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At Guilder’s cafe within Powell’s City of Books, small lounge chairs and stadium-like seats surround a small cafe counter.
The interior of Guilder, within Powell’s original location.
Nicolas Mendez

8 Portland Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes for Book Lovers

Where to read a book with a cup of coffee, a beer, or an enormous cinnamon roll

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The interior of Guilder, within Powell’s original location.
| Nicolas Mendez

Portland is a bibliophile’s haven, with several indie presses and publishers, bookstores galore, and a robust library system whose circulation numbers put larger cities to shame. So perhaps it’s no surprise that restaurants, bars, and cafes have sprung up to cater to Portland book lovers. These restaurants offer a variety of choices for those seeking a cozy corner to read, accompanied by coffee, beer, tea, or charcuterie. At many of these establishments, books are available to borrow or buy, for those who aren’t quite ready to dine and read indoors once again. Others pay tribute to a particular book through their décor or menu.

For this map, we’ve compiled a variety of spots that either have a book-related theme or sell both books and food. For more book-friendly options, our map of places to have a solo picnic in Portland may help.

Note: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Cathedral Coffee

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Coziness reigns in these sibling coffee shops, with locations in Scappoose and St. Johns. The Scappoose cafe offers a variety of seating options, from booths to couches, where visitors can sip lattes and read. Books supplied by St. Johns neighborhood bookshop Windows Booksellers are scattered throughout for casual perusal over a cup of coffee — those who want to take a book home can buy them there. A second location in St. Johns has a similar setup, only the books are meant for exchange: Take a book, leave a book. Everything is made in-house, including the cafes’ enormous cinnamon rolls. The seasonal specials are worth checking out, as are drinks made with its honey lavender syrup.

The Stacks Coffeehouse

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Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the walls at this Killingsworth neighborhood spot, stacked in no particular order. Books can be paired with an order of coffee from local roaster Roseline Coffee, breakfast tacos (which are served all day), or zucchini mini-muffins made from a family recipe. The coffeeshop doubles as a community library, and customers can borrow books on the honor system.

Rose City Book Pub

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The only bookstore and bar in Portland, the Fremont pub offers a snug refuge from Portland’s rain, with comfortable chairs and sofas interspersed among shelves of books. The small stage in the corner plays host to events like trivia nights, open mics, readings, and live music. The hearty cafe-style menu includes soups, sandwiches, salads, cheese plates, and a particularly nice pork shoulder with Brussels sprouts; meanwhile, the tap list rotates, relying heavy on Pacific Northwestern beers.

Vivienne Kitchen & Pantry

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Robin Wheelright traded dining tables for books and turned her restaurant into Portland’s new culinary bookstore as a pandemic pivot. Nestled inside the Hollywood Theatre building, the bookstore offers a curated selection of new and old cookbooks, kitchenware, book signings, and cookbook-themed cooking classes. In the kitchen, Wheelright serves up sweet and savory fare gleaned from the cookbooks on the shelves. Keep an eye on Instagram, for when she offers slices of the Russian Honey Cake from the 20th Century Cafe Cookbook.

Guilder Cafe

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Fans of The Princess Bride can spot references to the book and movie throughout the new cafe inside Powell’s City of Books. The custom-designed wallpaper gives movie locations a local twist, and the menu offers its house-roasted coffee, Junior’s Roasted Coffee, and the choice between a spicy or savory Humperdinck (a biscuit with sausage and dipping sauces). For a morning boost, opt for the Autumn Miracle Pill, a latte with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, panela, cold brew, and salt.

Treebeerd's Taphouse

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The newly opened downtown bar takes its name from the oldest of the Ents, the tree giants from The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien fans won’t find much else of Middle Earth in this offshoot of a Corvallis taproom, but hobbits would approve of its 36 taps offering beer, mead, cider, and root beer, as well as a bar snack menu with plenty of cheese dishes. Plus, the midcentury couches and armchairs are comfy enough to accommodate a lengthy Tolkien reading.

ClockWork Rose Tea Emporium

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High tea takes place in a Beaverton steampunk-themed tea room, with a 33-foot-long airship hovering by the ceiling, hot air balloons and clocks every way you turn. The tea room regularly changes up its decor and high tea tasting menu — which includes tea sandwiches, scones, and cake — for each themed event, including a Mad Hatter-themed tea party, a Charles Dickens tea, and a Witching Tea in October. Outside of events, the tea house serves a regular afternoon tea menu. Early reservations are a must, as seats sell out quickly. 

Black Ink Coffee and White Rabbit Books & Gifts

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At this Alice in Wonderland-inspired gift shop and coffee shop on Main Street in Oregon City, it’s hard to know which way to look or go. Books and gifts fill every nook and cranny, many of them from local small businesses. The local ethos spills over to the coffee half of the business — the menu features Deadstock Coffee, SOMA Kombucha, and pastries from Dos Hermanos Bakery and Shoofly Vegan Bakery. Alice would go for a scone.

Cathedral Coffee

Coziness reigns in these sibling coffee shops, with locations in Scappoose and St. Johns. The Scappoose cafe offers a variety of seating options, from booths to couches, where visitors can sip lattes and read. Books supplied by St. Johns neighborhood bookshop Windows Booksellers are scattered throughout for casual perusal over a cup of coffee — those who want to take a book home can buy them there. A second location in St. Johns has a similar setup, only the books are meant for exchange: Take a book, leave a book. Everything is made in-house, including the cafes’ enormous cinnamon rolls. The seasonal specials are worth checking out, as are drinks made with its honey lavender syrup.

The Stacks Coffeehouse

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the walls at this Killingsworth neighborhood spot, stacked in no particular order. Books can be paired with an order of coffee from local roaster Roseline Coffee, breakfast tacos (which are served all day), or zucchini mini-muffins made from a family recipe. The coffeeshop doubles as a community library, and customers can borrow books on the honor system.

Rose City Book Pub

The only bookstore and bar in Portland, the Fremont pub offers a snug refuge from Portland’s rain, with comfortable chairs and sofas interspersed among shelves of books. The small stage in the corner plays host to events like trivia nights, open mics, readings, and live music. The hearty cafe-style menu includes soups, sandwiches, salads, cheese plates, and a particularly nice pork shoulder with Brussels sprouts; meanwhile, the tap list rotates, relying heavy on Pacific Northwestern beers.

Vivienne Kitchen & Pantry

Robin Wheelright traded dining tables for books and turned her restaurant into Portland’s new culinary bookstore as a pandemic pivot. Nestled inside the Hollywood Theatre building, the bookstore offers a curated selection of new and old cookbooks, kitchenware, book signings, and cookbook-themed cooking classes. In the kitchen, Wheelright serves up sweet and savory fare gleaned from the cookbooks on the shelves. Keep an eye on Instagram, for when she offers slices of the Russian Honey Cake from the 20th Century Cafe Cookbook.

Guilder Cafe

Fans of The Princess Bride can spot references to the book and movie throughout the new cafe inside Powell’s City of Books. The custom-designed wallpaper gives movie locations a local twist, and the menu offers its house-roasted coffee, Junior’s Roasted Coffee, and the choice between a spicy or savory Humperdinck (a biscuit with sausage and dipping sauces). For a morning boost, opt for the Autumn Miracle Pill, a latte with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, panela, cold brew, and salt.

Treebeerd's Taphouse

The newly opened downtown bar takes its name from the oldest of the Ents, the tree giants from The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien fans won’t find much else of Middle Earth in this offshoot of a Corvallis taproom, but hobbits would approve of its 36 taps offering beer, mead, cider, and root beer, as well as a bar snack menu with plenty of cheese dishes. Plus, the midcentury couches and armchairs are comfy enough to accommodate a lengthy Tolkien reading.

ClockWork Rose Tea Emporium

High tea takes place in a Beaverton steampunk-themed tea room, with a 33-foot-long airship hovering by the ceiling, hot air balloons and clocks every way you turn. The tea room regularly changes up its decor and high tea tasting menu — which includes tea sandwiches, scones, and cake — for each themed event, including a Mad Hatter-themed tea party, a Charles Dickens tea, and a Witching Tea in October. Outside of events, the tea house serves a regular afternoon tea menu. Early reservations are a must, as seats sell out quickly. 

Black Ink Coffee and White Rabbit Books & Gifts

At this Alice in Wonderland-inspired gift shop and coffee shop on Main Street in Oregon City, it’s hard to know which way to look or go. Books and gifts fill every nook and cranny, many of them from local small businesses. The local ethos spills over to the coffee half of the business — the menu features Deadstock Coffee, SOMA Kombucha, and pastries from Dos Hermanos Bakery and Shoofly Vegan Bakery. Alice would go for a scone.

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