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    Behind the Museum Cafe

    4.5 (491 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Behind the Museum Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    BEHIND THE MUSEUM CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Behind the Museum Cafe

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    Takuan onigiri with edamame and iced rooibos tea
    Jason C.

    I've been curious about this place for a long time and was excited to try it. The onigiri was super tasty and fresh. I loved the mixed grain rice and the broad range of fillings. I liked that it came with a side. The rooibos tea was pleasantly iced. The staff were super friendly. I do wish that they had more reusable cups and dishes, but maybe they just don't have a dishwasher or something.

    Best Matcha in PDX
    Steve A.

    Dear 10 Yelp Followers, A new decree has been made: this review has been officially upgraded from 4 to 5 stars. In my opinion, Behind the Museum Café serves the best matcha lattes in the entire city. No competition. If this is your first visit, here are 3 essential tips: - Order a hot matcha latte. No milk substitutions. Their natural sweetener is perfectly balanced--nothing extra needed. - Expect limited seating. If it's packed, head to the community table in the back. It's part of the charm. - Parking is classic Portland street parking. Prepare accordingly. And don't forget to enjoy the pottery wall--it's half the experience. 5/5. Thank me later.

    Salmon onigiri and edamame side
    Alice K.

    We saw the reviews and knew we had to try it. We got some salmon onigiri, matcha latte, and a hojicha and matcha soft serve. The matcha latte and soft serve was definitely worth the hype! The salmon onigiri was a bit underwhelming. Too much rice, little salmon, and no flavoring in the rice. The interior was cozy and spacious. The service was excellent and the staff were courteous. I would most definitely recommend for the drinks, soft serve, and ambience!

    Hojicha Latte
    Vince P.

    Behind the Museum Cafe is a Japanese-inspired cafe located directly across the street behind the Portland Art Museum. There is a ton of street parking all around the area. Inside, they have a cozy and welcoming setup with a good amount of seating. For their menu, they have a nice selection of different coffee, matcha, tea, and ice cream too choose from. Wifey and I ended up trying the Hojicha Latte and the Matcha Parfait. Both items were amazing with nice flavor profiles. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the vibes here and unwinding for a bit after some walking. All of the staff here are very friendly and accommodating. Definitely plan a day around going to the museum and stopping by here right after!

    hojicha latte and matcha tea set
    Jessica L.

    oh my goodness! I felt like I walked into a different world at this cafe. Behind the Museum is a beautiful cafe with lots of windows, Japanese drinks and food options, and fast service. Probably most affordable + tasty matcha I've found in the Portland/Vancouver area so far. Hojicha latte is pretty sweet, but the hojicha tea itself has a good flavor. Onigiri is mostly rice, but teriyaki shitake filling is very flavorful. Edamame is ok... probably needs more salt. mini baguette has a good balance of flavors. Everything is beautifully presented. If planning on studying here, there are lots of small tables and 1 big table with accessible outlets. Wifi is spotty, however. I would recommend parking at a nearby garage if you plan to stay a while as they are cheaper. I went on a weekend afternoon and it was packed. Definitely plan on returning!

    Real deal
    Grace K.

    What a gem!!! Loved atmosphere with all the nostalgic Japanese items in the cafe such as Shinto Kami Dana and Ojizou san!!! Loved the soft ice cream! A lot of matcha flavor in it :) we wanted to eat onigiri but we were too full. It was a busy place with long time on Saturday. Service was OK but worth trying the food!!

    Matcha
    Lily C.

    This is a fun place to stop in for a quick snack and a great matcha after a long day exploring all the new updates to the Portland Art Museum. Delicious hot matcha that pairs well with the cold days we have coming up and a variety of savory and sweet snacks!

    Matcha set

    Very strong matcha shot and a very unique experience, lovely place, very nice service aswell.

    Salmon onigiri...i thought there was only the meat on top but there was more salmon inside. The edamame was really tasty
    Tiff W.

    Needed a quick stop for lunch and to chill before heading to the airport and this hits the spot. The only thing was that they only had street parking and it was very crowded inside. I got an onigiri and it came with edamane. The edamane surprised me...tasted like it was boiled in dashi. I also go a matcha latte and it was perfect with the cold raining afternoon vibe. The cashier was friendly and helpful.

    Matcha
    Grace J.

    I was so excited to find this very modern Japanese cafe in the city! It is a perfect place to stop by for a light lunch or tea. They offer onigiris and matcha which tasted wonderful. There's a long row of seating and tables that get filled pretty easily. Very beautiful interior that facilitates great conversation

    Teriyaki chicken (top) and salmon mayo (right)
    Alex N.

    The cafe has a very cozy and comfortable vibe with warm lanterns spaced throughout the main area and decorative plates and other antiques on wall shelves. The servers were all very friendly when answering any questions and taking our order. We got the salmon mayo and teriyaki chicken onigiris which were both pretty solid. The hojicha latte also was great with a very pronounced taste of the tea. There's a good amount of street parking outside that is free at certain times. We went on a Sunday when it was free before 1 PM.

    Behind the Museum Cafe: cucumber with miso dip, 4 different vegan onigiri, hojicha roasted green tea, expresso soy latte
    Chiemi N.

    My friend wanted to treat me to lunch. She asked if I had ever been to Behind the Museum Cafe, and I never have. We were able to find street parking nearby, I paid for 2 hours so that we wouldn't have to rush. We were greeted at the counter where you place your order. The person taking our order was great and helping us to make decisions on what to order. Once you place your order, you find a spot and they bring your order out to you. She and I are both vegan, and there were vegan options enough that we certainly did not leave hungry. There were 4 vegan onigiri, and we got 1 of each. Ume pickles, seaweed mushroom, teriyaki mushroom, pickled tea leaves. It came with a side of edamame or Japanese style napa cabbage or half and half, which we went with half and half. We also got an appetizer of cucumber with miso dip. I got Hojicha, a roasted green tea and she got an expresso soy latte. The rice is a nutritious blend of brown rice with quinoa, millet, Bhutanese red rice, black rice. I thought it was pretty delicious. It was a fun adventure with a lovely friend!

    Jan Michael F.

    One of the best matcha spots I've tried in Portland. The food, pastries, and drinks were delicious. The service was great and the baristas were nice and friendly! The ambiance is great. The aroma of matcha and the sweetness of pastries is notable. I would defijitely go back.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Behind the Museum Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Behind the Museum Cafe

    What matcha do they use?

    They use powdered match, but it's organic. I hope that answered your question.

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    The Spice & Tea Exchange - 1st wall. Spices. Yummm

    The Spice & Tea Exchange

    4.3(111 reviews)
    0.4 miDowntown, Southwest Portland
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    I like to drink decaf chai and it can be difficult to find. I stopped in here to see if they had…read moreany. I was promptly greeted and the sales associate was so friendly. I asked her about what I was looking for and she immediately brought me to it (they had two to choose from). She explained the differences to me then left me to decide and explore. I appreciated that she was so helpful but also not pushy or hovering after she answered my question. I explored the rest of the store and even grabbed another tea to try. The store has a lot of teas and spices in various sizes. It was well organized and stocked. They all had various tea and spice related items. When I checked out she told me that if I bring the container back they will refill with any tea and take $3 off the purchase which I thought was great! I will be back to get my chai tea here from now on.

    The shop is so cute with teas and spices lining the walls. I appreciate being able to smell the…read moreteas to get a feel of what I'm buying. I have to say a lot of their blends smelled really good but I ended up going with their peach blossom herbal tea. I was able to buy a go cup of the brewed tea and some of the tea leaves. The sales associate was so helpful letting us know which teas are similar. She was bright and friendly and offered to help me create a new mix when I mentioned looking for a dupe of a discontinued brand. I definitely recommend if you're a tea lover.

    Photos
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    The Spice & Tea Exchange - One wall of yummies to smell Sugars, salts & more teas

    One wall of yummies to smell Sugars, salts & more teas

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    redstraw - Thai sea salt with boba

    redstraw

    4.6(40 reviews)
    0.4 miDowntown, Southwest Portland

    Had a wonderful mid-day treat here. I didn't realize that this shop was in the mall at first, but…read moreit was nice to walk around and window shop. The store itself is very clean and has a lot of cute decorations. Drinks are very colorful and have some fun seasonal themes. The employee behind the counter was super sweet and friendly. Service was really fast event though I think they were working alone. I really enjoyed my French Daisy-- the purple is SUPER vibrant in person, even though the yellow is a little duller than the ad. It was refreshing and very sweet (my preference, my partner got his 50% sweet and said that was perfect for him). The tapioca pearls were just the right consistency. Perfect for a little pick-me-up on the weekend.

    I tried the French Daisy and loved it…read more I was in town for work and was craving some tea. This place was just around the corner from the office, so I headed over with a few colleagues. We got there at 2:15 p.m., and there was a "be back soon" sign on the door. Lee showed up at 2:30 p.m. and was absolutely wonderful--super friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. My drink was spot on; the tea flavor came through, it had a nice bitterness, and wasn't overly sweet, which I prefer. My colleagues ordered a matcha latte and the Redstraw signature drink and weren't as happy due to the sweetness. They went for 25% sweetness in theirs, but still found it a bit too sweet.

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    Exterior

    redstraw - Storefront. Kids AI replaced for privacy.

    Storefront. Kids AI replaced for privacy.

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    4.7(294 reviews)
    0.3 miDowntown, Southwest Portland
    $$

    Stopped by Less and More Coffee and really enjoyed the creativity of their drinks along with the…read morequality of their coffee. They are located outdoors within a repurposed trimet station, which add such a a unique Portland touch to their vibe. Although usually a 1-2 person operation, drinks always come out relatively quick! I tried the tiramisu latte and the black sesame latte. The tiramisu latte was easily my favorite. The cream top is rich and delicious, and when mixed into the coffee it really tastes like a classic tiramisu dessert. It's sweet, smooth, and feels like a treat without being overwhelming. The black sesame latte was also great, especially if you like nutty flavors. It has a natural sweetness with a deep roasted sesame taste that almost reminds me of peanut butter, making it both comforting and unique. I've also had their regular latte before and really appreciate the quality of their espresso. The coffee itself has a smooth, balanced flavor that stands out even without added syrups or toppings. A great spot to visit if you enjoy creative specialty drinks but still want genuinely good coffee underneath it all.

    Very interesting variety of coffee types, including unique Korean styles and flavors. Outside stand…read morewith minor cover and a few seats. So careful of rainy days like today. First customer of day. Service was obviously quick. :) Hojicha for me. Tiramisu for the wife. Nice treat on a wet day.

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    Less & More Coffee - Hojita Latte

    Hojita Latte

    Less & More Coffee - Ube Latte

    Ube Latte

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    Deliciousness in a cup

    Behind the Museum Cafe - japanese - Updated May 2026

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