The downtown coffee scene got a little bit more competitive this summer. Several well-known PDX cafés opened new locations in the downtown core. If you happen to be exploring, you might stop in and check them out.
In the Pearl District, the Red E Café has set up shop inside the Ecotrust building. Fans of the original café on North Killingsworth now have a place to visit when they head to the Pearl. Sipping iced coffee while enjoying the Ecotrust’s unique architecture is always a treat, or you can grab your coffee and head up to the roof for a new perspective on Portland.
Red E
Case Study, of Northeast Sandy Boulevard, opened a pop-up stand on Yamhill Street, just around the corner from the Central Library (in what used to be Finnegan’s). The pop-up is a predecessor to Case Study’s new café, expected to open this fall at the corner of 10th and Yamhill.
Case Study's pop-up
Phuong Tran, former US Barista Champion and owner of Lava Java, is making her first foray into the Portland market. She opened a coffee kiosk inside West End Bikes at SW 11th and Stark. Maglia Rosa (pink jersey – it’s a bike thing) serves single-origin espressos roasted by Stumptown and gives away smiles at no extra charge . The kiosk is open to the street, so passersby (and not just bike enthusiasts) can easily access the new shop.
Maglia Rosa's Phuong Tran
Finally, Billy Wilson opened his third Barista café at 529 SW 3rd Ave. The stripped-down ambience falls somewhere between a sophisticated saloon and stylish soda fountain. The white porcelain tiles and large windows really brighten up the café. As a new twist, the latest Barista offers pourovers made to order.
Barista III