[Eddie Rivera/Pasadena Now]
The coffee spot features Stumptown’s own unique coffees, including espresso drinks and pour overs of single-origin coffees, along with cold brew beverages.
We tried two of their coffees on our recent visit — Mordecofé from Ethiopia, and El Inierto Bourbon, from Guatemala. Black, the Guatemalan coffee was milder, while the Ethiopian was richer and stronger. Eventually, we had our Guatemalan coffee with extra milk and extra sugar, and it was just about perfect.
Along with it, we had cookies from Little Flower bakery in Pasadena, as well as a lemon seed poppy cake. A seriously delicious combination.
The vibe is definitely hometown hipster, but in a good way. The playlist is inviting without being intrusive. In fact, local DJ Richard La, will be spinning records, including sounds from Pasadena record shop, Commune, at their grand opening soirée.
“We love vinyl here,” said retail VP John Perry, who added, “Each of the Stumptown cafés has a distinct personality, which ties directly to the neighborhood. We try to design a café that would become part of the fabric of Pasadena, and offer a welcome, inclusive place to enjoy exceptional coffee.”
There is also a curated menu from Spirit Tea. And for those who shy away from gluten, or who prefer a vegan jam, there are a host of pastries from Bread Lounge, a handful of hot breakfast sandwiches from Farmshop, as well as snacks, and several non-coffee beverages.
The cafe was designed with a cozy living room theme by Los Angeles–based architecture and design studio Wrk Shp. Facing the sidewalk,as part of the extended entrance, several comfy chairs are surrounded by shelves filled with vinyl albums, and cool, homey, knickknacks. Kind of like that older friend you had in college who just had everything perfectly cool in their crib.
And you might want to line up early. The shop officially opens this Saturday, February 17 at 8 AM and the first 50 guests will receive a free swag bag with a limited edition mug as well as a bag of Stumptown coffee. Reason enough to get up early, don’t you think?
Guest bartender Han Suk Cho, will also be pouring non-alcoholic coffee cocktails in the afternoon on Saturday, from 1 to 4 p.m.
The small coffee chain, born in Portland, Oregon, now has a total of eight cafés, with four in their home city of Portland, three in New York City, and their newest shop in Pasadena, of course. Their own coffee is also available online at stumptowncoffee.com.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters is at 1982 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena, CA.
