Wallet Hub recently named Portland the #1 Best Coffee City in America, so it should come as no surprise that Lake Oswego, only 7.9 miles away, averages almost one coffee shop per every 2,000 residents. From national chains like Starbucks to homegrown Morse Coffee, Lake Oswegans are never far away from a caffeine fix.
The newest addition to Lake Oswego’s coffee culture is Roseline Coffee, housed in the former Starbucks location at 16398 Boones Ferry Road. President and co-owner Becky Grosse, explains that over the years many of their customers at their five Portland locations told them, “Please come to Lake Oswego,” so when the opportunity to presented itself, they jumped at it.
With a hospitality-first focus, staff are focused on creating a warm and welcoming experience for customers while educating them as to the story behind the beans. Grosse talks about Roseline’s approach with the passion of a true coffee zealot—”At the core of our coffee program is a philosophy rooted in the idea that each coffee seed (bean) has intrinsic qualities that reflect the essence of that particular coffee – it’s our job to coax out that essence in the roasting and extraction process for the enjoyment of our customers. What continues to amaze me about coffee after all these years is the uniqueness and truly differentiated characteristics you can find in different coffees, whether you are looking for something mild or adventurous.”
As a result, Roseline works directly with small-holder producers and supply chain partners to ensure the integrity of their coffee lots is maintained by milling, transporting and warehousing in accordance with their standards.
You’ll find all your usual go-to’s here as well as their current fall lineup made in-house by their culinary director, Jed Klingensmith: Pumpkin Frangipane Pie Latte, Black Sesame Caramel Latte, Boo-Berry Latte and Fall Thyme Matcha Soda.
Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. 16398 Boones Ferry Road, 503.809.2890.
Here are some other coffee shops in Lake Oswego to try out:
MORSE COFFEE COMPANY. Patrons benefit from owner Sam Morse’s 20+-year background in the specialty coffee industry. 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. There are lots of seating options too so indulge in a sit-down coffee experience. 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 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sunday. 417 1st 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 featuring Nossa Familia coffee 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 Friday, 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Happy Hour: 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. 525 3rd 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 Mercato Grove location at 4055 Mercantile Drive is open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check the website for updates.
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.
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 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the weekends. Located in Kruse Village at 4847 Meadows Road, #147 503. 305.6328.
CAFE 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 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 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 Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m..; Sunday from 7:30 a.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: Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Closed Monday. 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
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
NEW ARRIVAL! The Cathedral Coffee has opened its doors in what used to be The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (and before that Starbucks) at 1175 McVey Avenue. Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Welcome!
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