Portland's Quirkiest Coffee Shop Is Top-Rated And One Of The City's Oldest, With A Totally Offbeat Atmosphere

Coffee shops have become sleek places to grab a meticulously made drink or to sit down with an open laptop as you "work from home." Some orders don't even involve speaking to a barista — a few taps on your phone and soon a drink with your name scribbled on the side is ready. The experience in Portland's Rimsky-Korsakoffee House is unlike any other modern coffee shop. The live classical music, table service, and quirky decor make this akin to a classic Viennese coffeehouse, filtered through the lens of a Portland eccentric. Growing up in Portland in the '90s — when Portland was cheap, a little frightening, and oddballs didn't have to appeal to everyone so they could make rent — my friends and I would go to Rimsky's (as locals call it) at night to unwind after performing in a high school play. The coffeehouse doesn't open until 7 p.m. and doesn't serve alcohol, so it's perfect for drama kids to hang out in and feel their big emotions.

Walking up the steps to the front porch, you'd mistake Rimsky's for any other old house. Hidden behind trees and unmarked by any sign, the house sends an uncurious passerby on their way without a second look. Then, you enter. A jester doll sits on a swing, feet dangling over the lobby. The dark dining room has candles, string lights, and old lanterns. Adding to the atmosphere is a pianist playing classical music. Even the bathroom gets in on the fun, with an underwater theme. Look up and you'll see someone sitting on a dock with their feet in the water. Across from the toilet, a mannequin sits in a kayak, presumably drowned. The quirky atmosphere nearly justifies a stay in the affordable Central Eastside neighborhood all on its own.

Owner Goody Cable opened the coffee house in 1980, 19 years before Stumptown put Portland's coffee scene on the map and helped shape it into the U.S.'s coffee capital. Cable threw classical music-themed parties for her kids, so she decided to bring that same vibe to the coffee shop. The Victorian house was previously home to two writers who documented the Russian Revolution. Cable claims they still haunt the house.

The handwritten menu consists of desserts like Ship Goes to Pieces Against a Rock (chocolate mint ice cream with hot fudge), Berries Godunov (vanilla ice cream with raspberries), and Rasputin's Vice (espresso ice cream with coffee syrup and raspberries). Yes, there's a bit of an old Tsarist Russian theme here, which is fitting — it feels like the type of place where idealistic students would meet to plan a revolution or argue over theories of art. One busy Friday night, my friends and I stopped in for raspberry fool and mint tea. At the table next to us sat a young man, sipping tea and reading a chapbook of poetry by himself. It felt right.

With almost 1,300 reviews on Google, Rimsky's has a 4.5-star rating. "This is one of the few places that reminds me of the Portland of my youth," wrote one reviewer. On Reddit, commenters reminisce about their childhood memories of sitting at tables with friends eating dessert and having tea, all in the offbeat atmosphere. If you're looking for other unique spots in the city, check out more of the best coffee shops in Portland that only locals know about.