video: cloud seven cafe

Am I dreaming? No, but I have discovered the café of my dreams, Cloud Seven Café. Right on Jamison Square, located in the Pearl District, every single detail of this café has been thought out impeccably. Outdoor seating is punctuated by sky blue umbrellas. A troop of yogis plant themselves on the lawn to gracefully pose in sync in Jamison Square. There are even lots of outlets inside for the dying phone brigade and eternal laptoppers.

I walk in the doors and don’t know where to turn first. The lighting is a sea of floating bubbles. Counters are a smooth white modern plastic, chairs are 60’s mod white scoops. Kings of Convenience is projected at a perfect volume. All of the beautiful Pearl Districters seem to understand that this is the place to see or be seen, and the beauties have congregated here for coffee. If you come in with bike helmet in hand, you can take 15% off your drink, because Cloud Seven wants you to be a safe cyclist, especially if your head is in the clouds after trying their food.

Portions are small but the prices are very low. This enables one to create variety within a meal rather than just eat a giant sandwich. Their crunchy vegetable salad is far from the salad of yesteryear with boring lettuce leaves and pathetic dressing. This is a tart, lemony dressing with a perfect balance of tarragon and creaminess (they use sour cream instead of mayo) atop fresh pieces of garden veggies. I don’t normally enjoy green peppers, yet suddenly I am devouring them. When was the last time we could moan over a vegetable? Portland – take note. It is all about the super fresh ingredients. Chef Berk excitedly tells me of the tomatoes that he just got in the season’s first harvest of tomatoes. He puts them in the chickpea salad sandwich and the basil oil-drizzled couscous. I contemplate the yam bun – they use yams instead of sugar for sweetener!

Baked goods are either homemade (co-owner Janette DuCloo is also one of the skilled bakers!) or from NuVrei bakery. There is always at least one gluten-free and vegan option available, so everyone can partake in the goodness.

Cloud Seven exclusively uses Intelligentsia coffee, a brand I’ve been following for a year now. I am told that the beans are roasted the day they are shipped to Cloud Seven, and each cup is created individually in the pour-over method. This, in turn, leads to the freshest coffee imaginable. For today, I take my coffee black as not to tarnish the purity. Do not question the magic behind Cloud Seven – just come in here (in your best sundress of course).

Cloud Seven Café
901 NW 10th Ave
7am-7pm Mon-Sun

Videography by Oscar David Ortiz.