Portland Coffee Tour 2025 - Part 5

Spring has sprung, and that means the return of sitting outside in the sun and drinking some first-rate iced coffees. Honestly, I’m an all-year hot coffee drinker, but if I’m out and about in the middle of the day, I’ll order one over ice. Often I choose something that’s a bit different than my usual hot drink then, because the ice can water it down.

I had some errands to run on the other side of town and that gave me an excuse to try some other coffee shops not near me. 

Crema Coffee + Bakery

I was picking up some treats for the dog on my day off and decided to pop around the corner to check out a coffee shop I’ve not seen before. My friend lives near there and told me Crema let’s them hold their fundraiser there every year and that they also give back to the community through charitable contributions, and I love that. This shop is big and airy with huge roll-up garage door walls that are opened when it’s nice out. I’m a big fan of those.

There are so many baked goods here, from bread to pastries, and next time I’m in the area, I’ll be picking some of those up. There were so many Spring drink specials here and I was intrigued. I asked for a recommendation between the strawberry and the lavender latte and, though she said I should come back to try the other, the person taking my order and money said she slightly preferred the strawberry, so I ordered an iced oat milk strawberry latte. It was light and fruity and not artificial tasting at all.

I will try the lavender latte on a future trip and probably also sit outside, because they have the street blocked off and in that space they have a lot of nice tables and umbrellas and games to play. I bet it’s packed in the summer. 

Saint Simon – Brazee

Saint Simon has a few locations in Portland. This one is right in the middle of a neighborhood and we used it as a meeting point for a weekend walk with friends. This place was busy busy, so you might not get a seat, if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s also bigger than the other location I’ve been to, where I was able to order and snag a window seat. This one has seating outside, too, but that also seemed full. I can’t blame people, because if I had a coffee shop like Saint Simon right by my house, I also would be there every weekend.

Saint Simon, named after The Shins’ song by the same name, is very Portland: sleek, white, but innovative and friendly. I didn’t actually wait in line too long before I got to order and it gave me a chance to look at the specials board and then ask about the intriguing fig and clove latte. I love a spicy drink, but too much clove can overpower everything and numb your palette. I was told it was a little spicy and a little sweet. 

The flavors were perfectly balanced and it was a great coffee to take with me on a walk around the neighborhood with friends to check out little “libraries” on the Sidewalk Joy map. 

Brickhaus Coffee

This is my favorite local coffee shop. I try to go at least once a month. It’s Asian, woman owned and they got me the very first time I came in and asked for a suggestion and they recommended a “butterbeer” coffee. Um, yes, please. They also have all the Houses as latte flavors, with my favorite being Hufflepuff and my second choice being the spicy Gryffindor. 

I have tried many of their coffee specials and they are always delicious. They get their pastries from a local French bakery, so they are always awesome. I love their bagel breakfast sandwiches as well. They are a small business that raises up other small businesses, too. They sell a bunch of things from other local places and things they just love like handmade chocolates, bags from Portland Gear, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Funko Pops. There’s always some amazing baking show on their TV that is entrancing (I believe they make Vietnamese sweets). 

Two of my favorite things at this shop are the Iced Strawberry Mocha and the strawberry pastry flower. They are perfect items for spring and summer, but the strawberry mocha is also great hot. I don’t go many places where they know me and my name and always ask about trips I’m taking. This is the only coffee shop where I’m on a first-name basis with the owner. It’s also the only shop that I go to that has eliminated tipping, because they pay their small staff a living wage. 

That’s it for this month. I’ve got my eye on a few potentials for June, so stay tuned for that. Tell me about your favorite coffee shop from your travels or your own city. 

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