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North Portland Coffee Shops

One of the best ways to experience community in North Portland is through our coffee. These North Portland coffee shops have something for everyone, from the coffee connoisseur to the penny-pinching college student. Plus, these shops are ideal spots for working, hanging out with friends, or just relaxing with a good book.

Affogato

It’s easy to overlook Affogato when you’re walking through St. Johns (we did at first). But what’s waiting inside—the smooth espresso, the homemade chai, and the delightful Italian dessert that’s the store’s namesake—has charmed us since 2012. The shop itself is small with a few chairs and stools, and it has a little outdoor seating.

You can sample the creamy, homemade gelato before buying, including vegan flavors like the popular Coconut Stracciatella, and make sure to ask what homemade syrups they have available so you can enhance your latte or coffee with a splash of something special. And don’t miss the homemade chai! Affogato also sells Equator Coffee Co. coffee by the half-pound and pound.

Address: 8712 N Lombard St

Hours: Monday–Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Anna Bannanas Café

Located several blocks from Cathedral Park, Anna Bannanas Café has something for everyone with its breakfast fare, coffee, beer, and wine. Owned by Bryant Anderson, Anna Bannanas St. Johns location has been open for over 4,600 consecutive days. As Bryant explained in this article, people’s need for coffee doesn’t take a vacation, and neither should their shop. Writers and artists often frequent Anna Bannanas because of the chill atmosphere, comfortable seating, and reliable wi-fi. Families enjoy Anna Bannanas for its kid-friendly area with a whimsical play castle and board games.

Anna Bannanas serves breakfast all day, along with an assortment of panini and bagel sandwiches. Be sure to check out their monthly open mic night and the local artwork featured throughout the shop.

Address: 8716 N Lombard St

Hours: Monday –Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Arbor Lodge

Situated across the street from the Rosa Parks MAX yellow line station, The Arbor Lodge’s handsome brick building beckons passersby to come in and experience what locals have embraced as their third home. “The whole purpose of the shop from the beginning was to really be a community space,” says C.J. Speelman, roaster and owner of Tanager Coffee Roasters. (Tanager supplies the shop’s coffee.) Inside, wood-paneled walls and hewn-wood tables complement the woodsy theme.

Popular beverages include staples like cappuccinos, lattes, and Americanos, and if you’re hungry, The Arbor Lodge offers pastries from Rushmore Baking and vegan and sourdough bagels from Jen’s Bagels.

Address: 1507 N Rosa Parks Way

Hours: Monday–Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Blend Coffee

Mellow and comfortable, Blend Coffee caters to everyone. There are abundant electrical outlets, a kid corner where adults can catch up while little ones play, and comfortable seating for small groups to sit together. Blend even offers a Print With Me printing station. Owned by Phil and Brad Yien, Blend has been an Overlook staple since 2007.

Try any of their signature drinks, including the Honey Badger, which is “locally produced artisan honey by Bee Local, rich espresso, steamed milk, and a pinch of spiced cinnamon,” or an Espresso Fizz, which is “espresso tonic water and orange bitters.” If you need to unwind after a busy day, Blend also serves beer and wine.

Address: 2710 N Killingsworth St

Hours: Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Cathedral Coffee

Cathedral Coffee has been called hip and delightfully oddball with its mishmash timber tabletops, reclaimed barn doors, a quirky book nook, and dynamic splashes of graffiti that frame the red-brick bar. Yet all of Cathedral’s elements create a cohesive space that complement this shop’s inviting culture. A quick scan of Cathedral Coffee’s Instagram hashtag #humansofcathedralcoffee shows that the heart of Cathedral Coffee beats for the people. “We call them the ‘Sunday morning crew,’” one caption reads alongside a multi-generational photo of smiling friends gathered around a Cathedral Coffee farmhouse table.

Try pairing a Proud Mary coffee with any of Cathedral Coffee’s homemade pastries baked on-site, like a gooey cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, seasonal apple fritters, or a maple scone (the orange roll is our favorite!).

Address: 7530 N Willamette Blvd

Hours: Monday—Friday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday—Sunday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

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The Great North

With a steady stream of light pouring in through the shop’s skylight and tiny potted plants lining the furniture and walls, the space inside The Great North beckons customers to take a deep breath, exhale, and relax. The shop is conducive to hunkering down and getting work done with its ample array of wall outlets, but it’s also a great space to catch up with a friend. Clean, simple, and bright, The Great North’s aesthetic is the perfect place to escape on a rainy day. The Cardigan latte is to. die. for.

The shop partners with Coava Coffee, who trains Great North baristas. The shop also serves tea, pastries and gluten-free treats. The Great North occasionally offers free wellness classes and events such as estate planning classes and networking nights. Check out their Instagram for more information.

Address: 7373 N Burlington Ave

Hours: Monday—Friday, 6 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday—Sunday, 7 a.m.—6 p.m.

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No Wave Coffee

Owned by Chris Godfrey, No Wave Coffee is located half a mile from the University of Portland. Customers appreciate the coffee ice cubes Chris uses to preserve the strength and integrity of iced coffee, and Yelp! reviewers love the shop’s record player, where customers are invited to select music from the shop’s record library or bring their own tunes.

No Wave serves Courier Coffee along with a small assortment of baked goods.

Address: 7210 N Portsmouth Ave

Hours: Monday—Friday, 6 a.m.–3 p.m.; Saturday—Sunday, 7 a.m.–3 p.m.

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St. Johns Coffee Roasters

Owned and operated by Mount Burns, St. Johns Coffee Roasters recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Burns, a commercial photographer by trade, used his photographic eye to create the energizing retail space for customers to enjoy his original blends.

REAL.GOOD.COFFEE is this shop’s slogan, and St. Johns Coffee Roasters takes pride in only serving organic, fair-trade, single-origin coffee that’s roasted on-site and then carefully combined using a post roast blending technique to enhance each blend’s flavor and complexity. One customer recently drove 90 miles from Olympia to meet Burns and buy more of his St. Johns Blend after receiving a pound for his birthday and declaring it to be “the best coffee he had ever tasted.”

Burns credits his “wacky sense of humor” for inspiring the shop’s Grumpy Hour, where all coffee beverages are 50 cents off on any weekday between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Address: 8445 N Ivanhoe St

Hours: Monday—Friday, 6 a.m.–4 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

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Presso Coffee Bar

Presso Coffee Bar embodies everything that makes a coffee shop Instagram-worthy with its crisp white space, marble tabletops, and an Instagram wall bursting with hydrangeas and peonies. Owners Isabelle, Irina, and Alex designed Presso to be playful but also made sure the space felt inviting for customers who come to Presso to work with free wi-fi and wall outlets near every seat.

Try any of Presso’s seasonal toasts (that can be made with gluten-free bread), on-tap kombucha, and hot beverages like their Charcoal Lavender Latte that can be enhanced with customizable latte art.

Address: 2020 N McClellan St

Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Posies Bakery and Café

Posies Café, located in the 108-year-old Dupey Block, has earned its reputation for being one of Portland’s coziest coffee shops with its original hardwood flooring and elegant bakery case with piles of homemade pastries. Owned and operated by Kenton resident and U.S. fencing champion Jessie Burke, Posies is on a mission to make everyone feel welcome and at home.

Enjoy the fluffy apple fritters and airy almond croissants that go perfectly with a cup of Ristretto’s Roasters Coffee or a Jasmine Pearl Tea. Posies also has an impressive menu featuring all-day breakfast, sandwiches, and salads. There’s even a semi-soundproof playroom in the back with chalkboard walls and a play kitchen, along with plenty of grownup seating and workspace near the store’s front.

Address: 8208 N Denver Ave

Hours: Monday–Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Prince Coffee

Considered one of the most innovative coffee shops in Portland, Prince Coffee pays homage to owner Katie Prinsen’s Dutch Heritage by serving delicate, homemade stroopwafels.

What is a stroopwafel (pronounced stro-pva-fel) exactly?

“Stroopwafel is basically a sweet dough that’s pressed and has a buttery, cinnamon-y caramel sauce in between”, says Prinsen, who opened Prince Coffee in 2016 and shares her space with the Revive Upholstery and Design showroom. The shop is small but clusters of greenery tucked into corners, wood-paneled walls, and a copper-top bar give Prince Coffee a dose of homespun charm. And as far as logos go, this North Portland coffee shop’s pair of narwhals take the prize for most endearing coffee cup logo design.

Address: 2030 N Willis Blvd

Hours: Every day, 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

The Grind Coffee

The Grind Coffee is located in St. Johns Marketplace and Food Pod. The Grind shares its spaces with other food carts featuring American, Thai, Mexican, and Mediterranean fare with lots of picnic table seating under colorful umbrellas. In addition to serving Caffe Vita organic French roast and espresso, The Grind serves smoothies and fresh-squeezed fruit juice, along with complementary “puppacinos”—a cup of whipped cream topped with a dog treat—for its canine friends.

The Grind features some of the most affordable coffee around, with a 16-ounce drip coffee costing $2.50 and a 16-ounce latte costing only $3.75.

Address: 7316 N Lombard St

Hours: Monday–Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

2 Stroke Coffee Co.

The two-story, motorcycle-themed 2 Stroke Coffee Co. has good vibes, plenty of seating with a wide window bar, and a variety of food and beverage options, including beer and wine. Tattoo artist and tattoo machine builder Seth Ciferri opened 2 Stroke in 2016 after realizing that some of the most scenic motorcycle routes in the Pacific Northwest were a stone’s throw away. Ciferri built his shop’s theme around the simple yet elegant two stroke engine and infused new life and breath into this corner of St. Johns.

2 Stroke’s growth was recently funded by a successful Kickstarter Campaign. The money will be used to create a food-prep area, and the expanded menu now includes breakfast sandwiches. As for the drinks, try a Charles Brown if you’re skeptical about other coffee chains’ pumpkin-spice lattes—2 Stroke takes it to the next level by mixing Water Avenue espresso, pumpkin, cardamom, vanilla cloves, cinnamon, and then tops it all off with a toasted marshmallow. Then they encourage you to go “kick some leaves” because it’s that good.

Address: 8926 N Lombard St

Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

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Willamette’s End Coffee

Willamette’s End Coffee is a casual coffee spot that brings residents of the Portsmouth and University Park neighborhoods together. Owners Heather and David recognized the neighborhood’s need for a coffee shop like Willamette’s End when they first came to the area and opened their shop in 2017. Willamette’s End distinctive curved windows make for a great spot to sit and watch people, and the neighborhood vibe encourages everyone to pull up a chair and enjoy. “When you come to Willamette’s End, you’ll feel welcome, relaxed, and you’ll find our favorite things served with warmth and care,” say Heather and David.

Heather focuses on the drinks, concocting delicious creations like a Borgia—a mocha garnished with orange peel—using Trailhead Coffee, while David cooks the food, including a weekend brunch featuring homemade biscuits and gravy that can be made vegan or gluten-free.  Williamette’s End also serves breakfast sandwiches and Fleur de Lis pastries.

Address: 5003A N Lombard St

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

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Pull up a chair at any of these North Portland coffee shops and enjoy carefully crafted coffee along with a hearty dose North Portland community and connection. If you have a favorite, let us know in the comments below!

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