Cafe Snapshot: Equiano Tasting Room

Are you searching for Eugene's best coffee and a beautiful cafe in which to enjoy a wonderful coffee or espresso experience? Look no further than local coffee roaster "Equiano Coffee Company" and their beautiful boutique style cafe, the "Equiano Tasting Room"!

Equiano Coffee Tasting Room.

The Equiano Tasting Room is becoming well known as a gem of the Eugene coffee scene and a favorite espresso stop for neighbors in the recently revitalized, artsy and hip Whiteaker neighborhood. Located at 300 Blair Blvd, in the heart of the Blair Business District and next door to local favorite, "Vanilla Jill's Scoops & Soups", the Tasting Room is as beautiful as it is unique.

The Tasting Room's front walkway garden.

Though cozy on the inside, and some may even call it tiny, the Tasting room provides outdoor seating surrounding its front garden and on the large patio area in back that it shares with neighboring business, Vanilla Jill's. 

Events on the Tasting Room's patio stage run year-round.

Eugene's Best Coffee

Your senses are sure to be delighted from the moment you walk into this quaint and stylish little cafe, from the interior design, smell of the brewing coffee and the local art adorning the walls to the handsome espresso machine at the forefront of the counter and the striking floral arrangements set on tables and counter tops throughout the cafe.

But the one thing that you will surely take with you is the flavor of the coffee! Okon Udosenata, co-owner and Roastmaster at Equiano Coffee Company seeks out and buys some of the highest quality and most flavorful single varietal, small-farm coffees from coffee growing regions around the world.

And you don't have to take my word for it. Just ask for a sample of their brewed coffee of the day, take a deep wiff of the brew, take a long slurp, and savor the residual aftertaste on the back of your tongue! Then order an expertly made Cappuccino from the Barista behind the bar, maybe with their hand-made organic Cashew milk or hand-made organic chocolate ganache.

“Udosenata finishes making my cappuccino and sets the tiny cup in front of me. I take a sip. It is amazing. I take another sip. I start to feel amazing.” Anna Grace from her review for “Chow” in the Eugene Weekly

Organic Cashew milk latte at the Equiano Tasting Room.

Equiano Coffee Company, owned and operated by Okon and his wife Gloria, is one of few coffee roasters in Eugene that have developed relationships with the farmers from around the world that grow their coffees. You may see a large photo on the Tasting Room wall of Okon working the raw, green coffee beans on a plantation in Colombia where he gets many of his finer coffees from, or you may happen to run into Lan Mayberry as she delivers the beans from her small farm in Bon Mua Viet Nam for Okon to roast at his rostery, located in the industrial area of West Eugene.

One of Equiano's most popular coffees is their organic Brazil. Almost always available as an espresso or as a single cup pour-over at the tasting room, this delicious coffee is also the coffee of choice for two other local businesses, "Pastini" Italian restaurant and "King Estate Winery" and can be ordered from their menus.

A Great Place to Sip and Visit

Coffee, a pastry, & a little fun at the Tasting Room.

With music played exclusively on vinyl records, the relaxed pace of the neighborhood, free WiFi and the scents of fresh flowers and fresh brewed coffee lingering in the air, the Tasting room can be a meditative, even magical place to spend a few minutes before work or part of the afternoon visiting with a friend or maybe getting some work done on your laptop.

Coffee with friends.

Getting a little work done over a cup of coffee.

Fun With Coffee

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Chances are you can find something unique and enjoyable to experience at the Equiano Tasting Room. From holiday crafts and live music, to local art, coffee tasting events and delicious pastry pop-ups, I highly recommend following Equiano Coffee on both Instagram and Facebook to keep up with all the fun going on at the cafe and around the neighborhood!

Pastry Pop-Up at the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room.

As far as local coffee roasters in Eugene go, Equiano Coffee Company is unmatched. And when it comes to the best tasting coffees in Eugene, the Equiano Tasting Room is a must-try for anyone seeking out a special coffee experience while out on the town. The Tasting Room is open 7 days a week for your sipping pleasure and you can even take home your favorite coffee to brew at home in bags of either whole-bean or ground form. You can also order their coffee online from wherever you may be via their website www.equianocoffee.com. Cheers!