Est. 2009 · Portland

Slow coffee,warm rooms.

A neighborhood coffee house where the beans are roasted in the back, the chairs are deep, and no one is ever hurried out the door. Come for the cup—stay for the morning.

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Roasted in-houseDirect tradeHand-brewed to order
The Ember & Oak coffee room — rattan chairs, plants and warm afternoon light
✦Roasted this weekSmall-lot, single origin
Est. 2009
Freshly roasted beansHand-poured filterWarm pastries dailyA room to linger
A French press and cup on a worn round table beside a plant-filled window
Our story

A room built for slow mornings.

Ember & Oak began in 2009 with a secondhand roaster, a corner shop with good light, and a stubborn idea—that coffee tastes better when nobody’s rushing. We tore out the fluorescents, hauled in reclaimed oak, and filled the shelves with books people actually read.

Fifteen years on, we still roast every bean in the back, still know our growers by name, and still pull each shot by hand. The room has aged like a good table—a little worn, warmer for it, and always open to a quiet hour.

— Mara & Tomas, founders

On the board

Favorites this season

A short list of the cups our regulars keep coming back for—made the slow way, every time.

A cortado with delicate latte art beside a sprig of rosemary

Honey Oat Cortado

$4.50

A double shot cut with toasted oat milk and a thread of raw wildflower honey.

A tall glass of cold brew over ice with cream swirling through

Barrel-Aged Cold Brew

$5.25

Steeped eighteen hours, then rested in charred oak. Smooth, low-acid, quietly bright.

A barista pouring water over a Chemex filter in morning window light

Hearth Pour-Over

$5.00

Single-origin beans, poured by hand to order. Floral, tea-like, never the same twice.

Portafilters, freshly ground coffee and whole beans laid out on a wooden board
The craft

From green bean to your cup.

Nothing here is automated. Every step is a decision made by a person who cares how the last sip tastes.

01

Sourced with intent

We buy small lots direct from growers we've sat down with — paying well above market, and naming every farm on the bag.

02

Roasted in-house

On a restored 1950s cast-iron drum roaster, twelve kilos at a time, by people who can hear when a batch is ready.

03

Brewed by hand

Pulled, poured and pressed to order. No autopilot, no timers barking — just a steady hand and a little patience.

The room

Wood, light & a little time

Deep chairs, worn tables, plants in the windows and the low hum of good conversation. This is a room that asks you to stay.

The counter and espresso bar under warm Edison bulbs
A hand-lettered CAFE sign and hanging lamps
An overhead ring of coffee cups on a dark round table
Three friends toasting with latte-art coffees
A French press steaming on a rustic wooden bench
Latte art cups beside a potted herb
Why Ember & Oak

The little things, done properly.

Roasted this week

Every bag leaves the roaster within days — never a warehouse, never a mystery date.

Named at the source

Direct trade with farms we know by name, at prices we're proud to print.

Made by hand

No push-button machines. Every cup is someone's craft, not a setting.

A room to linger

Deep chairs, real books, slow mornings. Stay as long as the day allows.

Kind words

Loved by the neighborhood

The kind of place you mean to leave after one cup and somehow lose a whole morning in. The cold brew is dangerous.
Marguerite L.
Regular since 2011
You can taste that someone cared. The pour-over changed how I think about coffee — and the room is just so warm.
Daniel O.
Neighbor & fan
My office, my reading room, my Sunday ritual. Ember & Oak feels less like a café and more like a friend's front room.
Priya S.
Writer, two flat whites a day
Visit us

Come in, stay a while

You’ll find us on the quiet end of Alder Street, green door, warm light in the window. No reservations—just come as you are.

Find us

214 Alder Street
Portland, OR 97204

Get directions (503) 555-0142
Hours
Monday – Friday
7:00a – 6:00p
Saturday
8:00a – 6:00p
Sunday
8:00a – 3:00p
The Ember & Oak counter — espresso machine, Edison bulbs and white brick
Good to know

Before you come by

Do you take reservations?

The tables are first-come, first-served — that's part of the charm. For larger groups or a private morning, email us and we'll make it work.

Is there Wi-Fi?

There is, but we keep it quiet. Mornings until 11a are laptop-free by custom, so the room stays a room and not an office.

Do you have oat and other non-dairy milks?

Always — oat, almond and a house-made hazelnut. Most drinks are built for oat by default; just say the word.

Can I buy your beans or subscribe?

Yes. Whole bags are on the shelf by the register, and a rolling subscription lands fresh beans on your doorstep every two weeks.

Are dogs welcome?

Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio and just inside the door, where there's a water bowl and, usually, a biscuit.

Slow coffee, warm rooms.

The kettle’s on. Pull up a chair.

Get directions or call (503) 555-0142