If there is such a place as the most hipster coffee shop it would have to be Backspace. This coffee shop is in Portland on Northwest 5th Ave in Portland on the boarder of Chinatown. Backspace is a large space with concrete floors covered in old oriental rugs and red brick walls with local art hung tastefully about the space. There are wooden tables and chairs all around the space with a couple of nice well used couches (when I came in the door there were a couple of lesbians curled up knitting, now there's a hipster guy sitting reading a zine). The music they're currently playing is very mellow piano and string music.
Backspace is also a music venue and has a tech help desk in the back where you can get your computer fixed or rent a computer. All of the food they serve is vegetarian with the ability to be vegan. Everything is a reasonable price, I bought a (fake) turkey and avocado wrap, which came with a garden salad (or chips) for $7. I just ate half of it and it was really filling so I'm saving the other half for later. My only complaint is that the wrap is mostly tortilla, but it's still pretty tasty.

Dear Followers,

I (Kaya) recently stared attending college at NYU. I will try to add some New York coffee shops to the blog. Sadly they are few and far between (coffee on the East coast is...well...not too good).

With much fondness,

Kaya

This past week I discovered Cafe Allegro. A cafe which has the potential to be super cute and mysterious. It is tucked away in an alley off of the Ave, near the University Bookstore. As I said it could be super cute. But it's super "ehhhhh".

I stumbled upon Cafe Allegro while looking for a new yoga place (Universe City Yoga, super awesome, super great, take a class with Richelle, it will change your life). I thought to myself, "Oooh! A cafe in an alley, how mysterious" and I didn't let the smell of the nearby dumpsters deter me on my quest for adorable Seattle Cafes. Only then I went in and got an americano and got some serious snubbery (and snobbery) from the barista. But I was on my way to do yoga! Nothing would make me sad! NOTHING! My americano (my new drink of choice since I am now both soy and lactose intolerant) was okay. It was frothy and beautiful and it smelled good and it tasted fine. I did my yoga and I forgot the snobby barista man.

But today, I went back before my (life changing) yoga class. I had forgotten my water bottle and so I went to the counter and I asked

"Do you sell bottles of water?"
"We have mineral water"
"Oh. Okay. You don't have plain water?"
"We have a water fountain over there"
"Oh, that's okay. Thanks for your help!"
And I went back to my friends, ignoring the water fountain and cups because I have worked food service and while it is important to quench people's thirst, it is also important to buy something if you are going to take something and create more work for others.

BUT on my way out he yells (yes, yells) "We would appreciate it if you bought something if you are going to take our water".

To which I say (very quietly) "I didn't... That would be rude" and say in my head (very loudly): "I didn't take your water you snobby barista man!"

So say no to Cafe Allegro, where the coffee is okay and the service smells as much as the dumpsters outside.

Water Avenue Coffee

This place is so frickin cute. Right now it's at a temporary location right next door to my favorite Yoga place in Portland Yoga Bhoga (it's also the only yoga studio I've been to in Portland, so I'm really biased). Water Avenue Coffee, has great lattes, no sugar is required! It's the only thing I've gotten there so far, but the barista is cute and the place is spacious, so I'll be back. When they move, they're just going to be right around the corner, so it's not a big jump.

-Rikki

Oddfellows Cafe

I went to the Oddfellows Cafe this morning for breakfast. It was delicious and simple. I had their pear coffee cake and a soy latte. Everything was delicious. My friend had some tea (irish breakfast or earl grey? Two very different teas, but she had one of them). She really liked the tea and it smelled really nice. The space is pretty big, very open and spacious. It's tucked away between Pike and Pine and the Broadway Park. I wish that I'd had more time to just chill there. The baristas were very nice. I plan to return.

Joe Bar

Joe Bar is my new favorite cafe in Seattle (before it might have been El Diablo, but they removed "heaven" and it all went to hell. Okay, not really, El Diablo is still a lovely cafe, but without the upstairs its become kind of cramped).

But back to Joe Bar. They serve delicious crêpes and the best coffee I've ever had. Located at the end of Broadway, you can find Joe Bar tucked away on Roy Street. They have an adorable loft where you can sit and look down on the rest of the café. I had their lemon and sugar crêpe with strawberries and a decaf americano with soy. The coffee was creamy and the crêpe was warm and tasty. The cafe is not too loud or busy. It's just the right spot to set up with a book or some homework. I definitely plan to find a reason to go back. Plus, the Baristas are very nice, hipstery and accommodating.

Kaya


(I did not take this photo, but I will take and post one soon)