly with the exact right amount of cream cheese. I'd definitely come here again and try their other food options. I can see why this is a hoppin' place on the weekend and why so many people choose this as a place to meet up with friends.
40 LBS.Coffee Bar
I was meeting a friend one afternoon and decided to go early so I could hit up a few coffee shops I hadn't seen in the downtown area. 40 LBS. looked intriguing and the inside is really clean and industrial looking.
I went in asking for a recommendation, but the barista was like "I dunno. I just drink cold brew all day." Not a great start in my book, but I settled on a vanilla cardamom latte ($4.50) and a tasty-looking cheese and butter baguette ($4.95) that reminded me of walking the streets in Paris. I love the coffee cups, but the coffee itself was perfectly balanced and aromatic. I loved the baguette, even without it being toasted. I suppose that's just how they serve them, unlike the stalls in Paris, since I wasn't asked if I wanted it warmed up. It wasn't disappointing though.
As you can see from the decor, if you think about what a Portland coffee shop would look like, this is pretty much it. Despite the barista's attitude about their non-cold brew coffee drinks, I'd return.
Café Ponté
Just around the corner from 40 LBS is CaféPonté. It's a cute little European shop with warm woods and friendly baristas. You feel really welcome there.
They had a small board of specials and, with fall almost here, I couldn't resist the maple chai latte ($4.75), which had the perfect hint of maple flavor under the chai spices. It's perfect for a cold weather pick-me-up. Even though I'd already indulged in a baguette, I decided to get all my carbs and order a croissant ($3.50). I was less impressed with it, as it felt a bit more dense than your typical flaky croissant. They do have other offerings though, so don't be put off by their sad croissants. Go for just the coffee or opt for a different pastry or food choice. The coffee's worth the visit.
The shop is smallish and narrow, but it has this whole front full of windows that faces the morning sun, so even if you're inside, you can feel like you're outside too. It's in a great location and if you sit in the window, it's great for people watching.
There you have it. My September edition of my Portland coffee tour. Follow me on Instagram if you want to see my visits as they happen, or if you want to view photos of my travels, things I do around Portland and sometimes cute pics of my dog.
Do you have a favorite coffee shop from your travels or at home? Tell me about it in the comments!