Crema Coffee + Bakery

I visit Crema every time I come visit Portland. I love their baked goods and their espresso is superb. However, last time I left a little uneasy. As I was trying to buy a drink I had to wait for the PDA between staff members to cease. It didn't seem like an appropriate activity for a business place, especially while customers are waiting! more

First off I would like to say that I have been coming to Crema for a long time. What keeps me coming back is the amazing level of care that goes into everything there. The regular coffee is only Stumptown and is never anything less than french pressed. Don't even get me started on the espresso drinks. If you think a honey vanilla latte sounds good, you would be wrong. It's actually amazing. Do yourself a favor and get one. Like now. The baked goods are to die for with things like pear and brie cheese bread pudding and orange ginger scones. The music is always good (Iron & Wine, Postal Service, Ryan Adams), but is never too loud. The baristas are really friendly, but not in a forced kind of Starbucks way (Maybe they are actually glad to be there?). Also very knowledgeable about what they are doing. The only drawback though is the art. The first time I came in there was some of the coolest art on the walls. I always used it in my description of the place... ""Great coffee, great music, great local art, free wi-fi etc. etc."" but now that ""great art"" rave has been omitted from my description of late. There has been a severe lack of original or inspiring art on the walls of my favorite coffee shop in the last few months. I want to put a challenge to whomever picks the art, put as much effort into the art on the walls that you put into the art in the cup of coffee you serve. Notice I still put a ""Recommended"" rating on Crema. It will always be near and dear to my heart. It is still my favorite. But I want to give it five stars. Come on Crema. Don't let me down. Pros: Everything but the art. Cons: The art. more

Great coffee and pretty solid food for a coffee shop. You get alot of light with all the windows. Only issue to me is that the staff is mainly a bunch of hipsters. Pros: coffee and atmosphere Cons: a few to many hipsters working there and trying to look cool. more

They serve Stumptown Roasters grind -- the very best. Lines are almost always long, but not eternal. Long lines are the price of a superb place. The staff are great and seem to actually enjoy their jobs -- so unlike most underpaid service employees. I hope the owner rewards their staff handsomly at Crema. Pros: great coffee and baked goodies Cons: frequent lines more

The bread is made daily, the croissants are the flakiest I have ever had melt in my mouth. They use imported chocolate in the dessets and make the mayonnaise fresh daily. There is a breakfast pastry with mushrooms and cheese and tomatoes that I would fly to Portland to have daily. The bakers change the menu enough to keep it fresh, with out taking the stand bys that the regulars rely on off the menu. Pros: innovate pasteries Cons: lines at busy times more

What a delightful find. The pastries are quite possibly some of the best I've ever had. I don't drink coffee, but the wonderful assortment of tea's can fill any need. I've been back for lunch several times, excellent!! Pros: Delicious food Cons: Lines at time, but the quality of the food makes it well worth the time. more

I really want to love this place. I live close, the pastries are good, the coffe is decent. BUT THEY ARE SO SLOW AND INEFFICIENT I WANT TO SHOOT MYSELF. Granted they make sandwiches and such that can complicate things, but on most days I could walk to Stumptown on Belmont and get served by the time they serve all the people in front of me in line. Please someone with retail know how get these folks moving . It is really stupid service if the barista making coffee then goes and delivers it out on the floor and all of a sudden none is making coffee!!!!! Pros: good coffee and baked goods Cons: the slowest service in Portland more

The airy atmosphere, natural lighting, free wi-fi, and abundance of tables with electrical provided by this establishment make it a prime spot to plug in your laptop and work for a few hours. The pastries and coffee are good. It isn't my favorite coffee house in Portland--that is, I've had better coffee--but I keep going back. more

I'm not a big service guy and will usually rate a place high if the food is good but the service is sub-par. Crema has such lousy service that i am forced to make an exception. the rudeness alone doesn't bother me that much but the slowness kills (although the rudeness gets old: you are not that cool, you work at a coffee place). the idiots behind the counter spend time talking and joking with each other instead of working despite a 15 min line out the door! even when it is a 2-3 peson line, it never moves quickly. The fat guy with the too-tight shirts and the arm tatoos is the worst -- please fire him and promote the guest worker in the back to barista! that said, the stuptown is great and the AM buns are the bomb, which is why i come back and deal with these jerks. Pros: stump-town, AM buns Cons: 80% of the employees more

Crema is generally a great place for coffee( I especially love their lattes). Most of the baristas, customer service staff is pretty friendly. I have seen quite a bit of turnover in the last while though that concerns me as I have grown to adore some of the 'veteran' baristas and wonder if the quality of service will decrease,,, As the rest of the reviews will tell you, they bake/make their sandwiches etc on site which is cool as you can see them baking in the back. I do wonder about the cleanliness at times as I don't think all the staff wash there hands at all times when supposed to.(i.e. touching the garbage and then my sandwich is a no no!) I did only witness this once, but it WAS once too many! As for the reviews that describe the waits...well it does depend when you go in. I work full time also and my time IS valuable. I simply add a bit of time to my lunch when I know I'll be eating here as it's usually packed. Pros: sandwiches, coffee, muffins Cons: nowhere to sit at times, cleanliness? more

I too really want to love this place. Open, airy and a great location. I appreciate the contemporary artwork, Stumptown coffee and delicious pastries. Some of the baristas are pleasant... the ones who aren't are complete tools and ruin the experience. I am often just wanting a simple americano, but the wait (after I place the order) is ridiculous. I support the 50-cent refills to promote my chance to actually get a table. Otherwise, the place should stick to local cost standards and rid itself of a useless barista or two. Pros: Ambiance Cons: Long waits, rude baristas more

OK, first off, to all the whiny and impatient twits who have ""jobs"", RELAX and maybe give yourself some more time so you're not so rushed. Remember, the staff @ Crema are people too, not robots. If you want fast coffee, go somewhere else. I don't even live in town and am not a regular but every experience I've had there was exceptional. The coffee is wicked strong and tastefully prepared, the food is top notch,(try some homeade soup!) and the service is friendly and unique. We don't need anymore homogenous chain coffee joints to support, do we? Go Crema, keep on keeping on. more

I keep trying to go to Crema, so it's partially my fault. I want to believe or I hope it has changed or I like to get angry. Parking in that neighborhood, once one of my favorites is nearly impossible. The space is large and airy and pretty, yet boring and uninspired. The floral arrangements are frightful. Every uncomfortable, boring chair is taken up by an equally boring uncomfortable someone on their laptop who doesn't have a job, these are the people who have ruined Portland, take a minute and thank them. When you finally get to the front of the line, it looks like a confusing clumsy dance, there are at least 5 (albeit very nice) people behind the counter, all doing a very active looking nothing. The pastries have been consistently disappointing, and taste like they are cheaply made. I always order espresso and hot water, it always takes a better part of the day to get this simple drink. I can not for the life of me understand why. What is going on? I have a job to go to. Really, a job at a place that I have to be at, at a certain time, (9am, pretty standard work time)I know it's unusual, but I work. And I need coffee and I'm addicted and I just want the coffee and I have to go to work. Hurry hurry hurry up! I don't care about valentines they can make with the milk. Maybe they need two people on the machine and some butter in the pastries? Pros: Nice staff, prices are fair Cons: takes forever, pastries are lackluster more

My favorite coffee shop in Portland! Try the California Cookie. I'm a straight up house drip drinker and they're always roatating Kenya to an Ethopian to Lima to whatever, I appreciate that. The staff is always very nice too! Pros: Outdoor seating, Yummy treats Cons: Long lines early on the weekends more

The coffee here is french pressed - strong and fresh and always hot. The baked goods are made every day. Some of these reviews say the staff has attitude. I am a regular here and they are always super friendly - its a neighborhood kind of place. If anyone is rude its the customers at times. Get over it. They aren't perfect, and they will refund your money if you're not happy, so just tell them instead of posting your negative thoughts on here. Or at least leave contact info. I'm sure they wouldn't snake anyone out of a tip Vanloon. Pros: free wi-fi, latte art on every drink Cons: closes early, sometimes people let their kids run free more

This was a great find. While visiting in Portland for a week I spent every morning checking my email at Crema. Once I spent 6 hours straight there editing some Photoshop files on my laptop and enjoying the scrumptious breakfast and luncheon treats. I found the staff friendly and attentive. Really enjoy the open windows on a sunny warm summer day. Pros: Occasionally there are long lines for food and drinks. It's worth the wait. Cons: Sunny bright and open space with great food and free wifi. People friendly place. more

This place was recommended to me by Criollo (before they closed). The counterpeople just ignored me while they finished their conversation with each other. There was hardly anyone in the place so it's not like they were busy. I also noticed flies sitting on the croissants - yes. I mentioned to them that it would be a good idea to get some covers for their food. I walked out. Pros: I wonder if the owners know. Cons: Rudeness, sketchy health code observance more

This place is great. Some say the staff is rude, but I've seen some of the people that come in there and they are so dumb or so stuck up that I would be pissed to see them there too. I've never had a problem with the wyfi and if it doesn't work then it's not like im losing money. I have always had friendly service with pretty leaves in the foam of my latte. Which shows the lengths they go to, to make each cup of coffee personal. I go here all the time because of the windows. And the food is always so great! Most of the people working there know me by now and they have always been very nice even though I work for a competing coffee shop. If you need a place to relax and enjoy the Portland atmosphere this is the place to go. more

Crema is a beautiful, warehouse-like coffee shop and bakery featuring delicious Stumptown espresso and french press coffee. The baked goods? Outstanding. Pros: The Space, The Coffee, The Scones Cons: Gets Crowded, Can Be Loud, Can Wait for Drinks more

some of the staff here are pissed that they didn't make it as banana republic salespeople, and the emerging clientele is similar. it's gotten popular, so it gets packed with trendoids and permissive parents of toddlers who need ritalin. it can be hard to find a seat, and people are kind of prickish about it - putting their stuff down and then going to order, when there are no other seats available. okay they do have wi-fi, but that is also on the fritz frequently. it is a nice space with lots of light, but the hassle is not conducive to a nice cup of coffee. more