Portland Coffee Tour 2025 - Part 7

Can you believe it’s already July? We’re deep into ice coffee season, which I guess ends when PSL season starts…? Who knows? I’m not a big pumpkin spice fan, so I’ll leave that to the other coffee girlies (and laddies, because I don’t judge). What I know right now is that the summer flavors are upon us and I’m excited by fresh fruit and that kinda informing pastry and coffee flavors.

This month is hectic, so I did most of my July visits for Portland last month, which is also why this post is so much earlier in the month than others. Let’s start with a revisit and end with a brand new coffee shop that is actually a hidden gem.

Good Coffee

We have several locations of Good Coffee scattered around town, including one at the airport. It always feels so clean and happy and the baristas are always lovely to chat with. It’s been a while since I have been to Good outside of PDX, so I was long overdue for a visit to the “new” one in Cedar Hills, just about a 5 minute drive from me. I had been looking at their Instagram and their new seasonal drinks and already had my order set.

With summer just starting, they really pulled some interesting flavors together, including the drink I got, which was the Pear Cardamom Latte. A little sweet. A little spicy. This is the perfect combo, in my opinion. The flavors blended well and were subtle. They might be more prevalent with a regular milk, but I always get oat, if I can, just due to personal taste. 

They also have a case of locally-made pastries, including the most Barbie croissant I’ve ever had. The rose croissant was the last in the case (lucky me!) and I’m almost positive it is made at Nuvrei Bakery, like the rose pistachio one I got at Baristopia last month. It’s soft and flaky, but also a bit crispy on the outside. Basically, everything a good croissant should be, but also bright pink! So pretty. So delicious.

This Good Coffee location has a very minimalist vibe, but has a fun slatted wall that separates the counter from the rest seating area. On one side are the baristas and merch and on the other, a bunch of people sipping away. I love that open vibe, but also distinct areas.  

Slow Haste Coffee

This little coffee shop just opened a month ago and we were in the area running errands so we stopped in. It’s at an intersection with so many things: a pie shop, a bar, a Latin American restaurant, a wine bar, and so much more. I don’t know how to explain it, but this little shop looks like an old school hamburger bar on the outside, but a 70s-era trailer on the inside, but in the best possible way. Imagine if you went to your grandparents’ house as a kid, but they had good taste. It’s bright and airy, but also has some of the best artwork I’ve seen in a coffee shop.

The menu is small, like the shop, but what they do have sounds delicious and everything is served with garnish that feels like you’re getting a cocktail. They have a small selection of pastries and they even serve wine. As we were leaving, a ton of people were coming in (around lunchtime).

We ordered a dirty chai, the banana caramel latte, a blueberry muffin, and a spinach ricotta pastry (the barista told me it was his favorite, and I can see why). The banana caramel latte came with a dehydrated banana slice for garnish, which made it feel really special and fancy. This is on my short list of best new coffee shops in Portland. It’s cozy, feels very homey, and the staff are very personable and happy to give recommendations and talk to me about how their first month went. 

Conspirator’s Coffee Lounge

A friend who also loves coffee, and lives in British Columbia, sent me an Instagram Reel about a new custard shop that just opened at the beginning of June, asking me to go try it out “for science”. She was specifically asking about the hidden coffee shop inside. It’s one of the only coffee shops we have that is open late at night, so I learned the secret password and dragged Eric downtown to check it out.

Conspirator’s Coffee Lounge is accessible only by receiving the “key” from an employee and then you step into a wardrobe, which is actually a secret door, and then you push open the back to arrive into a very witchy (the custard shop, Black Cat Frozen Custard, is very witchy/goth) slash hunting cabin slash secret society backroom lounge. Where the custard shop is packed full of people, only a select few are enjoying the lounge with their cups of coffee that look like cauldrons. You can also get the entire custard shop menu in here.

This mug is enormous!

I’ll be honest, the vibes were better than the coffee, but it was still pretty good. I’d definitely go back, because it’s beautiful and a place that I definitely don’t want to close. Eric just got a plain latte, but he ordered a 20 oz and it came in the most massive mug. I ordered a 12 oz lava salt caramel latte where most of the flavor was at the bottom, so after you take your pictures, you might want to stir it up to distribute it. Aside from coffee, they also have pastries, including that same Everything Galette that I had at Battle Grounds last month. I love how Portland businesses really support each other. 

This alcove is giving genuine Shanghai Tunnels vibe

Once you order, they give you a playing card that signifies which items are yours when they are ready. You can choose to sit downstairs or take the winding staircase upstairs and feel like you’re having a secret meeting. This is also where the “backdoor” is that you leave by, giving it the perfect speakeasy experience. They’ve truly thought of everything.

I hope you come to Portland and, when you do, indulge in a few of our many great coffee shops. There are hundreds and it’s almost hard to find a bad one, but when you find an outstanding one, it’s magical. 

Leave a comment and tell me some of your favorite independent coffee shops from your trips or where you live.

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