Presso Coffee in 2020 N McClellan St is owned by Isabelle and Alex Pavlenko. They opened the store in 2017. The coffee shop is very much into social media and was featured on TV for its “Instagram Wall,” where they encourage visitors to take photos.
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An Instagram Famous Cafe That Is A Popular Workspace
In addition to this wall, the outlet has a bright pink storefront and a giant logo on one of the interior walls where people take pictures. Inside, the store has a bright white theme with lots of light.
It’s not a massive place with just five or six tables that are mostly in use by people working on laptops. People commenting on the place have said that the already limited table space is often taken by workers using laptops. If you want a spot you need to plan to get their early.
Their Coffee Selection is Traditional and They Offer Flavored Syrups
Reviews of the coffee at Presso were mixed, which is not uncommon. My impression is that it generally serves a good coffee but not a great coffee.
They offer Latte, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Mocha, and Americano. The syrups offered are Vanilla, Hazlenut, Caramel, and White Chocolate.
They Have Dairy and Non-Dairy Milks
Milks offered are Whole milk, Non-fat milk, Soy milk, Coconut milk, and Oat milk. Local micro-roasters supply the coffee.
Very vague about which ones. I found this a bit confusing because their website says that they partner with growers around the world and roast every three days. They have a ripple machine that can do custom art on lattes.
They do not have the most comprehensive range of food on offer.
They Offer Breakfast and Lunch
Toast is their item on the menu with various versions to choose from. You can choose from Avocado toast, Salmon toast, Peanut Butter and Banana toast or a toast flight.
The prices are are reasonable but I feel like most people over charge for toast these days. If you’re craving a little more than just a fancy toast then opt for a Turkey sandwich. It’s basic and cheap .
They Rent Out a Room For Special Events
Presso Coffee does offer to rent out the premises for special events after hours (from 6 pm). The charge a set price for two hours of $150, including drinks. If you want a minimum of four hours to hire, then the price drops to an hourly rate of $110 per hour, again including drinks.
The Owners Know A Lot About the Coffee Business
Alex Pavlenko has another business, “Blinds Direct” in Portland 2013). He was involved in a coworking operation in Portland, the Columbia Collective, which was acquired by CoLab working in 2018.
In 2018 he started publishing VanCoffee newsletter, a business newsletter based in Vancouver. Presso coffee also opened another outlet in Vancouver recently. He is also a Realtor with Remax. A busy man, indeed. Isabelle Pavlenko describes herself as a Design Consultant at Northwest Blinds.
The business has an air of transition, and the fact that Alex describes himself as a serial entrepreneur with other companies and a job in Vancouver does suggest that maybe this business is being managed remotely and lacks the personal touch of other outlets in Portland.
It seems to be a good enough coffee shop but nothing exceptional.
