Sterling Coffee Roasters

Sterling is my go-​to coffee shop in Portland. I’ve been a regular since they were in a cart over by Trader Joe’s. Their espressos and milk drinks are world class. (Literally. If you’ve had better espresso anywhere in the world, tell me, because I want it.) The café is cozy, with no WiFi, so be prepared to read a paper paper or a book, or chat with other humans. There are some outdoor tables too.
Espressos are served in bourbon snifters. What may seem gimmicky is actually pretty neat — you can see the crema, the color of the espresso, and really breathe deeply of the aromatics that are focused by the shape of the glass. For the fearless or sleep-​deprived, the double-​double espresso flight usually features a Sterling blend and a single-​origin espresso. If you can only have one, I recommend the single-​origin espresso, or a cappucino. Their iced coffee is also good.

Unfortunately I didn’t really like sterling coffee. The baristas took forever to acknowledge my presence and weren’t the friendliest. My latte was mediocre and their very much sitting room

One of my least favorite coffee places I’ve ever been to. Incredibly crowded with even more incredibly snobby hipster baristas. My girlfriend and I went there and had to wait an extremely long time while three people behind the counter casually chatted and eventually got around to taking our order and finally making our drinks. Overpriced, burnt, rude service. Wouldn’t recommend.

Sterling Coffee Roasters was my first caffeine stop during my trip to Portland, and it was my favorite! I dare you to find a more delightful and delicious coffee experience. It’s a tiny, adorable operation with two of the friendliest gentleman you will encounter. None of that hipster coffee attitude will be found here at Sterling. I ordered a latte and my boyfriend ordered a mocha. The latte was smooth and rich. Really wonderful. We sat and enjoyed our drinks for a short while before heading off on our adventure! Really wish I had picked up a bag of their beans to enjoy at home. Highly recommended.

Very friendly to everyone. Coffee is delicious. Just took some beans to Spain as a gift.

I’ve decided that Sterling is my favorite coffee shop in Portland, here’s why: they have the most gregarious and friendly baristas-​they are genuinely happy to work there; their coffee is very well-​balanced; their prices are decent for the high quality coffee you’re getting; their shop is perfect-​European-​styled and cozy; and lastly, they are a short walk from Burnside.

Coffee was pretty good. Small interior with tiny tables. Felt a bit cramped and could overhear all conversations (for better or worse). Although, if you’re looking for a hole-​in-​the-​wall feel, this is the place.

Great coffee! They make a mean cappuccino and latte. A little on the expensive side, but it’s good to visit on occasion e.g. weekends. :)

Super nice people who went out of the way to help me out during my first expresso experience. I ended up not being able to really get into the flavor so the gentleman made me a cappuccino instead on the house which I thought was very nice of them. Very small place, but like the look out it, and the customer service was spot on. I would recommend

I’ve been here multiple times and absolutely love it! The coffee beans «on tap» change seasonally, the employees are super friendly and helpful and the pastries and chocolate are delicious. I want to return at night when it turns into a wine bar!

Wow! If I were a rich girl! I would be here errrrr day! The coffee is sooo good and the parties are everything! I had the almond croissant and seriously heavenly! But it cost about 10 for both a coffee and a treat but it will make your morning great!

I don’t know what I’d do without Sterling. With 10 hour shifts, having them around the corner from my workplace is incredibly convenient and a caffeine lifesaver. The baristas at Sterling are top notch. They pride themselves on customer service and a high level of coffee knowledge, and both of those things shine here. The owners of Sterling, Adam and Aric, are behind the coffee bar frothing milk and pouring espresso regularly. I appreciate successful business owners who know the power of doing the work that their own employees do all day. They offer espresso flights, which I don’t think many coffee shops do. I’m a sucker for their cappuccinos, and Sterling’s are primo. When it’s hot out, the iced caramel latte hits the spot. During the winter season I love the eggnog latte. Innovative and delicious coffee coming out of NW PDX. Check Sterling or their sister shop Coffeehouse Northwest out when you’re in the neighborhood and you won’t regret it.
PS: no wifi. So sit back, relax, and enjoy your coffee without the internet to distract you.

Sterling Coffee Roasters is the coffee shop of my dreams: small, cozy, and as inviting as a warm cup of their wonderful holiday latte.
Located in the picturesque Alphabet District — and surrounded by the light glow of fallen orange and yellow maple leaves when I went — Sterling Coffee Roasters is run by two incredible baristas who, despite working at the highest level through an incredible amount of orders, can manage to strike up a good substantive conversation with you.
As mentioned before, I had a «holiday» latte — a well balanced concoction of expresso, milk, and a earthy note of maple. It blows away any other holiday drink Starbucks makes as well as those made by much smaller coffeehouse businesses.
The environment has a light vintage vibe to it but is not pretentious — it’s very homely and thus makes it hard for someone like me to leave.
If you happen to be taking a stroll through the gorgeous neighborhood, be sure to stop by Sterling as it definitely represents some of the best coffee Portland can offer.

Their caramel lattes use real caramel — like the kind of caramel you have to carefully stir and cook in a double boiler with butter and cream. You can taste the buttery undertones in your caramel latte. It’s fantastic. Highly recommended. This is a tiny closet of a café tucked away on Flanders and 21^st. Warm, cozy, and delightful inside.

Sterling Coffee Roasters is the quaintest, smallest little coffee shop that I’ve been into, but these guys sincerely know their stuff.
A crisp fall morning had me craving a solid hot chocolate, and Sterling was the right choice. Theirs is a richer-​than-​normal drink, that has apparently been voted best hot chocolate in Portland recently. It wasn’t as heavy as other drinking chocolates I’ve had (meaning it was actually drinkable), but it was completely delicious.
The boy was very satisfied with his espresso, too.
Don’t walk by without stopping in!

Sterling Coffee Roasters is a tiny little coffee shop nestled in the Alphabet District. It’s located less than a block away from Ken’s Artisan Bakery, so you can visit both in the same trip! We came in on a Friday afternoon around 3pm, and there wasn’t a line at the time. Since it was so hot the day we went, we opted for a Cold Coffee (16 oz/​$ 3.65,
), which was super smooth. It was also nice and cold, so perfect for the sweltering summer day. However, I will need to come back to try out one of the hot drinks since their coffee foam art looks amazing (as does the coffee).
There are a few spots to sit inside– either at a small table or at a high booth style seating that runs along their wall. The staff is very friendly, and makes you feel very welcome. Street parking is available, but limited.

Café by day, Bar by night. How very European.
I walk by this place, often, but only in cloak of night when it’s called M Bar. One morning, way before the rest of Portland wakes up (yawn!) I desperately needed my caffeine fix. 21^st was a quick walk away, but my options were limited.
Suddenly I remembered Sterling – that beacon of hope for me to make it through my morning meetings. Walking in, you’re surprised by that small space – it doesn’t even seem like Portland; more like a hip international city where everything is clean and people give you head-​nods as you walk past them on the street.
The service is great; the team behind the counter really know their stuff, and most importantly: they deliver coffee quickly and with a smile, too.
Seriously, who has that optimism and energy at 6 am? Guess the guys/​gals at Sterling do.

I started going to Sterling when it was a funny little addition next to Trader Joe’s and I had just moved to the neighborhood, five years ago.
In those days, my friend and I would treat ourselves to the occasional coffee walk, where we sipped on our more-expensive-than-we’re-normally-willing-to-spend coffees while mobile people watching. He and I both enjoyed the cute barista boys in bow ties.
Now Sterling shares space with M Bar, a wine bar, which is just such a wonderful double use of space. I visit whenever my coffee drinking hours correlate with Sterling’s hours.
Amazing espresso, for sure the first place that comes to mind when friends visit from out of town and ask me where to get a great Portland coffee.

It happened very often in Portland, when my friend and I would just walk by a coffee place and decide to go in on the spur of the moment. That was the case multiple times, and that was the case here.
It’s a small, quaint shop with about half a dozen tables inside and about half that number outside. They also have a small apparent menu, but don’t think they can’t easily deviate from it. I got a vanilla latte, and my friend got a cortado (not on the menu). It was pretty good, but not the best I’ve ever had. The staff was exceptionally friendly, and with just two people behind the counter (that’s about how many people it could hold anyway), quick service. Quaint, cramped, and pretty good coffee, they have a strong focus on customer satisfaction, which are all winning points for me.
It’s located in the Alphabet district (near our hostel), and proved entertaining for some people watching on a nice day. Definitely the type of place I’d frequent if I was a local. Parking for other people didn’t seem to be much of an issue, as people tended to come and leave after they got their coffee. I can’t guarantee that’s always the case, though.

This was one of my favorite coffee stops of our recent Portland trip. The place is tiny, but the coffee blends are flavorful. Staff are also friendly and welcoming. I went to the store later in our trip to buy some whole beans to take home. They make a damn good mocha here and I wish it was closer to home. I will definitely be trying to mimic it in my own kitchen.
Also, the interior is very tiny, but they offer nice outdoor seating options.