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Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Pearl DistrictMon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Stumptown AND Intelligentsia AND friendly laid back people with ample seating. Can it get any better?
Well I guess I would prefer stronger chocolate for the Valrhona Mocha... like the one at Coffeehouse Northwest.
I take back what I said about you Barista. I take it all back.
Sleep deprivation has caused me to abandon my issues with pricey cups of coffee. My morning jolt came in the form of their Valrhona Mocha, and it was BOMB!
All poured in the shape of a heart by the hot guy behind the counter.
I smiled. Which is rare (because I hate my braces)
I may be alone here, but $10 for a 12 oz. cup of coffee is absurd.
I don't care how good it is.…
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Barista's espresso makes me weep soft, wet tears of pleasure and resentment. Why don't we have coffee like this in San Francisco, perfectly pulled shots that taste cleanly of the high quality beans they use? Served with a no-nonsense, mellow attitude?
If we want a halfway decent cup of Joe, we either have to stand in a piss-soaked alley for 30 minutes (yeah, I'm talking to you, Blue Bottle and Cento), or be jostled by sullen hipsters whose reproductive abilities are being threatened by the tightness of their jeans (Ritual, Four Barrel). And that's just the men.
Barista makes me want to move to Portland for about 30 minutes every morning.
Easily the best coffee / espresso in Portland, OR. Reminds me a lot of Blue Bottle in San Francisco. Great bean options to choose from here at Barista and the Barista's give attention to their servings and patrons. Thank you for opening up in Portland and good luck!
whoa, this is good coffee. nice atmosphere, and hella friendly folks behind the counter...only downside is on the pricey side, but well worth it.
Read about this place in Sunset magazine and have heard good things from locals, I had to give it a try. Delicious smooth and creamy was my latte. Why can't we get this in the burbs?
I work at a cafe in the Pearl and am also Stumptown trained, but this is where I go to get some really well done coffee. The baristas are very kind in offering you an understanding of the espresso of your choice as well as very knowledgeable on a variety of products.
I go here to get french press, espresso, macchiatos or cappuccinos, anything else, and you're selling the milk, not the espresso.
Including Stumptown, they also bring to the table really fine roasters such as Intelligentsia, 49th Parallel and Ritual.
I see lots of people claiming a $10 cup of coffee - and this is true, but only for the vacuum pot and those are strictly for luxury and the coffee addict that can afford it. You would pay $9 for a glass of wine, and coffee is WAY more intricate for the price. Vacuum pots are a bit more tedious and require a lot of attention - hence the price for doing it just right. You're paying for quality and skill, not to mention an incredible cup of coffee that will introduce you to many super flavorful notes.
They also serve Nuvrei - which honestly, nothing goes better with a cup of french press than a blackberry scone or other beautiful prepared pastries.
Basically, Barista has it goin' on and I'm super impressed anytime I can see a Tulip in a macchiato cup - super talented barista, that Billy and I'm glad to be able to work only a few blocks down the street from these folks,
cheers,
josh
The concept is great: Offering a selection of different beans for your espresso drinks. But on my visit, they only had 2 types: San Francisco Ritual, and a Brazilian blend. Their permanent in-stock blend, the Stumptown, was out. I tried both and was very pleased with both of them, though it failed to top the shot I had earlier that day from the Stumptown flagship store. Maybe if I had tasted these 2 shots first, everything would've been perfect. I would've thought the Ritual was really good, the Brazilian was just decent. Instead, my brain could only process it one way: this is not as good as the espresso I had earlier.
I almost think that if they want to run with this concept of multiple espresso options, they should offer more than 3. Since 1 never changes, you really only get to try 2 different ones. It's like a tease. They're teasing you with this idea of having different beans for your espresso, but they don't go all the way.
I like variety in my espresso and I go to different coffee shops for this very purpose. So it would be awesome to go to a shop that can offer you that variety in one visit.
Another problem I had with the place is...well, the place itself. It's not a cozy place to sit down and sip on coffee. I definitely would not come here to work. The patio outside is nice. But when it rains, which it did, it's pretty crappy out there.
The interior is nice, warm wood, staff is super nice and knowledgeable. But for me, I can only see this place more as a grab and go coffee stand. It's not inviting or cozy for a coffee chillaxation.
Still, keep it up, guys. What you're doing is pretty rad.
Very finely crafted coffee with a nice twist -- you can pick the beans used for your espresso! I love beverages, and I love large selections of beverages, so this is a match made in heaven for me. It seems so simple, but I've never seen it done anywhere else. They seem to keep the PDX staple, Stumptown, on hand at all times, and a couple of others that rotate periodically. In my 2 trips thus far I've tasted beans from Santa Cruz, CA, and British Columbia, Canada (49th Parallel), both of which were awesome and provided me with a different experience/flavor each time. I've also seen the likes of Intelligentsia, Ritual (San Francisco), and Ecco among the rotating selection there.
It's a beautifully put together but small shop, so if you're looking for a place to set up with a laptop, this probably wouldn't be ideal. There are definitely places to sit in and around the shop, and I think there's outdoor "community" seating as well, but I would describe it as more of a social/in-and-out type of shop.
If it were closer to my office, I would go every day!
Oh, yum. Perfect coffee...and I do mean perfect. (and in Portland, that is saying something, cause you gotta be good to compete) I read some reviews about the $10 cup, but I don't recall paying more than usual Portland prices for my latte...which did I mention...was perfect. Not only was it perfect, but the baristas were all super helpful and friendly. No crappy barista attitude...which for some reason kind of surprised me since this is kind of known locally as a holy grail of coffee houses for a quality cup. You get to choose your beans from favorite roasters (Stumptown, of course, also other fine brands). In fact, if you revel in trying new things and have a flair for change, you might try something daredevilish in your cup, like "Counter Culture's SOE BRAZIL FAZENDA AMBIENTAL" with notes of cocoa and stonefruit (what?) as opposed to your normal brew. You might be (pleasantly) surprised at how coffee flavors can take on whole new variations and complexities. Then again, if you want the same ole same ole classic cup, then yeah...for sure there are probably cheaper places to get a good solid cup of coffee in this town.
There isn't anything really bad to say about this place, unless you are looking for a large cozy place to hang out and chill...it isn't really all that big inside. Of course this is the high-rent Pearl and it has kind of a more rushed and citified feel than coffee shops in a more leisure (lower rent) part of town. It is a great space but rather small-ish on the inside with only a handful of tables in a rather high-traffic hallway (loud with the wood floors and glass). The outside patio tables are great, but yeah...the rain in Portland could put a damper on that (but great in nicer months). A nice place to hang out for sure, but not if quiet is what you are after. But honestly, you are probably here for the coffee.
Within one visit, this place became my favorite place to get coffee on the west-side of town.
I never have any reason at all to be in that area of town (ie. the throbbing, yapping, Starbucks wielding toy-poodle heart of the Pearl), but for a bag of beans and a cup-of-awesome to go, I will make the journey. Sometimes, on especially Pearlite days, I tell myself it's like a 21st century pilgrimage by bus-and-foot.
Seriously, Barista, nice work.
*Please take this review with a grain of salt as my "usual" drink is a short Pike Place from Starbucks.
I had the $9 vacuum coffee, Ethiopia Beloya, to go. The process of creating the vacuum coffees is like a science demonstration with beakers, a halogen bunsen burner and boiling water. I had no idea what to expect from a $9 cup of coffee.
* The taste: Very complex, my tongue was waiting for the bitter, burnt taste but there was none. I tasted cedar along with citrus (but not acidic) notes. The coffee finishes with clean floral notes. I should add the coffee changed in flavor as it cooled revealing characteristics that weren't present at it's hottest. A coffee this complex almost needs an intermission with crackers or grapes to reset the palate and enjoy the second half.
This is the best coffeehouse I've ever been to. Every time I go, I get a perfectly made cappuccino with an espresso with fantastic flavor. I love having different espressos to choose from. My mother had a vanilla latte which was unlike any "fancy" drink I'd ever had. You could taste the real vanilla and it had just the right amount of sweetness.
What I didn't understand before coming to Barista is that it's a coffee nerd's paradise. The baristas of Barista know and love their coffee. And they're friendly, lacking the snobbishness that often comes with the elite of any passion.
I tried the vacuum coffee, and it was a worthy experience, but I'm not sure I'd drop $7 on a cup of coffee every morning. Their vanilla latte was completely unique and delicious, without any of the syrupy sweetness that I usually associate with the drink.
If you care deeply about coffee, this is the PDX shop you shouldn't miss.
This is not a 25-cent cup of black engine fluid. A knowledgeable, fast and friendly staff and a hot cup of expertly brewed coffee is a blessing in the morning and an experience at Barista.
Intelligentsia started in Chicago. Wanting to reminisce on my school days and studying in Intelligentsia's Broadway Coffeebar, I chose the Intelligentsia grind. I've tried their other brews, but Chicago was calling my name this day.
Barista meshes the best of two outstanding cities, Intelligentsia Coffee and Nuvrei Croissants. This is one of my favorite mornings in Portland.
Hands down great coffee. I had the iced special of the day - wow. Trendy vibe with the wood benches in a neat part of the city, with a cool home furnishings store next door. Highly recommended for a sit-down coffee break or to-go cup!
Clearly for experienced coffee lovers who know the difference between Starbucks and Stumptown. Barista offers what I think is the first syphoned/vacuum coffee in Portland its very interesting. The "cleanest" coffee I've ever tasted, you can really see why its something of interest, but not sure it needed to be $9 but was fun to try. I would go back and have something else if in the neighborhood. Like to support someone who goes out on their own like this and makes great coffee. For that reason I am giving the full 5 stars.
$10 coffee? Really? I'm so tempted because, ya know, what the hell is up with that? However, I passed on the washed, citrusy Ethiopian blend from the vacuum pot and got a more-reasonably priced Americano for $2.50 (phew! I thought maybe all their drinks would be pricey.)
It was grrrrrrreat and the people behind the counter were very helpful. Stumptown and Intelligentsia coffees make up the menu. I also brought two more drinks to friends of mine and they made a point to ask where it came from -- it's that good. Try it.
Their outside seating is incredible on a sunny day.
Holy crap.
Err... I mean holy grail. This is the holy grail of espresso shops. A variety of beans roasted by a few different roasters ground and pulled to perfection. How perfect? Well, let's see. I ordered a 12oz Americano, no milk, no sugar. All I should be able to taste is the coffee. I get no bitterness. Just the flavor of coffee and some dry chocolate... exactly what the tasting notes on the beans say. No bitterness at all. Smooth and amazing. An espresso shot pulled as smooth as a clover.
My cuppa was served up by super friendly staff in a super-mellow little storefront up on 13th in the Pearl. The outdoor seating on the loading dock-cum-boardwalk proved to be just right, with afternoon shade on an 80 degree Portland day. Free wifi was the cherry on top.
The vacuum brewing pots look intriguing... unfortunately they were out of commission the day I visited (something about the national barista championships screwing up specialty coffee item ordering times). I have always wanted to try coffee brewed in one of those chemistry-geek looking things.
I have to say, while I'm normally a 'grime and grit' french press guy, this espresso was like buttah to me. The ability to taste the desired flavors in the beans will draw me back for more. And it seems that 3pm on a Tuesday is a great time to go to avoid the lines. Shhh... don't tell anyone.
Cheers to living in coffee-town USA, where my choices are, oh, say, Stumptown, Coffee People, Coffee Plant, Albina Press, Coffeehouse NW, and now, Barista. You gotta love it. I do.
Like a crack fiend to 82nd... I'll be coming back for more.
I like barista, i really do. i would give them all 5 stars if their pricing was a little bit more realistic. sure, you're in the middle of the pearl, sure you use the best roasters. but still...
i like the atmosphere; it's simple, no big fuss. the baristas are nice, knowledgable and there to please.
the only thing keeping me from coming back is that my 12 ounce vanilla latte cost me $4. add a buck for tip and you've got what most places will charge for a full meal. ouch.
Only got a latte here, but it was very smooth and the coffee was top quality. This is a small cramped indie type of cafe; it's not very cheap, but worth trying a few times. Some of the coffee varieties I've never heard of (a lot of local Portland stuff), but the quality is excellent.
I found it a bit intimidating that a) this place is so small and serious b) billy wilson is a famous coffee professional and c) I wanted soy and I didn't see it listed on the menu
but!
I went ahead and inquired and found myself with the smoothest, prettiest, most delicious soy latte I've ever had, and I'm picky.
I am really impressed with not only the specific drink I had, but the attentive choice of beans.
the downside - it's way in the pearl. lame. but, worth it.
Barista is a space, and a vision, (and a dream) devoted to the exploration of coffee. The coffee offerings change seasonally (just like coffee does). There are multiple brewing methods. And the staff can give you an interaction that you do not get at 99.9% of other coffee spots.
Currently they are showcasing coffees from Intelligentsia Coffee (LA & Chicago) and Ecco Coffee (Santa Rosa, CA) and the drinks are being brewed up by one of the most knowledgeable and quality focused baristas in the nation (world) and his team. Go to B A R I S T A.
It is Portland's newest shining coffee star and truly "barista-owned" business. A great balance of quality product and a service focused staff without the Barista 'tude. This little gem is bound to change the face of Portland specialty coffee. Some of the finest brewing and espresso equipment available combined with a dedicated and friendly staff who won't judge you even if you ask for a "half-decaf non-fat grande ____."
I don't know who is doing their PR, but this place has a line out of the door of hipper-than-you-Pearlites waiting for their brews. The Acorn, the coffee shop it replaced, never had the abundance of people that Barista seems to draw in. I think I'm missing something. I think that everyone else knows something that I am just not seeing.
They do make a pretty mean soy latte. 4 stars worth of a soy latte, at that.
I walked into the foyer of The Gadsby.
I was a little intimidated to approach the counter at first, but then, I was welcomed into the ordering cue and immediately I felt the Barista love.
I ordered my coffee.
I actually paused for a moment after I took my first sip of coffee from the Barista. I felt like it was the first "real" cup of coffee I had ever had. I immediately took a photo of the cup, which has a very stylish with a thrift-forward look, and blogged about the amazing coffee!
I heart Barista.
Cool vibe, great building. Valrhona mocha is probably the best cup of coffee on the planet. I love this place.
This is not your grandmother's Folgers. This isn't even your mom's Starbucks. In fact, this is like no other coffee that I've ever had.
Saturation, Temperature, Brew Time. Remember this. This is how you make coffee.
Recommended by the ever-hip Tatiana M. and Alex O., Barista is a place that knows things about coffee. About the beans. About the grounds. About the brewing methods. About the alchemical-looking vacuum pots that just produced a (while a little pricey) completely amazing cup of coffee that is worth every penny.
The first cup I had was an Americano brewed with Intelligentsia Black Cat. I dove in expecting bitterness, per usual with most Americanos. Not so. It was smooth and crisp and dark. And, upon a sip from a little cup of vac pot Ethiopian Beloya (amazing blueberry-ish tastes), the Americano gave way to what I can only describe as the smell of fresh earth and the taste of a spring rain. I have never, in all my years (as I am so incredibly old), tasted two different coffees that played off of each other and that I could sense so many distinct characteristics in. Today, as I ponied up for the Mecca that is the vac pot, I chose (at the barista/owner's expert recommendation), the Intelligentsia Ethiopia Kirmini. How am I so continually amazed by the complexity of coffee. I will now scoff at my own pretentiousness and take another sip with a smug look on my face.
But, besides the incredible brews, Barista offers an incredibly knowledgeable staff who take their work/art seriously. Touting direct trade beans from Ecco Caffe, Intelligentsia and PDX's own Stumptown, this is definitely a place that should be emulated in the future, if people know what's good for them. I'll be expecting great things from this little lobby-straddling coffee bar.
This place really is that good. Just got back from a trip to portland doing some pretty seriously espresso tasting/comparison between all the great spots in town. This was hands down the best drink I had all week, and was delivered with a good dose of friendliness as well.
At first I was shocked to get such great, personal service from the owner (he's a two-time NW barista champion, folks), but then I realized that that is such a huge part of being a good barista: interacting with the customer. I love that you have a choice of bean for your drink, the milk was the sweetest, smoothest milk I've had, and it's a pretty slick set-up that billy wilson has going on.
In any event, yeah, it's that good.
A charming and smartly designed cafe/espresso bar in the heart of the Pearl District that separates the Starbucks drinkers from the die-hard coffee purists. Thoughtful informed service only adds to make this a destination stop for those coffee-addicted cafeinistas. They have outdoor and indoor seating though most tend to get and go from what I can tell. It's tough to say more from one visit but I'll be back and the star rating may well north upwards based on what I've already sampled.
I really liked Acorn and was sad to see it go, but Barista is a mighty fine replacement. Where Acorn was decidedly un-Pearl, Barista is the opposite of that, more like the Bluehour of coffee cafes. That being said, the folks working the counter, I believe the owner and a non-owner, were absolutely not pretentious and obviously very knowledgeable about their offerings.
Barista is all about the finer points of coffee, and you know it's different right away by the chemistry-experiment looking vessels that greet you as soon as you walk in. They don't have a menu of sickly-sweet flavored drinks, rather a chalk board presenting the three freshly-roasted (roasting dates included) coffees and suggested preparation methods. I had an Intelligenca Black Cat latte with organic vanilla and it was yum. Perfectly sweetened and vanilla'd, and the foam was just right, made into a pretty little heart as a bonus. Coffee is prepared several ways here, including french press, espresso and vacuum. If you don't know what the latter is, just ask them and they're happy to share. They also have a small case of baked goodies, bagged coffee beans and coffee prep devices for sale, such as the aforementioned chemistry experiment thing.
Add Barista to your list of great places to get a cup in Portland.
One of the coolest selections of coffee I've ever seen in a coffee house. Don't get thrown off by the small space. The baristas are very knowledgable and friendly. And they make vacuum pot coffee which is apparently very rich in flavor. We stuck with our standards: latte for the mrs and cappucino for me. All outstanding!
Sort of a soft-opening going on here. No menu up but they've got beans, pastries, espresso drinks, and french-press coffee. It's going to be a very attractive place that fits right in with the Pearl's modern aesthetic. Billy pulled a perfect americano for me with Stumptown's espresso. I'll miss being able to get the Courier Coffee beans that I could get from Acorn, but having Intelligensia, Ecco, and Stumptown in the same cafe is a win.
I can see Barista becoming the favored cafe for Portland coffee nerds.
Great espresso (I chose the Intelligentsia grind... I know, how silly of me to choose an LA brand while visiting Portland), tasty croissants (I had a plain croissant and an almond croissant), friendly service, very accessible. The espresso was so flavorful and without any hint of bitterness---in fact I would say it had a subtle sweetness of its own. The croissants were not as flaky as those at LA's Amandine, but they were delicious all the same. I'm definitely asking for the exact same items the next time I find myself in Portland.
Well, I thought no one could make a cappuccino as well as Coffeehouse Northwest...Barista can. This is an excellent coffee shop and the staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. I have had espresso, cappuccino, and french press coffee here and all have been excellent. The space itself is nice and open and also has an outdoor seating option. Go to Coffeehouse NW if you want a more casual feel (and a younger crowd), go here if you're in The Pearl and want a great cup of coffee.
What type of espresso do you want with that double, whole milk latte? [I about fell over when those words were uttered from the friendly, and coincidentally the same name as the place, barista. The only time I've ever heard that is in my own house when I make latte's etc. for visitors.] To have a choice in a coffee shop is excellent. It's so uncommon that it was almost uncomfortable and I was without words. When I finally came to, I asked for a recommendation and about the flavors and they were right on with it. The place is perfect with good people, location and ambience. In fact I have to search for something bad...I guess, the ONLY negative is that they don't have cinnamon.
i am totally diggin this place! it looks so modern with its sciencey looking coffee vacuum pot things. they gave me the lowdown on them, but i couldnt get a brew done that way because they didnt have decaf! (hence the -1 star). the coffee tasted so good and the barista was very knowledgeable. the drink menu looked awesome with its super cool descriptions of flavorings and such.
there's seating just outside the actual shop but still indoors.
i recommend it because it looks good and tastes good, just how it always should be!
Barista is pretty much as good as espresso can get. Which is pretty much perfect.
Stopped in on our way out of town. My husband thought he ordered a cappucino but got an expresso (as he actually ordered). The owner bought him a cappucino on the house (although we offered to pay for our mistake) and then had avery friendly conversation about coffee and machines. The staff was extremely friendly and expeditious. The coffee was great. Didn't realize we were talking to the owner until we saw an article on our way out. Wish we would have discovered the location at the beginning of our vacation as it would have been a morning ritual.
In a word AMAZING. Uncompromised quality paired with an exceedingly knowledgable, friendly and skilled staff make BARISTA an absolute must for any coffee pilgrim traveling to or living in Portland. I can easily say the 80 mile drive for me was worth a blissful morning spent exploring a series of perfectly pulled drinks on the sunlit deck at this lively shop. These guys are going to raise the bar and change the coffee world as we know it.
I love Barista! Nice and cool vibe, with awesome espresso from Stumptown, 49th Parallel, and Intelli. Billy Wilson is so skilled. I like getting the Americanos and cappuccinos. Best in Portland.
