September 29 is National Coffee Day followed by International Coffee Day on October 1. So I thought I’d revisit and update my coffee roundup guide as the coffee scene in Lake Oswego has changed a bit since I wrote it. A few shops have closed their doors while others have opened.

While I’ve tried to list current hours of operation, the changing rules pertaining to Covid may affect them so be sure to check before heading out.

First, with the casualties. Both Chuck’s Place and Blue Moon Coffee have poured their last cup. Add a couple Starbucks locations to the list as well—those on Meadows Road, McVey Avenue and one on Boones Ferry Road.

New kids on the block include:

MORSE COFFEE COMPANY. Opening its doors on April 22, this is one of the newest additions to our Lake Oswego coffee shop lineup. But owner, Sam Morse, is no newcomer to coffee and his new business reflects his 20-year background in the specialty coffee industry. Featuring Upper Left Roasters beans, every cup is a work of art, both in how it tastes and how it looks—they take latte art seriously here, which if you’re like the coffee drinkers in our family, adds to the enjoyment. Help yourself to one of their pastries as well that hail from Jen’s Bagels and Pastries. We can vouch for the morning bun and pesto and cheese croissant—they pair deliciously with one of their coffees! There are lots of seating options too so indulge in a sit-down coffee experience which is something you haven’t been able to do in a while. And while you’re at it, take a look around at the art on exhibit. Besides coffee, Sam loves art and is an artist himself (hence that great latte art!). The shop plans to feature work by local artists for free, providing them with another venue to display and sell their art. Hours are 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. 417 1^st Street in downtown Lake Oswego.

LOLA’S CAFÉ BAR. Whether you’re health conscious, vegan, gluten-free, caffeine-seeker or not, this café has something on the menu to satisfy you. And the outdoor patio has been a real hit for coffee drinkers preferring to sit and savor rather than take out and gulp. Breakfast and lunch offerings include healthy-sounding bowls served over tri-color quinoa, smoothies, burgers sandwiches with gluten free bread option and salads that taste as fresh as they look. The café bar has all the usual suspects joined by some specialty lattes like the caffeine free Blue Butterfly Pea with lemongrass, orange peel, vanilla, butterfly pea flower powder, and steamed milk and the Pink Hibiscus Rose with hibiscus tea, rosewater, cinnamon, ginger, honey, and steamed milk. Come back for Happy Hour and enjoy $1 off draft beer, $2 off wine along with a choice of appetizers. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Happy Hour: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 525 3^rd Street, 503.780.8279.

OVATION COFFEE AND TEA. You can tell coffee is king here because the beverage menu lists 53 items. Granted, a lot of them are tea and blended drinks but there’s no messing around with “Eyes Wide Open” –two shots of espresso added to any coffee drink or any of their Moroccan coffees infused with aromatic Moroccan spices. Lake Oswego is home to two locations. The Marylhurst location at 17510 Provost Street, Unit 105 is currently open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 503.342.6602. The newest addition is in the Mercato Grove development 4055 Mercantile Drive and open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily. Check the website for updates.

And here are the old-timers with updated hours as of posting time.

Peet’s Coffee. Full disclosure—my wife and I are Peetniks. She actually trained with Alfred Peet back in the day when all they served was drip coffee. If you like your coffee rich and full-bodied, this is your place. Hours: Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 345 1st Street, Suite 111, 971.236.9140.

Kyra’s Bake Shop. If what you have WITH your coffee is as important as the coffee itself, then you might want to try Kyra’s which serves gluten-free breakfast and lunch until 4:00 p.m. Don’t let the gluten-free dissuade you. This place cranks out award-winning pastries, winning the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars four times! There are muffins, doughnuts and cinnamon rolls to vie for your attention as well. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. seven days a week. 599 A Avenue, 503.212.2979.

Nola’s Doughnuts. The doughnuts are the stars here but if you’re in the mood for something different in your cup, try their chicory coffee from Urban Grind. It ties in with their New Orleans vibe (hence their signature La’ssants) where chicory coffee is standard fare. Seems chicory was used to stretch coffee when it was in shortage but managed to gain enough respect on its own accord to hang around. Hours: Thursday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 365 N State Street, 503.278.7312.

Ava Roasteria. This is an upscale specialty coffee chain, but on a much smaller scale than the giant mentioned at the end of this post with the roastery and tasting room in Beaverton, and other locations in Portland and Hillsboro. Hours: Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Located in Kruse Village at 4847 Meadows Road, #147 503. 305.6328.

Café Marzocca Italian Espresso Bar. Don’t be surprised if you see a Vespa parked out front. This place takes its Italian heritage seriously serving Illy coffee from Trieste and offering a Bocci court and outdoor seating popular during the summer. It also doubles as a wine shop with tastings offered every second Saturday of the month from noon to 3:00 p.m. for $10. Hours: Monday through Saturday from 6:30 am. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Located across the parking lot from Riccardo’s Ristorante at 16045 Boones Ferry Road, 503.636.5001.

Coffee Plus. This neighborhood spot has been helping locals kickstart their day for over 15 years featuring Panache coffee in all its offerings. Loyalists love supporting this local ma and pa business and praise the grilled breakfast sandwiches. Hours: Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Happy Sparrow. Want a kolache to go with that coffee? What’s a kolache you ask? It’s a soft, sweet, yeasty bun borrowed from the Czechs and stuffed with sweet and savory fillings like bacon, sausage, cheese, salmon, scrambled eggs and nutella. They are popular enough to sell out so get there early. Hours: Monday through Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 503.305.5968.

Too Sweet Cakes. Cakes and pastries are a work of art here, so much so the coffee may take a back seat to the sweet stuff. Presentation is big from the feel of the space to the display case to the artfully crafted coffees. And, having tasted a few morsels, I have to say they have the goods to back up the looks. This place is tucked away off the main drag so you’ll have to seek it out. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. seven days a week. 5755 Willow Lane, 503.305.8381.

Starbucks. What hasn’t been said? You’re either a fan or you’re not. But one thing’s for sure, you’re never too far from one in Lake Oswego.
47 S. State Street, 503.699.8581
1175 McVey Avenue, #7, 503.675.1334
401 A Avenue, inside Safeway, 503. 675.4480
3 Monroe Parkway, #2, 503675.9097
8 Centerpointe Drive, 503.624.7065
15645 Boones Ferry Road, 503.635.2266
16199 Boones Ferry Road, inside Albertson’s, 503.635.3429
17779 SW Lower Boones Ferry Road, inside Safeway, 503.675.2500
17771 Boones Ferry Road, 503.534.2938

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And if you’re in the market to move in, out or within Lake Oswego, give me a call at 503.939.9801. I’ve been a Realtor in Lake Oswego for over 30 years and would love to put my experience to work for you!