Ristretto Roasters

We are not coffee experts, and Portland has more places that roast, brew, and serve it in earnest than we’ll ever have time to sample; but of those we have tried, we like Ristretto Roasters best. It is a small storefront with three counter stools, three tables, a single booth, a few sidewalk seats, and a line all morning long waiting for cups of delicious coffee and espresso, the beans for which are roasted in the back room that is visible through a glass window.

We thought the espresso a perfect balance of caffeinated punch and smooth, chocolaty flavor; the regular coffee had a good kick, too, but wasn’t so strong that a second and third cup didn’t seem like great ideas.