Last week we wrote about a trip to Café Grumpy, but that was not the only outing that day. After Grumpy, Manhattan Roasts wandered down to the Chelsea Market to find an outpost of Ninth Street Espresso. For those of you who have never been to Chelsea Market, it is definitely worth the trip. Housed in the old Nabisco (National Biscuit Company) factory, the market is replete with character and great food.
Ninth Street Espresso has a rounded corner countertop that fits right into the market, and is a great area to hang around, enjoy a coffee, and catch up with a friend.
The Coffee: Ninth Street Espresso brews exclusively Stumptown Coffee Roasters coffee (perhaps the most famous of well-known Portland, Oregon roasters). The espresso was tasty, though a little more bitter and a little less thick than I would have liked. I would put it well below Café Grumpy’s great espresso, but better than Joe’s. As an aside, I was wholly unimpressed that the barista at Ninth Street could not tell me what kind of coffee it was (besides “Oh, it’s a blend from Stumptown”). I would put a lot of money on a Sumatra, but would have liked to have confirmed it.
All in all, if you are in the area, definitely drop by the Chelsea Market, but if you have a few minutes to spare, why not wander up to Cafe Grumpy instead?
