The best espresso drinks in Portland, in my humble opinion. Lovely space to linger with a staff that seems to genuinely care. I instantly felt like I was a part of the community when I walked in. read more

I'm a big fan of Tandem, and have been to their larger coffee shop + bakery on Congress Street several times over the years. They serve good coffee, great bakes, and the overall vibe speaks to me. A few years back, I was in the area visiting another business and recognized Tandem's bicycle logo and immediately became intrigued. I soon discovered that they had a second location here, and told myself if I was ever in the area again I would step in. During this most recent Maine trip, I was making a few last minute stops before heading home, and thought this was as great opportunity to check little Tandem out and get some plural peps. Right from the jump, I noticed the vibe at Tandem Roasters was different. The big Tandem on Congress is large, usually always has a line, and has a large selection of food in addition to the coffee. This Tandem is smaller and more chill - the main floor has some seating around the perimeter, with a smaller room off to the side with more seating. In addition to their merch, they have a decent selection of vinyls to browse. The vibe is overall more chill here - I had time to browse and soak in the aesthetics, whereas you're kinda shuffled down the line at the larger Tandem due to the crowds. The menu is mostly coffee and related beverages; they have a small selection of bakes but it's not nearly as large as their other location. I had already had breakfast, so I decided just to go with a cappuccino. The beverage was good - everything you want out of a cappuccino. Service was also good, I was taken care of promptly and my beverage was ready relatively quickly. Overall, I'm glad I finally got to check this Tandem out. It's a little off the beaten path of the main commercial hub of Portland, however there are a few businesses in the area so it's worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - exterior - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Wonderful coffee place. We loved the cappuccino, I bit more sour to my like, my husband loved it. The cheddar jalapeño biscuit is alright, probably would taste better if we warmed it up. Lovely atmosphere. Would recommend this place for sure. read more

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We came in and grabbed a latte and Chai tea to go. It was a busy morning there Service was good The star ended up being a random recommendation for a kimchi scone! Yea, you read that right! It was amazing! A savory treat like nothing I have ever had! Cool coffee shop with some unique treats! read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Anyone who loves their craft coffee will without a doubt love their visit here. Their other location celebrates pastries and baked goods while this spot is purely all about the coffee (hence, roasters). The staff were so friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful; super easy to strike up a conversation and talk about the different beans they were serving. For pourover, I went with the Ethiopia Tagel Alemayehu. It's an easy cup to drink down. Appropriately bright and had fruity notes. It's a vibey space to hang out and enjoy your coffee. Some people around me were reading, working on their laptop, and simply taking in their coffee. You shouldn't miss a visit here! read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Great coffee including pour overs. A limited food menu but everything is very good. We loved the goat cheese and sun dried tomato quiche - one of the best I've ever had. Staff are very friendly, and there's a small seating area. read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Quiche and iced coffee - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great service, great atmosphere (especially like the vinyl record selection) and ample selection of drinks and desserts. I ordered black tea, which was prepared with loose leaves and served in a ceramic mug with a saucer. Nice attention to detail and freshly made items. Everyone seems happy here. read more

Quite possibly the single best biscuit in the entire world. What else do you need to know?

Confession: I just can't deal with the traffic, parking, and line-up at the big Tandem on Congress Street (though of course I'm happy for their well-deserved success). So when I discovered this smaller outpost in East Bayside, I was delighted! It can get busy here too, but it's altogether mellower, feels super local, and it's easier to grab a parking spot somewhere on Anderson Street. Their coffee--as always--is delicious; I'm a pretty faithful latte girl, but they do great pour-over specials too if that's your thing. You also sometimes get the yummy wafting scent from the roastery here. And, there's a selection of Tandem's famous baked goods: if you haven't had one of their cheddar jalapeño biscuits yet, I'm sorry but you have not officially fully experienced this city. They are absolutely delicious. It's also such a pleasant space because of the amazing and super friendly staff. Seriously, they make you feel like a regular from the very first time you go there. And they all seem fully invested in what they do; you're never going to get a latte that's anything less than gorgeous as well as tasty. Also, someone there is a genius with plants! They're hanging and draping from just about every surface in the place, which only makes it nicer to be there. You'll find seating both inside and out. Finally, there's also merch! Not only do they sell their coffee in 1 lb bags--they have little packets of single-shot instant coffees in several varieties (including decaf that raises the bar). These are great not only for gifts but just to bring along when you're on the road and want to be sure you'll have a good cup of Joe. Thanks, Tandem! You're part of what makes Portland the best. read more

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The food and vibe were great but what set this place apart was the people. I have never baristas who were more kinda.

$20+ for a bag of coffee - I live in NYC and don't see that even in "artisanal" coffee shops. Plus when asking about the different varieties the employee told me to read the labels... helpful. read more

I tried the malt iced coffee yesterday and it was slightly sweet and I enjoyed it. I would get it again but also I would try other things first to see if I like it more. This location was nice, I just took my coffee to go but there were lots of seating options. Service was fast and friendly, next time I'm in Portland I would come back here. read more

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Excellent Mocha but not hip enough. They ought to paint the interior yellow and put up black and white photos of barns. That would be 10/10 atmosphere. read more

No matter how long the line is, no matter the weather, super humid or extremely cold, we would still patiently wait until our turn comes to pick the most delicious, mouth-watering pastries, treats you can find! Add a hot or iced coffee to this, and you're all set to enjoy your time here. I almost always have to take home a box of at least half a dozen treats! Wish they had more branches outside of Maine. The quality of their products hasn't changed through the years. Keep it up, Tandem! Always happy to see you! read more

Great coffee, super nice and helpful baristas, amazing atmosphere! While I was waiting in line at the register, I realized that they were playing ACTUAL RECORDS and that the speakers were in stereo and sounded phenomenal! Came for breakfast with my family and everyone got a drink and a pastry and everyone loved everything; no notes. After we finished our drinks and pastries, a friendly barista came and collected our dishes and trash and offered to bring us water (flat or sparkling). I got sparkling and it came in a glass cup. Tandem Coffee has mastered the art of going above and beyond! If I lived locally, this is where you would find me. Definitely coming back here first, next time I'm in town! read more

Cool little coffee spot. This is just the type of place I look for when traveling on business. They have some indoor seating along with two benches outside. Jazzy tunes all around. Friendly service. Competitive pricing. Only a few minor negatives. They only offer regular white sugar, I like it when there's raw sugar, agave, and honey among other options. It's an easy fix and should go without saying, but some coffee shops didn't get the memo apparently. The coffee or in my case my cappuccino was good. I enjoyed it. My only complain was that it was lukewarm, one thing I can't stand is warm coffee. They were kind enough to remake it for me. Again, good quality coffee that I would grab while on the go. They also offer pastries as well, though I can't say much about the taste since I didn't try any, the pastries looked appealing. Overall four stars. Worth checking out. read more

Best location and coffee in portland. Has a bunch of affordable pourover options. Friendly employees

They charge you $20 for a pound of coffee then they wanted .50 for a plastic cup of ice. Sigh.

Tandem coffee has two locations in Portland, Maine. One is located in a previously renovated gas station, whereas the other location is closer to the brewery district. I love their coffee so much, I stopped here twice during my trip. I ordered a hot honey oat latte and couldn't get enough of it! My husband also enjoyed his hot chocolate. Anything you order would be great! read more

We loved Tandem Coffee - and it seems like the rest of Portland does as well, because the line was out the door! We waited probably 40 minutes, but it was totally worth it. The breakfast sandwiches were hot and delicious, and the pastries were excellent. We especially loved the cookies, and kicked ourselves for not getting the cinnamon bun. The coffee was also great. A tip to other customers - order ahead online for pickup to avoid the lines. You might not be able to get everything from the pastry case, but it will save you lots of time! read more

We spent a long weekend in Portland and despite wanting to love it, were heading back home a little underwhelmed. We decided to stop at one more place on the way out, and the wildly sweet and welcoming staff may have redeemed the entire city for us. The lattes and hot chocolates were perfect, and the food was delicious, especially the jalapeño biscuit, we all fought over who would finish it. Also, the amazing natural light apparently inspired my 8 year old, who prior to this morning had no interest in photography. Yet for a few minutes at Tandem he became a food blogger, repeatedly rearranging things to get all the right shots read more

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I really lucked out having an AiBnB close to Tandem during a weekend trip to Portland! It was the perfect spot to start my mornings. The staff was really wonderful, the vibes were good, and the coffee was great. The quiche was delicious and had a unique fluffy texture. The chocolate chip cookies were out of this world! read more

A fantastic place for coffee and baked goods. Ben taking orders at the bar was kind and very welcoming, giving tasty recommendations and just enjoying the small talk with customers. This was our first stop on our day trip to Portland and it did not disappoint. read more

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So delicious. Everything! But especially the sausage and egg biscuit. Every time I'm in Portland, I'll be here for breakfast first thing! read more

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Tandem serves some of the best coffee I've tasted. We were visiting Portland and stopped by the 122 Anderson location. We were greeted by the baristas who were extremely friendly and provided great recommendations for the area. We tried a classic latte, maple latte, and their pour over coffee, which was smooth and bold. Highly recommend a pit stop here, either to enjoy the ambience of the little shop or just grab a coffee to go! read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - The front counter - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I love their jalapeño cheddar biscuits so I had to come here to review! Yeah, they're $4 each, but they're huge and actually soft rather than just crumbly! Pro tip, depending on what you're ordering, order online. There were 15-20 people ahead of me in line and I just wanted 3 biscuits, so I literally ordered online while in line, immediately walked over, got my biscuits and left. I'm sure it's different if you did that with something that involves cooking time. Saved me a solid 20-30+ minutes! read more

A friend was visiting from out of town and after 4 days of eating all over town, she requested a cup of Tandem coffee and a loaded biscuit before getting on a plane south. We drove by the larger bakery Tandem on Congress street and there was a long line curving out the door. Pressed for time, I suggested "little Tandem". I had never been there before, but knew they had coffee, which at the very least, was better than nothing! So, we head over to Anderson Street and enter the super cute brick block building that is little Tandem. There is a small seating area to the right, a couple is sitting there, the woman is knitting and shows absolutely no sign of moving. We walk into the main space. There are no loaded biscuits, but there are a few cheddar jalapeno and some cookies. More importantly, there is coffee. Coffee made with far more of a personal touch than at the larger Tandem. In this very cosy space, there is a barista, who seems to be functioning as a kind of a bartender. Greeting the regulars and newcomers as they come in and keeping the conversation going as she makes individual pour-over cups of coffee. As I watched the scene unfold, I thought it the perfect spot to meet people if you were new in town and didn't like the bar scene. We were on a bit of a schedule, so we did not stay. If we had more time though and had stayed, it would have been to have joined the group conversation. This is NOT a place to plug in your laptop and get some work done. If you're looking for that, you can find it one block over! read more

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I really liked Tandem Coffee Roasters. They're a great neighborhood coffee shop and roastery. It's such a Portland sort of place. Came here twice on my weekend trip. I had a pour over of the Astrid Medina, which was delicious. It was really smooth with all the best qualities of the coffee brought out and none of the acidity. With the coffee, I had the jalapeno cheese biscuit. It was great, but probably not the best thing to be eating along with my nuanced perfectly made coffee. In any case, I still really enjoyed the biscuit. It was soft and fluffy without being dry. And the flavor of the cheese and jalapeno was really nice. It had just the right amount of spice to it. I came back to get a latte with almond milk and it was also great. The almond milk they use (I think they make it in-house) complemented the coffee well. It's also interesting that they recently dropped all the prices by $0.25 and charge you $0.25 if you need a single use cup. If you bring your own cup/tumbler or stay and drink the coffee out of a real cup, there is no cost and you just saved $0.25 off the old prices. If you need the coffee to go and you didn't bring your own cup, it'll cost you $0.25. If I lived in Portland, I'd be here five days a week. read more

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Coffee was great! Would highly recommend the latte. Ambiance was definitely not cozy coffee shop vibes. Techno music playing in the background with very limited seating. read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Latte - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

Delicious baked goods. Lovely patio outside to sit. Definitely a nice and friendly place.

Amazing decaf coffee first tasted at Rover Bagels in Biddeford. Circling back. Amazing decaf coffee. Can't vary in flavor if you brew the instant! Delicious blueberry lemon scones. Pillow soft inside slightly crusty on outside. A flavor that can't be beat! Unfortunately the line does take sone time but they offer order ahead. Efficient service. read more

A great coffee shop with awesome service. Our iced maple lattes with oat milk were delicious. A cool, laid-back spot that is a nice place to start the day with high-quality coffee. read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Iced maple lattes with oat milk - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

I really miss traveling around and popping in cafés and coffee roasters while road tripping- I've been in person twice on separate trips to Maine and their coffee never disappoints. So while I'm mostly utilizing my own kitchen as a café I thought I'd order some from Tandem! I placed the order on 02/14, they roasted the beans 02/15, and I have them now on 02/18. Absolutely amazing shipping/delivery time- and with a handwritten thank you card and sticker! I broke into the Time & Temperature bag first, and it's fantastic. Until I can get up there again, I'll be ordering again for sure! read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - freshly unboxed beans! Time & Temperature and West End Blues! - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

"That's really good coffee." "That's seriously good coffee." Yeah, I think Tandem ruined all other coffee for my caffeinated buds. We were just about to depart for Bar Harbor with a planned stop at Portland the very next morning when I happened upon Bon Appétit's The 50 Nominees for America's Best New Restaurants 2015 List. The closer of Tandem's two location won out as the more convenient, and we found it to be located on a small side street that was rough from being under construction. It was a small spot, yet the larger portion of its footprint was basically what is normally behind the scenes, while the coffee counter was set further in. Their tiny bar was full with three seated customers watching as their coffees were dripped before their eyes. The pastry offering was but two types. Alemu $3 (Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia; honey, apricot, citrus) was ground and dripped before our very eyes and had a lovely roasted flavor. Mocha $5 (Mast Brothers Belize Dark Chocolate) was delicious, but the cup was more than my friend could handle despite its seemingly small size. With a single barista handling each step of the process, patience is key, but quite worth your while! read more

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No frills coffee house where you can buy freshly roasted on the premises coffee beans but drink a delicious latte before rushing home to make your own brew. 'Nuff said, yes? When you order a fabulous beverage, you have simplified your life by just picking the item without concern for size. One size only works well for me. The staff is pretty cool, knowledgeable and most importantly, deliver the delicious beverages with precision. The location is somewhat far from the downtown area, but there is easy parking for bike or car. Cute seating outside at a picnic table 'neath a tree. Warning: if you come here just for a beverage, you will leave with beans because... It's just so cool that they roast 'em here! read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Love it. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine

I came across this Tandem Coffee on a whim, as I had passed it numerous times, but I never knew it was a Tandem coffee establishment. The minute I realized what it was, I was eager to scope it out! On a Saturday morning, I decided to stop in to this Tandem location, and I am so glad that I did. The minute you walk in, there are various modern fixtures against a white backdrop. There is not a whole lot of seating, however, it makes for the perfect place to do work on just drink your coffee in peace. In my opinion, I much prefer this location compared to it's sister location on Congress, due to it's quaintness. As always, this location serves strong, well-made coffee. My go to is always the iced coffee with their homemade almond milk. If you love Tandem, or if you love strong coffee in general in a quiet space, this is your place. read more

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Coffee perfection! We LOVE Tandem..can I scream it out loud? The barista's are amazing. The coffee, WOW and the treaty treats, so sweet, so good. LOVE this place too much. read more

My coffee was good and the cheesy biscuit was an absolute eggy, creamy delight! It was a busy Saturday morning but the friendly, efficient staff made the line zip right along. I really like that they are trying to support sustainable practices by actively encouraging customers to use reusable cups. read more

Tandem has two coffee shop locations in Portland. The roaster is on Anderson Street in the northeast part of East End. The bakery is on Congress Street in West End. I went to the Anderson location since the roaster location for a coffee shop usually has the better baristas. It delivered. It had the best latte I drank in Portland. The drink was smooth throughout. The microfoam and the latte art was great. The shop has its own parking lot in the back. However, it is small and I accidentally drove into the bigger parking lot of another coffee shop, Coffee by Design. The Anderson Street location also closes a lot earlier than the Congress Street one: 2 PM on the weekdays, noon on Saturday, and closed on Sundays. If you are visiting and planning a trip to Portland and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile. read more

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Awesome coffee. Great staff. Really nice chocolate chip cookie with salt. Chill music and vibe and on a cool street in my favorite town. What's not to like? read more

Tandem Coffee Roasters - Just my view of the world at Tandem. - Coffee Roasteries Near Me - Portland, Maine