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    The Proper Cup

    4.4 (66 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Closed 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

    The Proper Cup Photos

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    THE PROPER CUP ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for working
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Proper Cup

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    Smoked sea salt maple oat milk latte iced with an extra shot. YUM.
    Steff D.

    I would say my favorite cup of coffee in the city of Portland is at the Proper Cup! I've loved their cold brew since the day they opened, and within the past year discovered the Maple Smoked Sea Salt Latte. Rich espresso combined with a touch of maple syrup sweetness and creamy oat milk topped with alder-smoked salt. And it actually tastes like all of those individual elements, too! An iced 20oz with an extra shot of espresso (and extra sea salt) is currently about $8 and keeps the pep in my step for a very, very long time. The Proper Cup is also one of those places where: 1) I never have concerns about whether or not my drink was made correctly. 2) *IF* I did have a concern about my drink, I know that they'd fix it right away. Their ambiance has changed over the course of their opening in 2018, but only for the better. It's a comfortable, airy space with ENORMOUS windows that let in so much light (even on those overcast days); there's great seating along the windows themselves, a couple tables outside, some two tops along one wall (with plenty of outlets), and a little central seating area. There's plenty of parking nearby on-street, which makes it genuinely so easy to get to if you're just picking something up to go. But - just some things to note - they close at 1pm every day and they don't take online orders on the weekend (so be prepared to wait Saturdays and Sundays because they get BUSY).

    Large caramel Iced Latte
    Jess B.

    LGBTQ+ friendly, spacious, and smells incredible were my first thoughts. The baristas were attentive and service was quick. I tried the avocado toast and added sriracha and it was delicious! I got a large iced caramel latte - my go to. It was also delicious. They are very conscious of their waste and are a sustainable business. I would definitely come back here. Located on Forest Ave in Portland, it is close to other establishments. Great place to take a walk to.

    two cups of coffee on a table
    Gabriela D.

    Wicked good chai. Was warm and spicy and even with oat milk still had a rich and creamy feel. The prices are a bit expensive (7+ dollars for a 16 oz latte feels crazy especially since it's not downtown). The restaurant is cute with bright windows and lots of tables-perfect to do some work. Very quiet even though the cafe was full. Staff were quick making the drinks and had good recommendations.

    Lorelee I.

    You can't help but take a deep breath as you walk in the door and get hit with the invigorating smell of fresh coffee! The shop is delightful, the coffee is delicious, and the raspberry coffee cake hit the spot. Definitely worth a visit!

    Right in the heart of the Oakdale neighborhood
    Tom V.

    What is not to love? From their rebooted Pride flag, brilliantly displayed at the entrance, to their Flight coffee, this wonderful coffee shop is outta this world. The staff is so welcoming and clearly skilled with their artisanship, the space is open and airy, and the street seating is quaint albeit limited. Their chai is not too sweet, with the notes of clove and cinnamon laying atop the vanilla level. Their mocha had just the right blend of espresso and chocolate, with the foam (again, artisanship) done just right, fluffy and velvety. But try the baked goods. The blueberry scone (uh, Maine) was amazingly cakey and I'm not sure how they packed so much fruit into that scone. And the strawberry-rhubarb hand pie stands no chance versus my wife, destroyer of all things strawberry. Pair your eats with a cup of Flight coffee and you have an amazing start to your day. Enjoy!

    Maple Latte
    Stephanie M.

    The Maple Latte and Caprese Toast were amazing! I will definitely be coming back to this place. The workers were very nice and I loved the busy talkative atmosphere.

    Good vibes at The Proper Cup
    Christina H.

    The Proper Cup is the cutest! I love the vibe Proper Cup sets as soon as you walk in. The Proper Cup truly serves only... you got it, a proper cup! Food is excluded off of the menu, but that doesn't stop me from coming! I love to enjoy a cup of my chai latte while reflecting in my journal, reading a new book, or catching up on emails and writing new Yelp reviews. This is the perfect place to soak up your creative juices. Parking is street only, but because this is away from all of the touristy spots and small nooks and crannies of Portland, you can easily find parking around the corner.

    Iced Latte
    Christine T.

    One of the first pit stops upon arriving to Maine. When we went to go grab coffee, seats were not available due to covid. Coffee options were good! So many cute plants inside the shop as well. Would come back hopefully when the times are a bit better...

    the interior of a coffee shop

    A tranquil and magical place with delicious coffee. There is plenty of seating, ample and convenient locations for plugging in, dog ecstatic, clean, and possessing a lovely staff. The clientele is polite and considerate of other people. Park on a side street to amplify your bliss.

    the front door of a coffee shop
    Roasted Unroasted C.

    Roasted: checked out the Proper Cup in Portland Maine this morning. It is open limited hours with out door seating only right now due to Covid but had about 4 two top tables outside to sit at. Relatively simple menu with limited flavor options and no sugar free ones. They use a coffee roaster called Flight which is based out of New Hampshire which I've never heard of before today. Overall good but the espresso is slightly on the brighter side for my liking. The milk was steamed perfectly and the latte had a heart on top and the temperature was drinkable right away. Friendly barista. Would I go out of my way to come back here, probably not but I'd recommend it for sure if you are in Portland. Unroasted: I like the fact that the coffee shop goes out of its way to set up tables and chairs outside for people to enjoy. The staff as friendly and I wish they had a menu on the table you order at. Menu is on the window as you walk in. No sugar free flavoring here so had to go with my usual vanilla latte. I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit. This was a really good execution of the proper cup. I would try this again.

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    4 years ago

    Nice local coffee shop. Their maple sea salt latte was well liked by my friends. Street parking available in front

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    3 years ago

    This was the best cup of coffee I have had in Portland. I would definitely drive out of my way to go to this place

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    Ask the Community - The Proper Cup

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    Shaghf Coffee - Viral Strawberry Dubai Cup, delicious!

    Shaghf Coffee

    (21 reviews)

    Back Cove

    What a beautiful spot - I loved the coffees that we have gotten from Shaghf…read more I will add that the parking situation is tricky. I recommend trying for the adjacent street parking, first. If street parking on Forest Avenue is not available and the weather isn't adverse, there is plenty of parking available in the adjacent neighborhoods.

    Shaghf Cafe is a really unique addition to Portland and feels very different from most coffee shops…read morearound here. It comes straight from Dubai, and that influence is obvious in both the menu and the overall vibe. This is a great spot for a lot of different moments. Morning coffee, an afternoon pick-me-up, getting a little work done, an after-dinner treat, or even a late-night hang with sober friends sipping tea or coffee. They're usually open around 8-10 most days and stay open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, but definitely double-check Google for current hours. The space itself is beautiful. I wouldn't call it cozy, it's more high-end and sleek, almost like a really well-lit lounge or nightclub, just without loud music or chaos. The lighting and decor are very intentional and make it a fun place to sit and hang out. They have some really eye-catching desserts and treats. I tried the strawberry Dubai chocolate cup and it was excellent. Honestly the second best one I've had, with Nuts Factory in Boston still holding my number one spot. Also, if you're looking for those viral fruit-shaped ice creams, this is a good place to check out. Service was a little slow when I went. There were two young men working and it seemed like one of them was still learning the equipment and drink-making process. That said, they were both very polite and kind, and I'm happy to give grace when people are learning. I definitely need to go back for a crepe and a latte. Overall, a really cool, stylish spot and one I'm glad Portland has.

    Onggi - The market and cafe seating area is separate from the bakery area.

    Onggi

    (45 reviews)

    East End

    Food: baked good, mochi and fun Asian inspired deserts…read more Drinks: Hojicha and matcha latte so good Service: sweet and quick Cute little shop to visit They have a lot of Asian unique items Highly recommend this cute store!

    The cafe/bakery has a few fresh baked goods daily (don't think any vegan or no gluten-free…read moreoptions). Their website lists about a half dozen, but the last time I was here there were just two: the sourdough chocolate chip cookie and the matcha and black sesame butter mochi. I'm guessing those are regularly available (they also do fun seasonal specials, so be sure to check their socials), but don't come with the expectation that there's going to be a big variety. The drinks include coffees, teas, and a variety of matcha. For me, this is NOT the best matcha in Portland. Matcha Mood is. The matcha here is good (maybe in the top three in the city), but the iced matcha with miso maple syrup and almond milk I recently had for $9+ was just okay. The drink is (literally) half the size as one at Macha Mood for the same price, and there wasn't any flavor of miso or maple. I've seen some internet buzz claiming THIS IS THE BEST... as a local, I don't agree. And that's okay; you might find your new favorite here, so it's absolutely worth visiting. They also do other fun spontaneous matcha flavors, so be sure to follow them on social! Check out their shop as well: loads of chili crisps and hot sauces, condiments and spices, jams, matcha powders and loose tea, pickles and other preserved foods, sweets, vinegars and oils, fermentation ware and kitchen goods, etc.

    Bread & Friends - Soft Scrambled Eggs ($15)

    Bread & Friends

    (194 reviews)

    Old Port

    Nice place to chill out with...bread, and friends. Small but tasty menu, pleasant service, and a…read morebright welcoming space. Can be busy at times, especially on the weekend, but weekdays and outside of lunch hour, you should be able to get a table right away. I had the Dutch Baby and it was almost too pretty to eat, but I dug in after admiring the piece of art that it was. I loved the combination of flavors and textures - brie, mushrooms, egg, jam, greens, chewy Dutch baby, crispy bits. Yum!

    Bread & Friends was the start to my wife and my Valentine's Day! Due to past times of seeing how…read morelong the wait was we arrived before open and made the right choice being the second group in line. It took no time at all for the place to completely fill up. Which based on everything we had I completely understand why, this place makes incredible food and drinks. Overall it has a great inviting feeling to the space. To start off I enjoyed a Morning Bun Latte while my wife got the Honey & Juniper Latte. Both came out perfect temperature with well done latte art and delicious taste. My wife was obsessed with their pottery mugs that the lattes came served in. Food wise we were looking to split everything and it worked perfectly. We ended up choosing French Toast, Soft Scrambled Eggs, and the Fried Potatoes side. Every dish would be an absolute no brainer for us to order again. Every bite of food kept us wanting even more. Lastly we grabbed a chocolate croissant to go and that was just as tasty and enjoyed it after our visit. After this visit it is certainly a new favorite spot of ours, and look forward to coming back! Worth your time visiting!

    The Proper Cup - coffee - Updated May 2026

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