BEST COFFEE

Runner-up: The Rusty Cup, Astoria

Honorable mention: 3 Cups Coffee House, Astoria

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE

Runner-up: The Rusty Cup, Astoria

Honorable mention: The Depot Restaurant, Seaview, Wash.

Micha Cameron-Lattek, co-owner of Street 14 Café along with his partner Jennifer, has a pretty good idea of why his well-regarded coffee shop snagged another Readers’ Choice award for Best Coffee, as well as additional kudos for Best Customer Service.

“Part of the reason we like working with Stumptown is the resources,” Cameron-Lattek said. “We take advantage of all the training resources we can get.”

The Cameron-Latteks have a longtime relationship with the award-winning Portland-based coffee roaster, going back to their days brewing cups of Joe in Berlin, Germany, before they transplanted to Astoria.

Case in point, upon a recent visit to Street 14 to congratulate them upon their Readers’ Choice wins, two trainers from Stumptown were out on the coast to percolate a discussion.

Cameron-Lattek is quick to point out the knowledgeable and affable nature of their staff. “We have had a pretty solid crew for over two years now,” he said.

The main blend they use for espresso drinks is Stumptown’s Hairbender, which is sourced from Indonesian, Latin American and East African beans. But, as Cameron-Lattek pointed out, there’s much more to a coffee drink than just the grounds. “Ninety per cent of our drinks are milk-based,” he said.

The cafe has forged relationships with local farmers and vendors for their menu, so milk from, say, the Bennett Family Farm in Tillamook can also be used for coffee drinks for a small additional fee. They also keep seasonal rotating house-drip coffee on hand.

Of course, part of great customer service in a small town is also being a great neighbor. Street 14 does this through multiple donations to local organizations as well as through hosting pop-up events.

Look for a one-night-only event on Feb. 15, when Street 14 will turn over their kitchen to Smoked Bones BBQ. March 1 will usher in another annual Ferry Street Friday, where there will be specials and sales at many 14th Street businesses.