Out of TownBarista
[rating:5]
A good coffee spot can be tricky to find, but in a town like Portland, that search becomes easier. The appropriately named Barista on Northeast Alberta street is more than just a regular coffee shop. The guys and gals at Barista are highly skilled and very passionate about coffee. I guess that’s what you’d expect from a coffee shop opened by a multiple awarding winning barista.
Barista is spacious. Its rustic decor is masculine with old antiques and dark furnishings. The ambiance reminds me of old private men’s clubs where cigars are smoked and whiskeys flowed freely. But instead of whiskey, it is coffee that flows freely. Barista showcases coffee beans from different roasters including Ecco Caffe, Intelligenstia, and Portland’s own Stumptown coffee.
(Above: Flourless Fudge Cookie.)
We shared an Hair Bender Americano from Stumptown coffee roasters: a slightly sweet and savoury blend of chocolate, caramel, jasmine, meyer lemon, apricot and pineapple. The coffee was smooth like butter and really hit the spot. To go with our brew, we had a flourless fudge cookie — chewy, with a soft and sticky chocolatey center. The cookie was almost orgasmic — it was that good.
(Clockwise: 1. Coffee at Barista are displayed like precious first edition books. 2. This guy doesn’t look all that happy. 3. There’s a lot of metal and wood at Barista.)
Our bill including tips came to just under $10. The baristas are outgoing and very friendly. And they certainly know how to make a bad ass cup of joe.
Perfect For: a coffee break from all that cycling and hipstering.
The Details
1725 NE Alberta Street, Portland
503.274.1211
baristapdx.com
— ♠ —