Showing posts with label PDX. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PDX. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Courier Coffee Roasters


Subject: Courier Coffee Roasters
Location: Portland, OR
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

There is an inexplicable vibe that comes from walking into a serious coffeehouse. Of course I do not mean "serious" in the sense of mood (though I've been in a few shops where the barista looks like we're about to sort through tax law), but more in the manner of how these pros work, in the dedication and skill they lend to their craft. Courier Coffee Roasters is definitely one of those places.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Case Study Coffee




Subject: Case Study Coffee Roasters
Location: Portland, OR [NE Sandy Blvd shop]
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Long, long ago in the pre-smart phone days, I would use the hunt-with-my-eyes method of locating coffeehouses. Essentially I would do minimal research when visiting a new place and wing it, hoping that in wandering the right neighborhoods, I would spot the diamonds in the rough. Clearly an inferior method, I rarely use the tactic primarily anymore, but still from time to time my eyes can't help but scan the horizon for an uncharted gem.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Coffeehouse-Five



Subject: Coffeehouse-Five
Location: Portland, OR
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Saturday mornings are the best time to get out and experience a city. It's one of the few windows in the week where many businesses are open, yet the crowds are mostly sleeping off their prior late-night adventures. Especially if I'm traveling, I can usually get in a full four hours before the streets get crowded with the brunch hordes.

Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Ristretto Roasters



Subject: Ristretto Roasters
Location: Portland [Couch St]
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

I love visiting coffeehouses at night. There's a certain charm to most establishments that one does not capture in the waking hours when people are starting the buzzings of a busy day. Come late-afternoon, most places tend to thin out and cool down a little, owing to the fact that many folks will have switched to alcoholic aspirations and that numerous others simply hang up their caffeine habit post-afternoon coffee break. With few exceptions, the vibe of a coffeehouse around supper time rarely matches the feel of the AM rush.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Either/Or



Subject: Either/Or
Location: Portland, OR
WiFi?: Yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

One of Portland's many charms is its numerous, extremely-livable neighborhoods. While cities further east often have tight city lanes where space and parking are at a significant premium, in a place like Portland many neighborhoods offer the peace and parking of suburbs with the proximity of city life. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Arbor Lodge





Subject: The Arbor Lodge
Location: Portland, OR
WiFi?: Yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Not every city neighborhood has a name that also works perfectly as a coffeehouse name. But Arbor Lodge, Portland is such a neighborhood with such a coffeehouse.

Monday, March 09, 2015

Coava Coffee Roasters



Subject: Coava Coffee Roasters
Location: Portland, OR [Grand Ave location]
WiFi?: Yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


While Portland has tons of coffee establishments worthy of a visit, there are a few that have come to embody the city's coffee scene, not only for the quality coffee but also due to the beauty of their abode. Coava Coffee Roasters is one of those spots.