Growing out of a genuine love for coffee and the St. Johns neighborhood, Daydreamer Coffee & Creative Lounge first opened as a lone coffee cart in 2018. After operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and serving as an outdoor social hub for the local community, the company expanded in 2022, adding another food cart and taking over a nearby interior business space.
“We do small things with great love and just try to let good products shine through,” Cat Caperello, owner and operator, explained. “(We’re) developing a neighborhood hub and serving thy neighbor and thy neighborhood.”
Originally founded with the hard work and help of Caryn Grunwald, Cat and her wife, Lisa Snyder, co-founder of Tokeativity, have continued to put an unquantifiable amount of effort into building a community around Daydreamer, evolving the space into a forum for the local neighborhood. The lounge schedule is packed with cool programs like Sunday markets, open mics and movie nights. There’s even a bike repair pop-up currently renting a portion of the space and a weekly knitting group on Fridays.
Notably, the coffee shop manages a Community Cup program where customers can donate a 12-ounce cup of drip coffee to others in need. They also feature a free library stocked with books, including options selected for themes of diversity and anti-racism. In every step along the way, the business is geared toward curating an inclusive and community-forward space.
Of particular interest to Oregon Leaf readers, Daydreamer has hosted a series of private Cannabis events in conjunction with partnered entities Tokeativity, Take Root Training and the “Talking Pot Heads” podcast. A series of live “Budtender Insights” has been presented on topics like concentrates and terpenes, with the programming providing significant educational and networking opportunities for attendees. In addition, lounge members who are 21 and older can access the creative space from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturdays. The creative lounge is a superb way to kick back, create and connect with others in a fun and safe space.
When it comes to coffee, Daydreamer has an impressive menu of high-quality and ethically sourced options curated to suit everyone from casual consumers to bean aficionados. Their primary roasting partner, Marigold Coffee, is a women-owned coffee producer local to Portland, and most of their other items, including their matcha, chai and CBD, are also sourced locally. Their trademark beverage creations, like the Borgia Bliss, the Britney Griner and the Walter White (an addictive mocha made with Hollander white chocolate and East Fork Cultivars CBD), are all as unique as their eponymous namesakes and are genuinely hard to put down after the first scrumptious sip.
The business also presents a wide array of food options, from burgers to in-house pastries to traditional lunch sandwiches with housemade sauces. It would be a sore omission not to mention their fried egg sandwiches, a popular customer favorite served on a choice of bread (including, but not limited to, bagels, croissants and English muffins) along with a multitude of toppings ranging from savory to sweet.
Given the quest for tannins and terpenes pairings this month, Oregon Leaf staff started with a Chamomile and Chill, a chamomile tea with lavender syrup, CBD and a steamed milk of choice, complemented by a fat joint of Z selected for its high linalool composition. After kicking back in the Creative Lounge and working up a case of the munchies, a Turkey Club Melt with house pesto served as a delicious capstone for the whole sensory experience. From the soft floral tones of the tea to the savory and herbaceous flavors of the sandwich, the offerings took our tastebuds on a daydream of a journey that left us feeling stoney and satisfied.
It’s easy to see how a shared love of food and drink can bring people together, and Daydreamer Coffee & Creative Lounge has designed a space where that connection happens so organically and authentically. When neighborhood action is paired with unrelenting love and passion, the result is a better community for all. A huge amount of appreciation to Cat, Lisa and the entire crew at Daydreamer Coffee for what they do to contribute to the richness of Portland’s coffee and Cannabis cultures.
