Barista

Billy Wilson, a two time Pacific Northwest regional barista champion, opened the original Barista in the Pearl District in 2009, building the menu around a rotating chalkboard of guest roasters rather than a single house blend. Early lineups pulled from local names like Coava and Stumptown alongside out of state roasters such as Intelligentsia and Verve, and that multi roaster format became the shop's signature as it expanded into a small local chain.

The Pearl location kept its tiled counter and streetside seating as sibling cafes opened in Northeast Portland's Alberta corridor, downtown in the Hamilton Building, and on Northwest 23rd Avenue. The bar runs on free wifi and stays busy with laptop workers on weekday mornings, with a sidewalk table or two out front when the weather holds.