Coffee — the lifeblood of rise-and-grinders across the world. While Starbucks may suffice for the novice taste bud and yet-to-be-published authors, some of us are tired of being amongst the common folk and flavored syrups. These coffee shops are guaranteed to be pretentiously artisan or, if not, they’re always good for people watching.
1. Rimsky-Korsakoffee — If you like your coffee at absurd times of the night, they start serving up their drinks and desserts at 7 p.m. until midnight (and 1 a.m. on the weekends). With kitschy decor and essentially no lighting, this place is good for hipster sightings and always has live music. It’s a bit much in the sense that they make an effort to be effortless, like the fact that they went out of their way to have mismatching plates and cups. There’s even a haunted table that moves up and down, and a weird bathroom that will probably scare the crap out of you.@@https://plus.google.com/104008910762559205153/about?gl=us&hl=en@@
2. Stumptown — It’s the next Seattle’s Best, so I’ve heard. If you care about where your beans are from or are interested in paying a lot extra to get your caffeine via a vase-looking thing, come here. And if you aren’t, just being in there boosts your cool factor. There are conveniently scattered locations, all with amazing interiors, one even borrowing a space in the Ace Hotel.
3. Barista (on Alberta) — While Barista has three locations, the shop on Alberta also sells beer and is therefore superior. The vibe of the shop is completely different than the stereotypical industrial ceilings and integration of stainless steel or bricks. It’s dark and moody with chocolate crown molding and chandeliers — asking to be Instagrammed, no filter necessary. And, I mean, I guess their coffee is good, too.@@http://baristapdx.com/@@