Heretic Coffee Co. — Restaurant in Portland

High expectations but extremely disappointed. Do not come here.

This café is convenient to Reed College’s campus and looks cute on the inside, but do not be fooled. The quality of the drinks here is simply bad. The coffee tastes burnt and acidic, whether you choose a latte, cappuccino, or a simple cold brew. The teas are no better; the matcha is soapy, fishy, and astringent.

My orders have been wrong on multiple occasions, and I have never had the staff provide any graceful substitutions or gestures to rectify their mistakes. If they aren’t messing up your order, they are taking twice as long to make it or simply forgetting it. I have seen them train baristas constantly, so I think it’s the lack of proper training and possibly high turnover rates of staff that are causing these issues.

The drink sizes are limited as well, only 12 ounces for hot drinks. The price of a 12oz at Heretic is the same as a 16oz or even 22oz at other locally owned artisan coffee shops in the neighborhood. At $7+ per drink, I expect much more in terms of quality, level of service, and overall experience.

The pastries are alright, seeing as none of them are made in-house. However, at $5 per pastry, you would expect them to at least be properly toasted. Every single time I have gone, whether it’s a croissant puff or bagel, the outside will be lukewarm and the inside soggy, doughy, and cold.

The café isn’t the best for studying either. The benches are hard and uncomfortable, and they close so early that it’s impossible to come in the afternoon and get any work done. Constant issues with the sound system have also made the ambiance incredibly distracting—either there is no music at all (deadly silent), music that is played out loud from a computer (no proper speakers), or music from the sound system that is skipping, cutting out, and too loud.

It’s really unfortunate since the previous owners (Ardent Coffee) did an amazing job and never had as many issues with the quality of their coffee, service, or overall environment of the café. I would love to make this a usual spot for me since it’s very convenient and close to campus, but it’s just not worth it. I have gone about four times now, hoping that my last visit was just a fluke, but Heretic just is not redeemable anymore.

There are much better options for coffee in Portland:

If you want specialty drinks, Vietnamese coffee, and to support an AAPI family-owned business, go to Ca Phe.

If you want incredible in-house baked goods and smooth lattes, go to Keeper Coffee.

If you want a late-night study spot with rich cappuccinos, fast Wi-Fi, and a full menu, go to Rose City Latte.

If you want overpriced milky dirt water, cold and stale pastries, and dreadful customer service, go to...

I would absolutely come back for their oat milk chai latte, and quiet solo time for drawing or reading.

Finding parking was easy in the gravel lot. I came on a weekday around 10:30 am and waited 2-3 minutes to place my order at the counter. The barista was friendly and thanked me for waiting, even though I was in no rush and there was no line. Placed my order for a chai latte with oat milk and a breakfast burrito with sausage. Chai latte was perfection; the temperature, the quality oat milk, the chai concentrate wasn’t overly sweet nor black peppery-spicy. It was pleasantly spiced, with a mild ginger flavor. It was everything Goldilocks would want in a chai latte.

The burrito was pre-made, so they unwrapped it and it took a few minutes to warm up. It was heated all the way through and crispy on the outside. I wasn’t expecting it to be cut in half so that was the only surprise. The flavor was more of a fennel breakfast sausage, so if fennel is your thing you’ll be happy with it!

The prices were reasonable and the items I had...

This place is just the best. Cute, quiet, and run by the nicest volunteer staff you could imagine. They roast their own beans, make all their own syrups, and source tasty snacks locally. they’ve got delicious vegan options that actually feel creative and satisfying. My oat milk chai latte was absolute perfection (creamy, not too sweet, with just the right ginger kick), and the breakfast burrito was crispy, warm, and fennel-forward for those who love it.

The space has great vibes. beautiful aesthetics, plenty of outlets, and the kind of calm that makes you want to stay and read or draw for hours. Parking was a breeze in the gravel lot, and prices are super reasonable

Also All profits after expenses go to local nonprofits. Love this shop. I’ll...