Coffee Journal | Heart Roasters, Portland

I’m starting a new series called coffee journal to feature some of the wonderful coffee houses I’ve had the pleasure of visiting in the last little while.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I didn’t start drinking coffee until I moved to the Pacific Northwest; it was here that I fell in love with the passionate culture of coffee drinking.

It’s almost a hallowed process, this third wave coffee movement… the origin of the beans, roasting techniques and brewing methods is considered carefully.

It seems therefore fitting to start off with one of the Pacific Northwest’s beloved specialty coffee roasters; Heart Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon.

We went to the East Burnside location at the end of a weekend trip to Portland this past spring; we crossed the Burnside Bridge and walked the neighbourhood until we found the cafe.

The space is awash in natural light, and the decor is aesthetically lovely, airy and minimalist. I imagine it;s the kind of cafe you’d go to when you needed an undistracted moment to work or enjoy your coffee.

There is seating along the giant Probat roaster situated in the middle of the cafe, so you can watch the coffee being roasted in-house.

I tried their latte, made with fresh locally sourced hazelnut milk which was rich, smooth and robust.

I loved it, and the space.

It’s the lovely spot with well-crafted drinks and an understated decor with intriguing focal points.