Crema Coffee + Bakery

This is a lovely and poppin’ coffee shop. I come to this coffee shop a lot to do computer work! I love the in and out of people and the busy coffee shop vibe so if that’s not your style Crema isn’t for you. Make sure your computer is charged because it’s often busy and finding a seat near an outlet can be tricky. The seat turnaround is pretty good though so an outlet seat will happen eventually. They have delicious coffee and will bring it to your table when it’s ready; super bonus. They have a big roll up door window that they open on nice cool days. They also have pillows on the wood benches and community tables; two of my favorites.

My husband and I discovered this place while visiting Portland for a weekend. We stopped in to kill time before a gym class and loved it so much we came back the same morning! Great space and atmosphere — plenty of space for those wanting to quietly read a book or work on their laptop, plus tons of room for those looking to be a bit more social. Over our two visits we enjoyed chai, coffee, coffee cake, and a couple of muffins — all really fantastic! Everyone was extremely friendly, which made our visits extra nice. Truly a neighborhood gem!

Crema is the perfect café for every café need you could think of — meeting friends for weekend brunch-​without-​the-​lines, getting some work done outside of your home office (go ahead, make today the day you change out of your PJs!), ambling by and grabbing a cup on your way home from your run, hike, or bike ride, or chatting up some locals.
It’s large enough to accommodate both a morning weekend rush crowd and a daytime creative-​class crowd (plenty o’ outlets for your fancy Macs!), but not so large that it feels impersonal. It’s got GOOD coffee (Coava! Buy some whole beans to take home, you won’t regret it), always brewed fresh, and a wide and plentiful selection of tasty pastries, yogurt/​granola parfaits, breakfast sammies, quiches, the whole nine yards of eats to go with java — enough to make this more than just a coffee shop, but a full-​on destination café. It’s thisclose to being a restaurant — even serving paninis, soups and salads for lunchtime.
And oh, the lighting! They have big ol’ windows and glass garage doors that roll up, which means the natural light that pours through even on drizzly days is enough to cheer even the coldest of hearts. And on sunny days, post up at one of the sidewalk tables and watch the world walk by — this is one block off Burnside, so you get juuuust the right amount of great people-​watching without the traffic noise.
Crema is everything you could ask for in a neighborhood café, stop in for a cup o’ joe and a slice of Laurelhurst/​Kerns life.

Crazy good everything. Coffee is delicious and the pastries were a serious craving/​need while I was pregnant!

Great coffee and good food. Try the spanish latte! All of their syrups and ingredients are housemade so everything is unique.

You might be thinking, why only a four star average. I’ll tell you why. people are obtuse. This is a five star coffee shop, café, bistro. Great coffee, great atmosphere, great snacks, great service.

I like this place. Good vibe, big windows lots of light perfect for studying. Good coffee. What more does one need.

Based on the space it offers and pastry selection I’d give this place 5 stars but there is one guy who works here that is THE MOST RUDE! He ruins my whole day and makes me wonder why I even visit Crema anymore…
I have worked in customer service for over 10 years and if I was EVER rude to someone like he is I’d surly being at least talked to if not written up or fired. I don’t know his name but he’s the one with the thick dark rimmed wayfarer glasses, dark short hair. (Probably doesn’t help right??)
He NEVER says hello and seems to be so annoyed that I asked any questions about anything. I asked him about the coffee selection and his opinion on one blend. his response.(stared for a long time at me, and finally says .“it’s fine I guess”) He threw my debit card at my on the counter, tossed us a table number and just walked away!
I gave this place 2 tries and he was there both time and was terrible both times. so I won’t be going back. I told my friend about this guy and he knew who I was talking about and had the same experience!
To the owners: PLEASE talk to this guy… or get rid of him! He is hurting your business! :(
— — — — — — — –
UPDATE*
The owner responded to me and is SUPER nice. He really cares about his business and I don’t think this one bad apple is any reflection of the owner. He assured me that he wants to get to the bottom of this, and because of that I will probably stop in for another try!

My experience was not great. It’s a nice place and I liked the cookies and latte I purchased but was not amazed or anything. My honey vanilla latte didn’t taste sweet or flavorful and wasn’t very strong. It tasted more like a weak plain latte. My friend got hot chocolate and said it was OK but didn’t even finish her cookie because it was so mediocre. Overall it was not bad but also not at all memorable.

This place has some of the best treats in Portland, sweet and savory. Now I see why folks hang out here all day… The food is fantastic, the WiFi consistent, the service friendly and prompt, the restrooms are clean, the vibe chill… Do you see a pattern? Good, then come on over and linger over a plate of mouth-​watering quiche or the should-​probably-​be-​illegal mushroom manchego biscuit. Thank me later.

Before going to Screen Door for breakfast, we looked for a local coffee shop to get some caffeine in our systems.
Honey Vanilla Late: Really good! Perfect amount of sweetness. Great flavor.
The thing that really surprised me was how friendly the barista was towards us. I guess it was obvious that we weren’t from the area, so he had some recommendations for us and even suggested an activity for us to do in the area.

Meh. The caramel sutra isn’t as good as I remember. I don’t plan on coming back. My boyfriend got the honey vanilla latte and I don’t think he’d order it again. There’s so many coffee options in Portland that I’m sure has a better selection and taste.

Not bad. Very hipster and busy. Nice space and great artwork. I had the egg sandwich which was delicious. Overall a nice neighborhood café.

I absolutely loved this this spot. It was buys and I am sure it is like that all the time. I went with my son and we shard something for brunch along with a cookie.
It was a special time and the baked goods are soooooo gooood. Made me want to start my baking agin. It was an inspiring place.
Definitely check it out!

They charge a minimal amount for 8, 12 & 16oz french press, they have a ludicrously extensive amount of house-​made pastries and breakfast/​lunch meals from which to choose, they actually serve 5oz espresso drinks, which is commendable and not super common and there’s a current employee named Victor who is a complete and total sweetheart. I *really* appreciated how clean the space was, the gender-​neutral restrooms and generous amount of seating for the size of the room.
These days single origin coffees are a basic tenant of any basically decent PNW café, so those weren’t a surprise or anything. I’m not sure if Coava (the roaster/​supplier they use) just has a hard time performing light-​medium roasts but I’m pretty sure Kenyan coffees shouldn’t be dark-​roasted. Every coffee I tried tasted like a dark roast and it was clearly not an extraction problem on the baristas’ part. I’m not even going to blame Coava for the potential roast issues because the «burnt-​tasting» coffees that snobs and laypeople alike complain about these days are entirely due to the cursed «Starbucks Effect»
This is a fuhreaking great establishment to frequent if you want a meal or a treat and wireless internet. The staff is great, particularly that Victor fellow. If you dig on coffee and/​or espresso sans cream/​syrup, you can probably get a latte and forego snobbery for the sake of this place’s good qualities.

We wandered into Crema on a desperate search for coffee from our nearby Airbnb and we were delighted by the experience.
The baked good offerings on display next to the register were overwhelmingly tempting. I ordered a vanilla latte to enjoy in the café. There is plenty of seating but there is also a constant stream of customers so finding a seat won’t always come easy; we were lucky to find an empty table immediately.
My latte had delicious foam and was presented beautifully. It was served at the right temperature and prepared promptly. The to-​go cups were sturdy and the branding was simple, yet hip.
Great place for people watching on rainy days, while sipping on warm drinks.

Love dis place. I used to live within walking distance and now that I don’t I’m still coming by all the damn time. Super open and airy, and the just super NORMAL. Sometimes I crave the normal that Crema is. It doesn’t look like an Apple Store, it doesn’t look like an industrial warehouse, it’s just normal and open and big. Tons of seating which is great because this place gets packed. Their espresso is my favorite, mocha is solid, and that KICKSTARTER SANDWICH, ugh maple bacon get in me.

I ordered the ham baguette with butter and Brie. It came out cold an I had them toast it for me. It would’ve been nice if it was indicated on the menu. I was disappointed. I also ordered the Carmel sutra latte and that was very yummy. I would definitely come back for the coffee. My boyfriend ordered the turkey and Brie panini. He said it wasn’t anything special. It came with a side salad with dressing. He ordered the Vietnamese coffee just to try. This is probably not the place you want to go to for your first Vietnamese coffee. We also got the espresso bread, which tasted like chocolate. I didn’t even taste a hint of espresso. The baked goods are disappointing. We’ve tried other baked goods from here before.

Not a fan– always been on the fence about this place and today I figured out why. The crowd in there is very «judgy» and more in there to people watch than converse with their partner over a nice cup of coffee, the croissant I had was extra crispy and tasted at least a day old, and the barista was more concerned to greet her elderly regulars than fancy a conversation with a «new comer.» The whole essence of this experience was awful, and I’ll pick another stop on my way.

The food /​bakery menu sets this place apart from so many boutique coffee and tea places. I had a caprese panini and homemade blueberry bread pudding (could not pass it up). They of course have gourmet loose leaf tea and elegant coffee drinks. My only complaint which was I hope good business for them, is I couldn’t find a table at 1:45PST on a Thursday. Had to wait til someone left so I eventually got one.

Great space with lots of tables and huge selection of treats.
Chai is very gingery and spicy, not very sweet.
Mexican mocha has some heat but not much chocolate flavor.
5 stars on the customer service, the lady that helped us was super nice.

Get the Caramel Sutra instead of the Honey Vanilla Latte. In my opinion, honey vanilla is awfully sweet while the caramel sutra is more well balanced and gives you only a dash of sweetness. I mean, you already have the caffeine to wake you up, why do you need the added sweet factor?
The baked goods were too enticing to pass up. They were also on display in such a tempting way! I can attest to the deliciousness of the quiche. YUM! I will never pass up the baked goods at a coffee shop again.

I work in the Laurelhurst neighborhood and my daily commute brings me east on Ankeny daily. Every day I stop here for an iced coffee and sit out front cooling off before a gruesome night of work.
I don’t usually sit inside because it’s too crowded with people on their computers. I love free wifi as much as the next 20 something but I like watching bikes go past and the wind in my hair better.
They serve Coava and Stumptown coffee. Both are amazing and need no further explanation.
Their pastries and snacks are fail proof. I had a Honey Apple Ginger Croissant that prompted me to write this. It was sweet and spiced and everything flaky and nice.
If you ever crave pastries be sure to come to Crema.

Just discovered this nice little gem. The honey vanilla latte was quite good. The cookies were just ok. I went in the middle of a weekday and it was still quite busy. They have a good number of tables and chairs. They were all full. Of course they have the free wifi required of any café.

After a few years away, it was good to return and find many tasty selections and great coffee. The mushroom & manchego biscuit was heavenly and my husband loved his croissant. The man who took our food order had zero smile and the personality of a wet mop, but the woman who rang us up was super nice. We got a couple of the mushroom/​potato/​egg turnovers to go, but sadly those were incredibly bland. Good bike parking though and overall worth the ride over from Woodlawn.

2 hour wait at Screen Door. My friends and I decided to walk here for some coffee and tea during our wait. The café is pretty crowded, but we were able to quickly get by the line to get our drinks.
They have a variety of teas… I opted for the green tea which was very good. They also had a very tempting display of pastries and savory items. Quiche! All looks so good. I almost got a pastry but then I remembered the brunch we had planned nearby. Maybe next time.

I’ve chosen to ignore the fact that they don’t have almond milk as an option. Their coffee is wonderful. Service is super friendly and matches the welcoming interior. Every Tuesday I come for a breakfast pastry and coffee. It’s a great little spot! Biscuits are flaky, super buttery, and filled with amazingness! They have more options than just your usual croissant or muffin. Also use local coffee beans, which is always a good thing!

While staying at an AirBnB nearby I went here twice on recommendation from my brother who lives in Portland. The coffee and pastries the first day were alright, not life changing, not horrible, but good enough to go back for a second try despite some really off putting service. I took it all to go, the coffee was luke warm and blamed the four block walk.
While I really did enjoy my cappuccino the second day round, and the girl who made it was pleasant, the same guy at the register seemed to have taken his service down another notch. It seemed like having a baby and wife was off putting to him? He actually misheard my wife say «regular coffee“and created some sort of sarcastic rant about mocha that should probably have stayed an internal monologue.
So, I chose the quiche as the butter croissants looked bland and the other pastries were fresh in my mind. The quiche was like a whipped custard with undercooked pastry that got nuked for 20 seconds. I have to say that given the low quality of service and microwave, I’m a bit surprised by the four star rating? I was a bit on the fence between two and three stars, but I just can’t see myself there a third time for the same treatment.

Crema is probably great if you’re a hipster or a friend of the owner/​employees; otherwise service is lackluster, drinks are okay, and bakery items — if they have them — are decent.
I’ve lived fairly close to Crema for four years now and I’ve always wanted to love it. The atmosphere inside is modern and open and the menu items are stellar. I’ve had several excellent drinks and many good pastries here over the past few years. When it comes to service, however, they’ve been awful to me.
Every time I’ve been at Crema the line — even if there’s just a few people in front of me — moves very slow. Most employees seem lethargic and it always feels a bit understaffed during the morning rush. Additionally, they pick and choose whom to be friendly to based on arbitrary judgements. As far as I can tell, corroborating with others who have had similar experiences, they seem far friendlier to hipster-​types and friends of the owner and employees. Frequently I’ll be in the middle of a silent transaction (they won’t talk to me beyond, perhaps, «hello») and they’ll start chit-​chatting super friendly-​like with the person behind me.
Beyond the service issues, Crema has a fantastic «Kickstart» breakfast sandwich. It’s an egg, cheddar cheese, and maple glazed bacon sandwiched inside an English muffin. Don’t try to get one the first hour they’re open (7−8am), however, because although they make them the night before for the morning, they bafflingly sell all of them the evening before instead of setting them aside.
After four years of trying to like Crema I’ve just about given up. My biggest hope is that Crema will someday be sold to a new owner who more highly values customer service and neighbourhood relations.

It took me a while to warm up to Crema Coffee, yet slowly but surely it has become one of my most reliable spots in town to grab some coffee and a bite while really buckling down and getting some work done. With ample seating, numerous electric outlets, and fantastic natural light, Crema is a dream for the laptop class.
The coffee at Crema is all well and good, but nothing that blows my mind. For that, I need to visit their pastry case. I’ve had thousands upon thousands of calories and carbs from this place, and I dare say they’ve been worth it! Chocolate croissants are on point, and today I had a blueberry muffin topped with a passionfruit glaze. It pretty much made me ok with the idea of forever only wearing sweatpants and eating muffins until I had to ride a Rascal to get my next muffin fix. They’re that good.
Overall Crema is, a very solid place for a meeting, some work/​study time, or catching a bite with a friend.

Love! Parking is easy, servers are very friendly, atmosphere is very clean and open. Every time I come in, it’s always packed but has a good turnover so you aren’t waiting too long to order or to find a seat.
For drinks, I’ve had their unsweetened iced tea, Vietnamese coffee, and Caramel Sutra. The iced tea was a fruity black tea and that was very satisfying on the sunny day – I just wish they had more options for iced tea. They make a pretty good cup of coffee but, from them, I learned not to order Vietnamese Coffee anywhere other than a legit Vietnamese joint. It was too creamy and lacking the taste of the sweetened condensed milk, not brew strong enough. If you put a label on something, it has to deliver and that was my only disappointment here. However, I like their other coffee options, it’s not overtly sweet.
They have a very large selection of pastries, it taste fresh not the crap you get the display cases at chain coffee shop or tiny shops that typically offers commercial products. The quiche and salad make for a good, light lunch and hit the spot when I was craving quiche. The danish, so delicious! I enjoy flaky pastries for breakfast… never been a big fan of cheese danishes but, surprisingly, theirs had a lemon curd flavour and combined with a raspberry sauce provided a tartness that is needed against the sweetness.
Decent size tables and wi-​fi to get work done. No one rushes you if you want to sit there on your computer or to read. I have been here a few times and it was always a good experience. A great combination of coffee shop meets bakery.

An INCREDIBLE Portland café, featuring Coava and Stumptown, with the greatest pastry offerings for breakfast.
Everything tried was delicious, as was my little cuppa of Spanish latte. Lucky Portland with its plethora of cafes to choose from to always park it and chill, without any pressure.

Best coffee in Portland.
My time in Portland allowed me a few visits to different coffee shops. I didn’t get to visit all the ones on my list, but Crema was the stand out shop, no questions asked.
The place looked so cozy and inviting, the exact feeling you want when grabbing some hot brew. The employees were so nice, treated everyone like they are long time friends also. The coffee was probably the best I’ve ever had. I got the Honey Vanilla Latte and oh my lord. It was phenomenal. My girlfriend got the Macchiato and it was so good!
If you’re forced to make one stop for coffee in Portland, make it Crema.

I had an iced tea — and it was fine. It looked like there were lunch items in the food case, which I considered but passed.
This is the kind of place where you place your order at the counter, and if it’s not readily available you will get a number and they’ll bring it out. That is IF you can find yourself a place to sit (on a rainy day it’s really your only option).
But for the number of patrons who are sitting working on laptops with a glass of water in front of them, it’s a little annoying to the rest of us looking for a place to sit and enjoy a paid cup of coffee or a pastry. I know, I know, this is common at coffee shops that offer free WIFI (and seriously who doesn’t anymore?), but at lunch time really — the barista-​laptop crowd needs their own space… elsewhere.