We value people. Over our 22-year history, relationships have been at the heart of what matters to us at Portland Roasting Coffee. Back in 1999 we were one of the first in the Pacific Northwest to forge direct trade relationships and just a few years in, we were regularly visiting and nurturing long lasting relationships with our coffee growers.

“We’re really excited to open a Flagship Café, where we can showcase coffees that highlight our direct relationships” says Maggie Davis, Director of Coffee at Portland Roasting.  “We’ve been working with farmers directly for so many years, but now we have a much clearer avenue to share that with our customers.”

A prime example, served in our café, is our Rosa Elvita coffee from The Casil Cooperative in San Ignacio, Peru. This small, 40-hectare farm is owned by a woman named Señora Rosa Elvita. In 2017 we asked if we could give her an opportunity to showcase her coffee all by itself by agreeing to purchase her entire harvest and promoting it through our Enthusiast Collection, thus making her wonderful coffee, and her name, known to the coffee community.

We have always looked at what we can do for our partners and their community beyond just paying a fair price. Some of our current projects include a sponsorship at the La Hilda Estate Daycare in Costa Rica, and a partnership with Habitat for humanity to improve the standard of living for farm worker families at the Finca El Paternal in Guatemala.

Customers can taste our Rosa Elvita coffee on pour over and draft cold brew, alongside many other delicious beverages including our Illumination Cold Brew Nitro.  As summer approaches the café will expand into the evening hours, serving coffee related cocktails and Cascara Soda, paired with a carefully selected food pairing menu.

“Being able to engage customers in conversations about our direct relationships, at the retail level is, in my mind, the natural next step for us to take.  Plus, the coffee is delicious” smiles Davis.

Learn more about the Oak Street Cafe Grand Opening.