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Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, DowntownMon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Five stars because it's certainly about the best coffee in PDX, I've only had better in a few places, including Espresso Vivace in Seattle, a couple of places in Rome, another in Alba, a few others in Italy, Abraço in the East Village of NYC, sometimes my digs, and maybe Stumptown 5 years ago.... (I've been roasting my own coffee for 10 years so i have some affinity for this stuff...)
Not much I can add to the other things said here, but I don't think anyone has made mention of the fact that Andrea, a very nice fellow, utilizes mostly Brazilian coffee in his espresso...and Stumptown refuses to allow Brazilian through the door, apparently because it isn't grown at a high enough altitude!!!!! I guess their loss is my gain because I've been roasting and using a single origin Brazilian--a yellow bourbon from Fazenda Cachoeira in Minas Gerais--as my coffee of choice for well over a year....thanks to a tip from my bud Jaime at Abraço in NYC who had a sample from Ecco Coffee in N. Calif in spring of 2008. And the price has not gone up terribly, which probably would have happend had Stumptown gotten hip to this bean. Spella, though I didn't quiz him specifically, is probably using this or a similar coffee since a great deal of it is imported through Portland. Still cracks me up that the great hallowed Stumptown won't even touch this amazing bean. Maybe there's another reason besides altitude, but it certainly isn't the quality of the Brazilian coffee bean, just ask Andrea....
I have not had any of the gelati, or pastries or other goodies...diabetes is limiting my diet a bit these days, but the espresso is always top notch, and the one cappuccino I had was way above average.
Stop in, if it's slow, have a chat with Sr. Spella, it will be a fantastic coffee experience on many levels....
Good news: Spella is looking around for an actual brick and mortar space somewhere near the cart....I think he's got a couple places in mind, no opening date yet, but be on the lookout for that in the not too distant future....
Wow, a Yelp review that isn't funny. Hey, wait: Why did the coffee bean cross the road.....................
UPDATE: Downgraded to two stars.
Sorry, Spella, but today was twice in less than a week that I had to wait five minutes for a simple cup of coffee because you RAN OUT??
Not because you were busy. I was the only one in line. But you ran out of coffee.
You are in the coffee business. How hard is it to add another coffee pot so you can always have coffee? This makes absolutely no sense to me.
My other complaint is that you don't offer sleeves to prevent burning your customers' hands. Double cups don't really do the trick. Those cardboard sleeves may seem excessive, but they serve a real purpose. I had to keep switching hands to keep from burning my thumb this morning.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Friendly service. Warm. Darling coffee cart. Easy location.
They would have gotten five stars, but they ran out of coffee and I would have had to wait 8 minutes. A coffee cart should be prepared for rush hours, me thinks. They made me a discount Americano instead.
Other than that, it's good. I'm going back right now for a refill.
I hope they have coffee.
Okay, see, now that is what coffee is supposed to me. I give you my most solemn vow, I will never drink Starbucks again.
I ordered a small Mocha and what a surprise that was! I could taste the coffee, the chocolate was not overpoweringly sweet. It was more of a gentle finish with each sip. It didn't take me long to finish the cup, it was even good at room temp and there was no icky chocolate syrup sludge at the bottom of the cup.
Someone, please, slap me in the back of the head for not trying this place sooner.
Probably one of the cutest, most personal coffee shops in Portland. Super friendly people are ready to serve handcrafted coffee. I've had a cappuccino here, which is one of the better I've had in town. I've also tried their hand-made Chai, which takes awhile, but it so worth it!
Interacting with these genuinely nice people is a great way to start your coffee buzz for the day.
Best shot of espresso I have had in the United States.
If I could order a grappa as well I would feel like I was back in Italy.
Forget the Stumptown nonsense...you are the best thing about Portland, and remind me why I moved back.
Why are there so many
raves
about Spella
And what's on the other side (a parking lot)
Spella's a vision
It's not an illusion
Spella's got nothing to hide (though I love how it just peaks out from behind the brick wall)
So we've been told and I chose to
Believe it
Their cappuccino's great wait and see
Someday we'll find it
The Spella Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
I wished for twelve ounce chai
Michelle H reviewed that
And I believed it
And look what it's done so far
It's so amazing
I felt my eyes glazing (cheesy, but it rhymed)
What a great way to drink tea
Someday we'll find it
That Spella Connection
The lovers the dreamers and me
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices (you should seek help)
I've heard them calling my name (I should too)
These are the sweet sounds that
Said my coffee's ready
I think they're one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
This is where I'm meant to drink
I've finally found it
The Spella Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Beautiful hot drinks made and served with love on the corner of 9th and Alder. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The handcrafted chai.
Oh the beautiful, beautiful handcrafted chai.
The handcrafted chai has swept me off my feet. It almost left me speechless today. I have witnesses.
I'm almost sure the handcrafted chai can make miracles happen.
Screw the coffee, well no, don't do that. It is amazing. Andrea's coffee has definitely won the category for best coffee in my heart, but now the chai category as well.
The hand-craftiness takes a little extra time, a little extra care [a whopping five minutes of your day], but it's worth it. It's not your average sweet chai, premade from a carton. Well, it has a hint of sweetness, but the spice immediately assaults your taste buds. It's the way a chai should be. It's pure genius.
It goes perfect with soymilk. Just sayin'...
A big, fat thank you to the Spella gang for making my trips to the carts that much more enjoyable. Now I've got a dilemma on my hands. Coffee or chai? It's going to be hard to choose from here on out.
Smooth. Creamy. Hand-pulled. Dare I even say orgasmic? Spella's dwells among the rest of the… Read more »
I am convinced that the world would be a much, much better place if everyone held out and only did jobs that they truly enjoyed and cared about. There would be less stealing, more motivation, less depression, more productivity, less bitching and more inventiveness. It's idealistic and easily shot-down by pragmatism and things that that evil wench Ayn Rand invented, but places like Spella Caffè are my defense and my hope.
Spella Caffè serves purchasable, hand-roasted (by Andrea Spella himself somewhere in the abyss that is almost Milwaukie, Ore.) beans that are delightful. To call my dry cappuccino smooth would be a severe injustice. The horizon where espresso meets perfectly steamed milk was seamless and undetectable. Most cappuccinos, even at respectable places, have a jarring break between white and brown. Spella's cappuccino takes a bit of sky from a Michelangelo fresco and puts it in to an adorable white cup. The hand-pulled espresso is complex but has no bitter aftertaste.
Service is not fast, but very careful and genuinely friendly. I love the familiar feel of everything from the perfect-cursive chalk menu and the gently-stamped to-go cups to the patio chairs, which look like they were lifted from mom's balcony. Spella Caffè is worth going out of your way for (and you will have to if you're me; M-F 9-4). Don't worry, though, a short trek to the end of the footcart block will take you across the world; at least for as long as it takes you to enjoy a wonderful little cup of coffee.
I woke up this morning to three things.
One: a loud black cat. Two: more Portland snow. Three: The realization that the Spella coffee cart downtown, needs to set up a new location. In my bedroom.
I love this little cart. There is something about it that makes me feel like the star of a movie from the '50's. I can't explain it. Maybe it's the little retro cart itself. Or the cast iron table and chairs propped up outside. Or the fact that when the sun shines on that block, it is this cart that is illuminated. Wrapped a halo of sunshine that seems to beckon you towards it and whisper, "Have a quick cup of my coffee."
And if you do sample what Spella has to offer, you can be satisfied with simple plain coffee. The taste is anything but plain. You can really taste the richness of the beans in a slow and subtle dark roast.
I am not the biggest fan of their Mocha, but others seem to like it. I'm just not a big Mocha lover in general. Also the Chai is quiet good, but not as good as at some other coffee places I've tried.
But seriously. Spella is AMAZING and worth a stop on your way past the food carts. Besides, after all that yummy Thai and Greek food, you're gonna need a hot cup of coffee to avoid a massive FoodComa at work. ;)
ohhhhhhhhhh SPELLAAAA HAVE MERCY ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spella! HEY SPELL-LAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!
Arriving at 9th and Alder you can almost miss this little cart on the corner. Protected behind a half height brick wall and with a tiny window elevated so high it requires standing on your tip-toes, one almost imagines they would have to cry out in agony to be noticed.
But you don't have to do your best Marlon Brando in "A Streetcar Named Desire" impression to get anyone's attention here. Walking up to the counter, one is instantly greeted with a sincere and friendly hello. After making the tough decision of what you want (coffee, chai tea, espresso...) it's hand pulled and served piping hot moments later.
$1.50 will get you a 12 oz black coffee, which is fabulous with a pinch of sugar and splash of creme. It's maybe... quite possibly... the best cup of coffee in town. I'm 99.999% convinced.
So I'd better go back soon, just to be sure.
Spella is an interesting concept. You don't often (ever) find a coffee cart from which you can have an espresso. Of course you could order and drink the 4 oz. of liquid diarrhea you would receive from any espresso cart, but that's not something i recommend. The espresso here is pretty good. The milk drinks are decent. I guess the only drinks that i've ever had from Spella have been a cappuccino and espresso, so those are the only ones i'm fit to judge. I'm a bit wary of a Rancillio lever operated machine. The espresso is a consistently and uniformly a tan color. Not something i usually associate with a great shot. But it really does taste ok. I get a lot of spicy, black pepper/tobacco sorts of flavors from Andrea's espresso. I've also brewed it on my Marzocco Linea with a lot more visual character, but roughly the same flavor profile.
Awesome location. Friendly staff. An alternative to Hairbender that's actually pretty good.
Today I waited, literally, for Mr. Andrea Spella to show up so I could try his cafe.
He pulled a single shot (thank goodness - unlike all the other places who insist on a doppio) espresso macchiato - traditional, not northwest style. Hmm, i didn't even know "northwest style" existed - but neither did the regular behind me. Sr. Spella explained it's like a mini cappuccino. or more milk in a macchiato. Either way, the espresso hit the spot.
Great place. Nice people. Real espresso cups. I would go back volentieri.
So great to get an excellent shot of something other than Hairbender in Portland!! The staff is friendly and talented, and has mastered straight shots and macchiatos. (Full disclose: I am a barista at a shop that pours Stumptown.)
I can't wait for the rumors that Spella is someday going to have a full storefront downtown to fruit!
Not a five star review because 5 day old Hairbender will always have my heart of hearts...
I had probably walked past this place a million times before finally stopping. Once I did stop, it changed my perception of what good coffee is.
Prior to knowing Spella, Stumptown held top marks in my book. Stumptown is good coffee, there is no denying that. Spella on the other hand is mind-blowing. If you aren't one for straight espresso, then an eight ounce double shot americano should set you up nicely. Andrea's espresso has a chocolate-velvetty quality that I have never experienced in an espresso before. Though his other beans are phenomenal as well, the espresso is the one that seals the deal for me.
Sadly, I'm no longer working downtown and haven't been able to stop by for months. I miss the excellent coffee and having a chat with Andrea while waiting for my pour. If you are downtown, please do me a favor and get your coffee here, it will make me feel better about the fact that I no longer can.
When I was laid off from work last month, I SWEAR, one of my first thoughts was, "Now I can have Spella everyday!" I walk there, and I do not live close, to justify going out for coffee when I don't even have a job. I would rather eat nothing but ramen noodles (I could do it - I remember college, after all) than give up my Spella.
I discovered Spella Caffe in its little trailer on SW 9th and Alder when it was still opened on Saturdays. I cannot tell you how crestfallen I was when I saw the tiny little note that said that they would now only be open from 9am - 4pm during the week. Any time I had a meeting downtown, or had any excuse to be out of the office during those hours, I would rush down there. It is the best coffee I have ever had. I was forever a Stumptown groupie until I met Andrea, and tasted the slightly sweet, chocolaty espresso that he pulls. It is truly perfect. A latte there is like a very sophisticated dessert; rich, nutty, creamy, only slightly sweet.
As much as I dream of a store, with longer hours on more days, I almost dread the day when the secret is totally out and the crowds form. Will they be able to retain the artistry of their coffee on a larger scale? Sometimes progress ruins everything. I remember when I started to notice problems with Stumptown. New baristas who, despite their excellent training, might one day make you a delicious drink, the next day the same person might falter. I would grow nervous any time my barista would be talking over the counter to someone while making my drink. This requires attention, people! And that is precisely what you get from Andrea - precise, loving attention to every cup he makes.
If progress does lessen the quality of Spella Caffe, I will still have plenty of happy memories of these days, when it was the best coffee a coffee-obsessed girl could ask for.
Before going to the Spella Cart, I thought I knew what really good coffee was. I mean, I live in Portland, the city of amazing coffee. The city where people who know eschew Starbucks like it's coffee made from toilet water. My boyfriend had been hounding me for a while this summer to try the Spella Cart but my office building is within one block of FOUR coffee shops that serve Stumptown - including the Stumptown that is in the Ace Hotel. So I didn't go to the Spella Cart for a long time, despite the almost daily hounding.
Finally, I went and I have to say this: Stumptown is now dead to me. It is as bad as Starbucks in my eyes. I never knew coffee could be so delicious and mellow - but still very RICH and deep with flavor - and have such a sweet aftertaste. Not cloyingly sweet but just sweet.
I love you Spella Cart. I love you so much!
Stay away from the Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookie. I was enticed by the name and thought I was going to get a really yummy cookie, but it was not really yummy. It was only okay. I did not have a chance to try any other items or their raved about coffee, so I'll be back for those.
Just had the Afugado (think I mis-spelled, sorry if I inadvertently spelled cat pee in Italian) and it was awesome. I was given some choices and had them pick their favorite accompanying gelato flavor, both of the servers smiled with a nod that the hazelnut is the best. The warm, bitter espresso mixed with the sweet, creamy hazelnut gelato to make the best damn thing I have had from a cart, ever. That's saying a lot considering the quality of the carts in Portland. Totally not cat pee!!
Portland is really blessed with great coffee! When I thought Stumptown was it, a friend took me to Spella for a morning cup and it was pure bliss. They serve out of a truck, but don't let that fool you: their drinks are delicious! I got the shakerato with two espresso shots (some ice coffee drink... not too sure exactly what went in it), and it was amazing. I'd probably wind up there every morning if I lived in the area.
This is hands down, the only place to get coffee at its finest. Not only is the idea of buying coffee from a truck part of the wholesome experience, but the owner and artist barista, Andrea, a guru, nay, a God among coffee creations. This man brews a mean cup of everything on the menu and leaves me disappointed that it isn't possible to hang a 12oz. Chai latte on my wall. He is not only talented, though. He is well-versed in his field and has a hankering for good conversation. Name a city you've been to, or plan to visit, or even make one up (I am a first-hand witness) and he can list off the places to go for a decent cup of coffee. I once mentioned which University I attend (little po-dunk town of which nobody's ever heard) and he names the coffee shop in junct with my bookstore and it just so happens that he trained the men who established the place.
A musician to his guitar, he is harmoniously in tune with his profession and a visit to this thriving city without a stop for a visit with Andrea at Spella's Cafe would rob one of the full experience. I cannot recommend this place enough.
Better then Stumptown that is really hard to say. But Spella is really good and Andrea is much friendly then the friendless person at Stumptown. It is really cool to find such great coffee out of a truck. The Hand-pulled espresso is amazing. You have to give it a try! I just wish they were open on the weekends.
If you think Stumptown is the best coffee in Portland, try Spella.
Hands down, the best espresso shots you will find in this city. I'm serious, Andrea pulls a mean shot of espresso heaven. The affogato (espresso over gelato) is orgasmic, it's so good, perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up during the dregs of the day. Plus, you can buy the incredible espresso blend that Andrea roasts himself (but buy early in the week or day, since he does sell out quickly) to enjoy some amazing coffee or espresso at home. And Andrea is incredibly nice and willing to talk to you about any questions you might have about coffee.
Spella's coffee is the best. I picked up some beans for home. WOW!
I swore off of coffee years ago, but this place breaks my will. A coffee-obsessed friend (who has since learned roasting techniques from spella) took me here, and man, it's impossible not to love the cold-brewed ice coffee in the summer, or the perfect cappuccinos in winter. And Andrea Spella, the owner, is a total dreamboat. Oh, and it's really really cheap, like $2 for a latte I believe--although he'll probably be moving to an indoor location soon and prices will rise, so get on it, serious.
small batch-roasted beans. Hand-pulled espresso. Italian flags, artisan gelato, cute & sweet coffee renaissance roaster/barista guy. Need I say more?
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Southwest Portland
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Coffee & Tea
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