Walks #5 and #6: In Search of My Dream Coffeehouse

2-2-10, 4.6 miles.

I need to find a coffeehouse. Somewhere I can sit and work on my laptop, and consistently get a seat, and where the staff is pleasant. They don't have to be friendly per se, but helpful and nice-ish would be great. I'd like to not feel like a tool for ordering coffee that's 1/4 regular and 3/4 decaf. That's a slightly irritating order, I know, but aren't slightly irritating orders par for the course in a coffee house? I'd also like to feel okay about asking questions, like are there free refills, or what is the security key for wi-fi. (You're supposed to ask to get the key, right?) If a coffee shop counter person is not at all nice, I don't ask questions and I don't come back.

I'd like a good selection of baked goods, with extra credit for healthy or vegan options. The bigger the selection of food for sale, the better. I'd like an attractive space. I'd like silence or good music. I'd like some soft places to sit and read. I'd like uncrowded.

So, that's my wish list. On Tuesday, I went on a long walk up to Williams Street, to visit Ristretto, a much-praised coffee shop. They have prizewinning espresso. I thought it was a beautiful space, very architectural, but I didn't feel especially comfortable there. All the good seats were taken and seemed to be at a premium. I ended up sitting on a couch, and drinking my drink and using my laptop were awkward. I ordered a cup of decaf rather than a part-caf concoction because the counter staff was intimidatingly hip (though not unpleasant). I also got a biscotti. My decaf, an Americano, was kind of watery. There was nothing wrong with it as far as coffee shops go, but it didn't warm my heart.

After that, I walked up to Alberta, then back down 15th and picked up a few groceries at the Whole Foods on my way home.




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On Thursday, I tried a coffee shop that I like a lot, World Cup Cafe on NW 18th and Glisan. It is a pretty space with lots of windows, not too crowded, not too hip. A lot of the clientele were middle-aged, well-off looking men who probably live nearby. I didn't try a pastry, but enjoyed my coffee. They had brewed decaf, so I didn't feel like a jerk asking for a decaf/caf mixture. Man, I wish this was closer to my house. I'd become a regular. Sadly it is across the river in Nob Hill, a neighborhood with challenging parking.

2-5-10, 4.4 miles.

To round out my testing, today I walked up to Concordia Coffee House on Alberta St. I didn't like it at all. The guy behind the counter had a contemptuous way about him, and didn't give me a saucer for my tea. I didn't know what to do with my tea steeping device (a little mesh cup, taking the place of a teabag), and ended up sitting it on a napkin, where it became a gloppy mess. Ordinarily, I would have gotten some more hot water for my tea, but I didn't feel like dealing with the dude. There were few patrons in the shop, so maybe other people feel the same way. A coffee shop just down the street, Random Order, is completely packed every time I pass by, so it's not lack of customer base.

Random Order sounds pretty awesome from its website.

Map of 2-5-10 walk (which didn't add much to my cumulative walk)

Cumulative Portland Walk:


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