2023 was an exciting year for specialty coffee on the West Coast, with no shortage of intrepid new cafe designs and global coffee connections made on hyper-local levels.
While many of the coffee shops highlighted below are newcomers to the coffee world, several represent bold moves from longstanding coffee institutions, signaling vitality and optimism in the post-pandemic retail landscape.
Oakland, California, saw the first house-branded cafe by 45-year-old roasting company Mr. Espresso. In Hawaii, Big Island Coffee Roasters, a 2022 Roast Magazine Roaster of the Year finalist, opened its first flagship roastery cafe. And in Portland, Oregon, the classic Italian-style espresso specialist Spella Caffè opened a shop that not only reclaims its place as a downtown fixture, but contributes to the reinvigoration of the city.
Continuing or 2023 Year in Review, here are 10 of the biggest coffee shop openings in the U.S. West Coast and Pacific states.
After 45 Years in the Bay Area, Mr. Espresso Opens First Cafe
While some 45-year-olds may experience the phenomenon known as midlife crisis, 45-year-old Mr. Espresso is experiencing a complete rebirth in Oakland… read more
Mr. Espresso. Courtesy photo.
San Diego’s Saigon Coffee Opens with a Fleet of California-King-Size Phins
At all locations, the company specializes in serving Vietnamese-grown coffee brewed the Vietnamese way, but with California King-sized equipment to pick up the pace of service. Duong sourced the unusually large brewers from a specialty manufacturer in her home country… read more
Saigon Coffee. Courtesy photo.
Fonté Coffee Roaster Raises the Bar in Downtown Seattle
After more than three decades of providing freshly roasted coffees to cafe and restaurant bars throughout the United States, Seattle roasting outfit Fonté Coffee Roaster has significantly raised its own bar… read more
Fonté Coffee Roaster. Courtesy photo.
With New Roastery, Proyecto Diaz is Readying First Cafe in Oakland
Fernando and Hannah-Love Diaz, the married cofounders of Proyecto Diaz, strove to reflect the company’s deep connections to Mexico, as well as its roots in the Bay Area, when designing the new shop… read more
Proyecto Diaz. Courtesy photo.
Spella Caffè Makes Triumphant Return to Downtown Portland
An Italian-style coffee institution in the new world coffee hub of Portland, Oregon, Spella Caffè has returned to its downtown roots with the opening of a new flagship manual lever espresso bar… read more
Spella Caffè. Courtesy photo.
Big Island Coffee Roasters Gets Even Bigger in Hawaii
A king tide of coffee production is coming from Big Island Coffee Roasters, which recently opened a flagship cafe and roastery on Hawaii island…
Big Island Coffee Roasters. Courtesy photo.
Leona Lewis’ Coffee and Plants Blooms in Studio City, LA
The retail combination of coffee and plants has come alive yet again in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, this time with the backing of acclaimed British singer and philanthropist Leona Lewis… read more
Photo by Anthony Barcelo / @mrbarcelo, courtesy of Coffee and Plants.
Junior’s Expands in Portland, Releases Cost of Production Template
In January of this year, the company opened its third retail location, and first to bear the name of the roasting brand, Junior’s Roasted Coffee… read more
Daily Coffee News photo.
Mandarin Coffee Stand Provides a Coffee Lover’s Rabbit Hole in Pasadena
A new multiroaster coffee bar in Pasadena, California, called Mandarin Coffee Stand is hopping into the Year of The Rabbit with an emphasis on Chinese-grown coffees and an inspired seasonal coffee drinks menu… read more
Mandarin Coffee Stand. Courtesy photo.
Seattle’s Cafe Avole Opens Inside the Ethiopian Community Center
The interior was designed by the community center and its architects, and features finishing touches such as a mural by Seattle-based Ethiopian artist Yeggy Michael. Within this space, guests can sip coffees from ceramics used in traditional Jebena ceremonies that Avole imports from Ethiopia… read more
Cafe Avole. Courtesy photo.
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