Coffee in Portland: Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Latte (8 oz.)

I've been obsessed with Stumptown Coffee Roasters ever since I tried a cappuccino made with their distinct blend at Alfred Coffee & Kitchen in Los Angeles last year. Given that Stumptown is based in Portland ("Stumptown" is a nickname for the city after all), I made sure to stop by while in town. I ordered a latte at their downtown location on SW 3rd Avenue, just a stone's throw away from Voodoo Doughnut. The latte had the bold flavor they're known for and was prepared perfectly.

The atmosphere of this store is similar to the hip coffee shops that line Valencia in San Francisco's Mission District (see exhibits A and B). Stumptown has a sleek wood interior, neon sign over an exposed brick wall, long bar down the length of the store where customers pick their poison, and trendy twenty-somethings behind the counter. Their prices are reasonable for such high quality: my 8 oz. latte was about $3 to its $4 Bay Area counterpart. If I lived in Portland, I would probably go out of my way to get my hands on a cup of Stumptown coffee daily. Although they haven't established a location in San Francisco yet, they do have a spot in the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. Road trip?

If you've visited Stumptown Coffee Roasters, what do you recommend trying?

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

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128 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204

Open: Monday - Friday 6am - 7pm, Saturday - Sunday 7am - 7pm

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Eat in Portland: Salt & Straw

Honey Lavender and Stumptown Coffee & Burnside Bourbon ice cream


Honey Lavender and Cinnamon Snickerdoodle ice cream

A trip to Portland would not be complete without visiting Salt & Straw, a popular ice cream shop with three locations in the city. Apart from having a steady line out the door, they're known for mixing seemingly divergent flavors of ice cream to create something special. With choices like Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero and Arbequina Olive Oil, their ice cream is dynamic and anything but boring.

When my mom and I stopped by their Northwest Portland location on NW 23rd Avenue and NW Kearny Street a couple weeks ago, we opted for the sweet over the savory. I ordered the Honey Lavender and the Stumptown Coffee & Burnside Bourbon, while my mom tried the Honey Lavender and the Cinnamon Snickerdoodle. Their Honey Lavender was one of the most flavorful I've tried and probably my favorite anywhere. The Stumptown Coffee & Burnside Bourbon was also far from subtle. It had the bold taste Stumptown is known for with a twist of bourbon. The Cinnamon Snickerdoodle was a favorite as well. It's made with chunks of the actual cookie and a sweet treat all around.

Outside of Portland, they have another popular location on Larchmont in Los Angeles. The next time I stop by I'd like to try the Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache or the Toasted Coconut with Candied Macadamia Nuts.

If you've visited Salt & Straw, what flavors did you try?

Salt & Straw

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838 NW 23rd Ave., Portland, OR 97210

Open: Daily 10am - 11pm

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Coffee in Los Angeles: Alfred Coffee & Kitchen

Cappuccino

Alfred Coffee & Kitchen is the most LA coffee shop I've visited so far. Tucked away on Melrose Place, Alfred serves Stumptown Coffee and sandwiches, salads, and pastries from Farm Shop. Based on my first visit alone, it seems like their clientele is made up of mostly models and (working) actors. (Read: I'm not in Berkeley anymore.)

I tried the cappuccino, which was very good. I've never had Stumptown's coffee before, but now it's definitely on my repeat list. The cappuccino was larger than what I'm used to, was prepared perfectly, and had tons of foam. Their employees are very nice and their baristas talented. The next time I stop by, I'll try an espresso in one of their signature chocolate dipped cones. (You read that right.)

If you've visited Alfred, what did you try?

Looking for more photos from Alfred Coffee & Kitchen? Let's go.

Alfred Coffee & Kitchen

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8428 Melrose Place A., Los Angeles, CA 90069
Open: Monday - Saturday 7 - 7, Sunday 8 - 4

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Eat in Portland: Blue Star Donuts

Chocolate Almond Ganache donut

While planning my trip to Portland, I added two donut shops to my list: Voodoo Doughnuts and Blue Star Donuts. With four locations throughout the city, Blue Star Donuts offers a tantalizing selection of brioche-style raised donuts. Some of the flavors include Blueberry Bourbon Basil, Chocolate Almond Ganache, and Cointreau Crème Brûlée.

My mom and I tried the Chocolate Almond Ganache, which was as good as it looks. Like Voodoo Doughnuts, Blue Star is not messing around with the raised donut. Their dough is made from a classic brioche recipe daily. The chocolate ganache is nothing short of divine. In all, this donut was incredible. If I find myself in Portland in the future, I'll make sure to try their Blueberry Bourbon Basil, an alliterative and gustatorial winner. (The latter adjective has been confirmed by the lady behind butter, sugar, flowers after all.)

Their Southeast Portland shop is a sleek take on the classic coffee and donut shop. (Did I mention they serve Stumptown Coffee? They serve Stumptown Coffee.) They've got wall-to-wall counter seating (my favorite) and an ideal location on SE Hawthorne Boulevard.

According to Jenn Harris, my favorite food writer over at the Los Angeles Times, they're opening up a location in Venice this summer. They've also got a spot in Tokyo. Sounds like the beginning of world domination to me.

If you've stopped by Blue Star Donuts, what did you try?

Blue Star Donuts

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3549 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214

Open: Daily 8am - sold out

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Coffee in Nashville: Barista Parlor

12 oz. Latte

Barista Parlor is a hip coffee shop with two locations (and a third on the way in Germantown) in Nashville. They specialize in coffee made with beans from favorites like Four Barrel, Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Sightglass. They also serve a variety of pastries like homemade Pop-Tarts, macarons, and scones, as well as artisanal chocolate and other bites.

I ordered a 12 oz. latte made with Supersonic Coffee, a company based in Berkeley. It was prepared perfectly, as expected.

The location I visited is the original and was previously a transmission shop. It's spacious and designed with mixed materials, similar to the coffee shops I frequent in San Francisco.

If you've visited Barista Parlor, what did you try?

Barista Parlor

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519B Gallatin Ave., Nashville, TN 37206

Open: Monday - Friday 7am - 8pm, Saturday - Sunday 8am - 8pm

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Eat in Berkeley: Flour & Co

Sticky Bun


Egg Pie of the Day and Soft Pretzel


8 oz. Latte

I've been wanting to visit Flour & Co's Berkeley location since they opened last September. Located a block west of Sacramento on University, the cafe serves delicious baked goods, such as Buttermilk Biscuits and Monkey Bread, as well as coffee from Stumptown.

When I stopped by this weekend with my pal Summer, I ordered a Sticky Bun with an 8 oz. latte while she had the Egg Pie of the Day and a Soft Pretzel. All of the baked goods were pretty tasty and the coffee was strong and perfectly prepared.

This shop is spacious and has a lot of places to sit at long wooden tables and counters. Flour & Co seems to have eased well into the neighborhood and it would not be surprising if it became a morning staple for many.

If you've visited Flour & Co, what did you try?

Flour & Co
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1398 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94702
Open: Daily 6:30am - 6pm

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