As much as I love living in Seattle, there are a number of things that draw me to Portland. Sterling Coffee Roasters is one of them. This relative newcomer in the Alphabet District–in a city that could be considered Seattle’s little coffee-loving sister–is charming, creative, and, most of all, delicious.
During our recent weekend in Portland, I had dreams of visiting coffee shop after coffee shop, enjoying a cappuccino here and an espresso there, in order to get a taste of what the city has to offer. I also had dreams of spending luxurious hours perusing the shelves at Powell’s City of Books. I suppose that by meeting my latter goal, I actually accomplished a lot, even though I only made it to two cafes during the weekend.
Out of all the research I’ve done, I’m pretty sure I came across a winner in terms of Portland micro-roasters. If you find yourself in the area in the near future, do yourself a favor and swing into Sterling’s newest location (417 NW 21st Ave). Its white linen-wrapped tables and charming decor will make you want to linger, and the coffee and chocolate-espresso loaf are just the pick-me-ups a coffee-lover needs.