New cafe on Hayden Island with limited hours of 9 am to 3 pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday…read more The drip coffee was lovely and robust. I also got a medium roast to go. The pastry cases look wonderful. The coffee was fresh, hot, and delicious. So wonderful to have an infusion of something new and promising on Hayden Island. It's a developing venture at this early stage. The interior is charming and I hope the tucked away (behind the food truck) location isn't a barrier to its success. Did I mention it's energizing for my sleepy neighborhood to have a sweet cafe to gather? I'm excited and am ready to commit to a weekly trip here.

some of the best coffee around. The owner is a great guy…read more The surroundings make it a place to remembe.

I'm always very opinionated and talkative in my Yelp reviews. I have a lot to say about food. But…read morecoffee I don't have much to say about. I dunno how to explain it. I just have trouble with it. The coffee at Koken was fine, I guess. It's strong. But what does that even mean? First I had it and it was pretty strong. Then I asked them to add more milk and it was a little too weak. So isn't it the amount of milk that matters? And isn't that very variable? Anyway, the reason why I came here is because I asked a barista at a different coffee shop what her favorite other coffee places are, and she immediately said Koken is her favorite. That's gotta count for something. But as I started saying, I'm more of a food person than a coffee person. And I got a dish here that I really, really liked. I forget what it was called. Their menu isn't online, so I can't look it up. Which is kinda refreshing. It's basically little pieces of bread that are sauteed/fried in some sort of African butter, with an African spice blend, and eaten with yogurt. And it was absolutely perfect. The warm, chewy, spiced bread with the cool, tart yogurt is just so great. Such a good combo. Simple. Not distracted by a bunch of other stuff. You really just get that wonderful contrast. The bread was perfectly chewy. And had a little bit of a crisp on the outside, in a perfect way. Check out the picture. Ultimately, it was just so homey, so satisfying, and so novel. It's like an hour long trip on public transit for me to get there, but I don't care. I know that I will be back.

A kinda cozy little place for a quiet cup of coffee. Very janky which I like but others might not…read more It's like a porch attached to a trailer lol but they've got some big old cool lookin coffee machines (I don't drink a lot of coffee) by the entrance. I tried one of their food dishes called Fuul (Eritrean vegetarian stew) made of chopped onions, tomato, peppers, cheese, egg and beans. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasted good but it just tasted like bean dip. I mean the best bean dip I've ever had in my life but that wasn't what I was going for I had no chips lol.

Great service! Barista was so nice, kind, and helpful! Delicious iced coffee! Really enjoying the…read moreatmosphere sitting outside on the back patio area!

Good coffee, good drinks, fun vibe, and a nice "no kids or chaos" reprieve from next door. Lol. ;)…read moreoh, and the happy hour is great!!!!!!

If you're looking for a small coffee shop without crown and noise, this is the place to be…read more Fantastic vibes. Very cozy. A Customer Service is like your all-time friend invited you to the House party.

Idk what my lady got us but this is delicious and perfect all my peoples flying back to Los…read moreAngeles! Service is great and ambiance is the best! Thank y'all!

The vibes were great, staff were nice, and everything was tasty. Unfortunately, though, I have to…read morerate this down because my husband and I both had allergic reactions to something (we're both allergic to nuts). We're not sure what it was, it could have been the morning bun so I asked a barista. The pastries have some allergen information in the placards but when I get an allergic reaction, I want to make sure and ask. They looked through the ingredients list/binder and they couldn't find the ingredients for the morning bun. Luckily, my husband and my allergies are pretty mild, but this seems pretty dangerous. If you have any kind of allergy, I don't think this is the place for you.

Coffee was good but the barista was rude and kind of treated me like I was stupid. Did not overhear…read moreher talking to other customers like that. As someone who works in customer service you should know to treat all the customers the same (unless they are causing problems). Only took off one star because one rude employee doesn't equal all of them along with the full experience.

Nice people, very good coffee and the blue berry scone was very tasty. Good vibe, stop in and check…read moreit out.

Son picked me up a chai tea latte on the way to his brother's soccer game. I think the syrup was…read moreold or something but had a very bad taste. I couldn't even drink it. Stopped by after the game but they were closed. Most places buy premade mix. It should probably be used within a week of being opened. The rest of our drinks were good so don't let this keep you from going here just venting my frustration since I was unable to directly.

Excellent coffee and food, friendly staff, easy free ample parking in a parking lot, no hunting for…read morea parallel space somewhere, very kid friendly with lots of space to relax. Can be a little noisy and hard to hear conversation, but lots of good energy. Very happy to find another place that feels safe and has great food and service. I give them an A+!

Celiac disease review : They sell a handful of GF gem…read morepastries (safely prepackaged), along with a good amount of gluten pastries and gluten food made in house. Their coffee is delicious, currently their house syrups aren't cross contact safe but maybe one day! They do have some monin syrups that you can add to your drinks instead. I emailed them using their online forms asking for more information on what I can order there and Josie responded the next day - very kind and helpful, with instructions on how to order celiac safe (mention a gluten allergy, ask for monin syrup from the bottle and a new stir stick). If they end up making their house vanilla syrup celiac safe this would be my go to coffee shop! Also, it's a very cute third space geared towards families and groups - lots of big tables, board games, and bright light.

Maaaaaaybe my new favorite coffee shop!…read more I had been to their other location but for some sad reason never made it here. Located on Hawthorne just past the curve at 50th, they've got plenty of free street parking in the nearby blocks. They don't have much external signage but they do have a lot of outdoor streetside seating, so it makes you wonder what everyone else knows. Inside, they've got Coava coffee, efficient staff, and an old-school cafe vibe. With multiple couches (one of my main criteria for a coffee shop) and free wifi, this is a place to work, meet people, and slow down. Great long hours - they're open 6am-6pm.

A part of the third wave coffee movement (#1), this second location of Albina Press made big…read moreheadlines back in the day for being the next step in coffee pioneer Kevin Fuller's (#2) vision for making coffee more than just a drink. The intentions were genuine and things have progressed in a way where Albina Press is one of the most recognized coffee brands in the city. It's not too dissimilar from its OG sister location in North Portland (#3), where they still brew high quality caffeinated drinks with the vibes of a homey communal space with chairs, couches, and individual tables for a proper coffee date, WFH worthy WiFi, and plenty of anti-war propaganda in the self-serve water area in the back. The latte art was on point, the cold brew was most definitely strong, cafe au lait was milky and foamy in the best way, and the americano drinks were fabulous. While their hours (#4) aren't particularly suited for after-work hours, they do an excellent job of keeping their space clean and the vibes low key throughout the morning and afternoon. Prices are good for Portland standards. Most drinks are $5 and under, even for the largest sizes. The limited but high quality pastry selection is also appreciated. The service was good overall, just be certain with the order and don't be afraid to ask for recommendations. Lines can happen, albeit rarely, and I would encourage most folks to drink the coffee on the spot. The space is part of the experience (be weary of the restrooms tho), so enjoy the low key ambiance with a drinkable jumpstart to the day. Maximize the time by starting early and be aware that street parking is the only way. __________ (#1) If you understand this, then you're either a serious coffee enthusiast or a massive food nerd. Ironically, I'm neither. (#2) R.I.P. (#3) https://www.yelp.com/biz/albina-press-portland (#4) They close at 6pm daily.