Portland has one of the top coffee cultures in America. With approximately 600 independent coffee shops, it can be hard to choose a good one, though, to be honest, many of them are really good, so it's just a matter of location and vibes. I hit up some pretty vibe-y shops this month and also had one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had. For as much coffee as I drink, that's saying a lot.
So, next time you're in Portland, here are some of the places I visited and you might want to as well.
Well & Good Coffee
When you're out running errands, how do you not go get breakfast while you're out? That's what Eric and I did on a Saturday morning. This neighborhood coffee shop has parking and is located in Tigard. It's larger than most coffee shops and has a ton of seating. They have pretty good food menu, so we tried different things and also a "chuffin", which is their specialty chai muffin. Unfortunately, it just kinda tasted like a coffee cake muffin. It wasn't very spicy at all, but it was tasty.
Even though this place is on the larger side and has outdoor seating as well, it feels really cozy and has some different sitting areas to choose from.
Outside of the chuffin, I ordered the Peterson breakfast burrito with eggs and veggies in a spinach tortilla. It was really filling and was the perfect amount of spicy from the pepperjack cheese. I also got the special lavender rose latte. While not overpowering with the floral, it was balanced really well and easy to drink. Eric ordered a Sugar-free hazelnut latte and the Italy, a toasted Italian sandwich that I thought smelled and tasted pretty good. I'd absolutely make the effort to visit this place again.
Soro Soro
I have been meaning to go to this coffee and dessert shop for ages, but the last time I was over there to do it, I thought it was on a different street, and then we just went to actual lunch. This Asian-owned shop is very minimalist cutesy in the way that a lot of Japanese places feel. It has stuff you can buy from local arts and all the desserts are super colorful, like a rainbow layer cake. I wasn't in the mood for straight sugar, so I just took a peek at the drink menu and then looked around at the shelves of fun handmade items for sale.
I chose a hot pistachio cream latte. I was pleasantly surprised by what I was served. A perfect cup of coffee with oat milk with a float of cool pistachio cream on top. It layered on top without mixing with the hot coffee somehow. If you love pistachio, this is must-try drink. it was light and not too filling like it could have been. This is a great little shop to just come and chill in. I listened to a couple of girls that I think were on a first date at a nearby table. That's the kind of place this is. Great for a first date and great for a solo coffee drinker.
No Preference Coffee
It may be called No Preference, but I definitely have a preference, and it's this coffee shop over almost any other shop when I'm in Portland proper. It's crazy, because there are probably 5 or 6 shops within a few blocks here, so it's fighting for real estate here. It's also right next to one of the most popular brunch restaurants in the city. There's always a line. I get it, I love brunch, and Screen Door has some great food, but if you aren't dying for eggs benny or a mimosa, I'd pop over and get an excellent cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich.
This shop looks smaller from the outside, but it has a little side room that feels like walking into a wine cellar. It's really cozy and the owner is fantastic. He used to work with the owner of Ki Coffee near where I live, which I may not have ever reviewed, so look for that, soon. They both left an electronics store to become coffee shop owners and I think that was a good use of both of their talents.
I looked at the specials board here and the ube blossom latte caught my eye, so I ordered one of those with oat milk and a bacon breakfast sandwich. Not only did this turn out to be the absolute prettiest coffee I've ever been served, but was just as delicious. This breakfast sandwich may not look like much, but the two together were an amazing meal and I'd kind of like to go try one of the others, too. Honestly, this shop gets an 11/10 from me.
I've got plans for some interesting visits next month, so stay tuned. We'll see if they can hit this high bar set this month.
Tell me about some of your favorite coffee shops or cafes from where you live or your travels.
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