The absolute best of Portland. All home grown style and accoutrements. If you want a taste of PDX, upper left is the place!

Um holy shit yeah hi. This is one of my favorite places to get some work in. It's bright, open, tons of bar seating (my preferred work seating) with outlets galore. I always get their Orange Mocha because it tastes like those Terry's Chocolate Oranges, and I like to feel like I'm getting my serving of fruit in. I tend to not like the coffee shops that make me feel like I'm in an Apple store, but this is my exception - the tasty toasts help too. read more

Perfect avo-toast, perfect playlist, perfect bright, light place to enjoy it all. Tea is definitely an afterthought, but hey: it's not like they're not practicing truth in advertising with the name. And the black tea blend is fresh and just fine. So even a reformed coffee drinker can feel at home ordering breakfast here. read more

I visited Portland in September 2017 and since I've left I find myself thinking about Upper Left way too often! That was the BEST coffee shop experience I've ever had. I've been to other shops in Portland but this one definitely took the cake. They have the best chai, coffee and when I was there they had a seasonal Peach Tart that I swear was one of the best things I've ever eaten! If I didn't live 1,500 miles away that would be my morning coffee shop without question! I can't wait to be back and visit again! read more

So much light, plentiful seats and outlets, friendly baristas, cheap tea... this place was a perfect fit for working in the afternoon.

On first arrival I noticed plenty of bike parking and outdoor seating. Big plus in this town. Loads of people bike and sitting outside is always pleasant. Upon walking in I noticed how beautiful and bright it was. Tons of natural light coming through the skylight and big bay windows that face north. I can already tell even with the winter rains it's going to glow in here which is always nice and comforting. Now on to the menu. At first glance I noticed how simple it was. It's essentially coffee and toast which is perfect for any time of the day. I had the cold brew which was so exceptional I had to get another glass. My next choice was one of the open face sandwiches. I made the right choice when I picked the poached egg w/ avocado. A friend suggested it and she was correct. Quality ingredients. Great flavor and the contrast. Contrast is key for me. The creaminess of the avocado. Softness of the poached egg. Crunchiness of the toasted bread and the spice from the hot oil that was drizzled on the toast made for one of the most simple and delicious breakfasts I've had in a bit. Just a overall wonderful experience and I'm excited to see this place grow into itself. I shall be returning and I imagine frequenting quite often. read more

Upper Left Roasters - large cold brew and a open faced poached egg w/ avocado and radish sandwich. perfect lunch - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Delightful, bright interior. Lots of natural light. My latte was excellent. I also enjoyed how you can see them roasting the coffee right in the shop. Highly recommend stopping for lunch at Cartopia then walking across the street to warm up in here. Yum! read more

Delicious avocado toast, cute place to work or grab a quick bite. Granola is delicious and given in a generous portion - could use a bit more yogurt to cut the dryness, but I never asked for more so that's on me! Design is cute and ambiance is wonderful. read more

Beautiful new space that used to be a dive bar. Really not good coffee. Almond milk has been sour/bitter, even though they were making it themselves. Gave it a couple of chances, but had to pour out and take back another. I know, #firstworldprobs, but when it's a $5 to treat yourself with, it should be tasty. House coffee isn't anything special. Good place to look at, but missed the coffee mark. Maybe it'll get better but with so many options close by, not motivated to keep trying. read more

Great setting and the outside patio is perfect for reading on a lazy weekend morning. Toast with seasonal preserves (strawberry rhubarb) was quite good, although I prefer a more dense bread than brioche. The drip coffee was good, but this place is not worth the price. $5.50 for one slice of bread and a black coffee. The in-house coffee mugs are quite small and not offering one free refill (it's $1 for 8 oz.) for dine-in customers gives this place a thumbs down in a crowded SE Portland coffee scene. Go to Oui Presse a couple blocks away on Hawthorne instead. Massive slices of fresh made toast, delicious preserves, great coffee and the nicest staff for about the same price or less. read more

So disappointed not to give a great review but now I've had a few experiences where the barista clearly wasn't paying attention and made my order wrong and charged me wrong, plus I found out they charge for a splash of their almond milk in drip coffee! That was the deal breaker for me- it feels like I'm being taxed for having an allergy. I get it for a latte but not for drip, and as a former barista I've never seen that! Maybe I just get the wrong barista but wish the customer service was better. Probably won't be coming back read more

Super friendly staff, great coffee, and the best avocado toast I've had in quite some time.

First time here while waiting for my car to be serviced down the street. Modern, good looking coffee shop that is roomy and comfortable inside with lots of windows. Roaster is visible off to the side - nice touch. Thank you Upper Left, it's been a long time and it's crazy nice to have a happy, non sleepy barista on the other side of the counter. I didn't have to carry the transaction this morning I politely ordered and the barista smiled, took my order and told me my pastry options when I asked. We then traded product for cash. (It's really that simple PDX Coffee shops.) The shop was thought out with room to place your order without feeling in the way of other customers. Bike racks outside and a decent patio area with bar seating. Important stuff: I usually order espresso shots or Americanos because most shops ignore or look down at drip coffee. I took a chance and the drip was black and hot and tasted good. I wish this was in my neighborhood I would be back tomorrow. Oh! And the pastries didn't suck. I had a lemon current scone that wasn't too dry or too sugary sweet. Nice! Drip coffee: $2 Lemon Current Scone: $3 Espresso: $3 Latte: $3.75 wi-fi: yes Outlets: along the wall Bike racks: yes Parking: might be tough but not impossible and there's a 15 minute spot in front of the shop for quick in and out. I liked it enough to tell the garage down the street about it and phoned a buddy to tell him "what's new" in his neighborhood. Check this place out. read more

This place was so calming. We arrived as soon as they opened and the worker was very friendly and made delicious coffee. Worth it.

For starters, I was not impressed with the coffee here. It tasted burnt to me! I decided to try the toast with cream cheese and cucumbers. While the toast was good, the portion was incredibly small. I had assumed that, for $5, I would get more than a small slice of toast. I was wrong. I ended up eating lunch really early that day because of how hungry I still was. Long story short, it's not worth the money. There are plenty of other good coffee shops in Portland. read more

My wife and I stopped in to try Upper Left Roasters (ULR) last year, and I have been hooked since that time. ULR is MY coffee destination and the place I recommend to anyone I speak to who enjoy coffee. And, why? First and foremost, the coffee is impeccable! I have never had a coffee here with any hint of a burnt flavor or a lingering coffee acidity I have had at other places. The temperature is always spot on for a hot coffee allowing for the flavors of the beans to be highlighted. I tend to do mochas, and I especially love their in-house made almond mocha. The staff have developed their almond milk to allow for a creaminess and frothiness I have not had at other coffee houses. Second, ULR does amazing open face sandwiches, and I prefer the poached egg, smoked ham, pesto, and arugula toast. The combination is exquisite, and I have had perfectly poached eggs every time I have ordered this dish (which has been more than 15 times). Third, the staff is amazing! Everyone seems to love being here. To me, it seems that the pride they take in providing a great product to people reflects an underlying mission to make every customer's day have a brightness, a ray of sunshine and smiles. Fourth, the atmosphere is open and provides a place for socializing or for working on a project. The huge windows allows great lighting, which is awesome for the cloudy days we have in Portland. I love the roaster housed within the space, especially when the roast master roasts beans for ULR. This speaks to the quality of the coffee and the ambiance. Lastly, there seems to be attention to detail that I find sets ULR above any competition in this industry. I respect other coffee houses and what they do; however, if you want to have a next level coffee experience in a comfortable, friendly, non-pretentious and locally-owned coffee house, come to Upper Left Roasters! read more

I had been eyeballing this place for a minute now and I'm so glad I decided to give it a try! I had the Olive Thyme (a toast-like thing with cream cheese and zoodled cucumbers), along with an iced americano (my favorite). Both were top notch. Definitely coming back! read more

LOVED this coffee shop. Employees were engaging and kind. My vanilla latte and spelt avocado toast were amazing.

Great Coffee, Friendly people, neat place. What else do you need! Parking (like everywhere in Portland) can be tough. Get there if you haven't been! read more

The Turkish egg was delicious!! The yogurt on the wall of the glass bowl made the dish very flavorful, and I enjoyed smearing some egg yolk and yogurt sauce onto my bread read more

The coffee was so tasty and flavorful. You walk in and automatically smell coffee and toast. I could have sat here all day and just taken in all the smells. It was beautiful. My husband got an oat milk latte with the honey blend espresso. I got the espresso with chocolate, creamy and caramel nuts with coconut milk. The coffee flavors came out so well. I would come back here all day long for the coffee. It was a great place to sit and catch up. It's airy, open, light. They have a great place to sit outside (dog friendly too). Everyone is really nice and will answer your questions if you have them. My husband had the toast with banana and nut butter which he really enjoyed. read more

I am loving all these new coffee shop options in SE Portland. Where were they when I used to be in school and always searching for a good coffee shop? I always end up going out of the way to Insomnia or Starbucks, all the trendy places never had tables open, which not the most ideal place to study because they always blending shit. Anyway, I love that I could go to coffee joint in the area if a place was busy and its convenient because I don't have to drive out of my way. Upper Left Roasters is now on my list. It's a very bright space with clean decor and plenty of seating, lots of stools along the window bar. I actually got my coffee to-go so I can't really comment on the environment if you plan on getting work done there. Excellent iced soy mocha, loving the pour-over coffee. Excited to return to try the toast and open-faced sandwiches options. read more

Excellent single origin selection and knowledgeable staff! I took coffee to go: lots of people hanging out & working in shop

The beans from here are amazing. We are big lovers of Coava, Courier, Blue Bottle, and Chromatic. Upper Left just became another of our favorites. These beans are definitely worth a try for brewing at home. read more

Nice to see this new addition to the Portland coffee scene. The pour over I had was delicious and the atmosphere was modern, clean, and bright. Loved working here on a gloomy afternoon. Will be back soon...once I make my rounds to the overwhelming number of other coffeeshops in Portland!! read more

Has been on my list to try, went twice, coffee was excellent (Kenyan pour over & Guatemala macchiato). Space is beautiful. Looks like the other reviewers experienced a friendly staff, I unfortunately did not. Both times were quite unpleasant. I was especially surprised due to how new the shop is, having such attitudes early on isn't the best representation. However, due to location and atmosphere alone, you're still bound to get people in there. Just kind of a bummer. read more

On a Sunday afternoon, their knowledgeable barista recommended a great roast and pulled quite an excellent espresso shot! Both their roasts that day were wonderful, their pastries were fresh, and their open-face tuna melt used seasonal ingredients and was very nice as well. Overall, a very good job! read more

Nom, nom, nom....my mouth is full of yummy. The smear here is excellent, with just a bit of heat to make it interesting. I also had a mocha...and I Love the coffee art, would have taken a picture but I drank it instead. Great place with an easy vibe and excellent food/drink. Easy parking....and great seating. read more

love this place! the people who work here are so friendly and helpful. great covid precautions. Great vegan toast options and coffee! must try in pdx read more

Came here on my vacation. I really like the location. There's a nice patio and the inside is spacious and extremely clean. I ordered the cold brew and thought it was amazing. I'll definitely be back here next time I'm in Portland. read more

Upper Left Roasters - Cold brew coffee. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I love the location and the cafe. Wonderful food menu and solid coffee. This is a special place that roasts coffee with expertise and care. I hope they thrive for a long time to come! That said, I did have a negative experience on my recent visit. Hot day so I ordered an iced espresso. I'm a coffee addict and drink espresso every day--as I have for the past thirty years. I know exactly what I want. I (almost) always order espresso and always drink it with cream. Not milk and not sugar. With milk or sugar it changes the high; a very different psychic effect. Add a small amount of cream and the fat combines with the caffeine perfectly and the high is great: not speedy and high-blood-sugary but grounded and steady. And intense, if you have a lot (which I always do!). So I ordered "four shot espresso with half and half, please!" And gave a big tip. "Thanks!!" I'm not bargain hunting here, I want a great coffee and I am respectful and generous, always, to the barista. My coffee was made and delivered by the guy who took my order. It did not have enough cream. No biggie! I just asked for a splash more. The guy was clearly annoyed. He gave me a teaspoon more. I was like, "Sorry to bother you but may I have a bit more?" He looked at me sternly: "That is getting very close to a latte." WTF? Are you actually going to reprimand me, dude? I replied (in as non-confrontational a manner as possible with Mr. Peeved Schoolmaster staring me down), "This is what I ordered, I asked for iced espresso with cream. I don't like lattes because I don't prefer milk." He was displeased, "Well ask for a latte with cream next time." Not to put too fine a point on it but I don't want a latte with cream, that would be too much cream. I want espresso with a little bit of cream--not a thimbleful but not 6 ounces either. I asked for what I wanted -- just tell me what it costs; don't give me a hard time. Totally uncool. read more

Savannah made the best poached-medium egg today!

I really love this place. The coffee and location are wonderful, the space is beautiful, but the staff sometimes needs to be a bit friendlier. The days of baristas acting like divas is gone! There are hundreds of options for me and everyone else to get coffee and pastries elsewhere, so please have your baristas and staff be more cordial, kind and aware. The only thing that made this beautiful place seem a little out of whack was the staff. Otherwise, it's a wonderful spot! read more

BEAUTIFUL SPACE! Always super nice service (without getting judged for adding flavor to my coffee haha). Food, coffee, everything- this place is just wonderful! Can you please open a location on the Westside soon?? =) read more

Coffee was tasty, service was great, music wasn't overbearing. Kinda spendy, and the metal chairs are uncomfortable for the long haul. For shorter visits when you don't mind spending $10+ on a coffee and some fancy toast, this is worth a look. read more

Beautiful beautiful space- dripping in natural light and overflowing with great seating. Immediately uplifting atmosphere on a hot afternoon. Wonderful iced coffee, top 3 I've ever had with a lovely wait staff to boot. What a great find! read more

This is my favorite coffee shop in Portland to go read and get great drinks. I love the atmosphere and find it easy to relax even when it's busy. Try any drink on the menu but if you're hungry get the avocado toast. read more

They not only have awesome coffee, food and a neat space, but they went above and beyond to help reunite me with an iwatch that I left charging. They insisted that they cover the out of state shipping costs after offering three times. The least I can do is share about their stellar service here. Thanks ULR! Thanks Nick! read more

The coffee, atmosphere, and food are good quality. However, please someone give their design team a short lesson on geography. On the wall, where the coffee destinations are displayed, the directional arrows and miles are whimsically done creating a nonsensical map of the world. read more

The open face sandwich with cucumbers on top was amazing. At their suggestion, I also added avocado. Fantastic tip. Space was great. Glad we got there early (9am on a Sunday), because the place got busy! Definitely worth a stop. read more