Downtown Portland place for coffee and work tomorrow?

May 23, 2021 6:06 PM

My son and I are taking Amtrak to Portland and back tomorrow for an appointment he has at Doernbecher. I’d planned to take the day off, but will need to now work a good chunk of the day. Where could we both do some work and school on laptops from, say, 8:30-1030 and then 12:30-2? Easy Lyft from the station or the hospital (or walking distance to either). Hospital have any space appropriate for this (eg in a cafe)? Thanks!
posted by purenitrous to Travel & Transportation around Portland, OR (6 answers total)

The OHSU campus (which Doernbecher is part of) is pretty big and has a number of cafe- and lounge-areas, including at Doernbecher -- there's a Starbucks and a big lounge on the main floor. But I don't know what's happening with COVID. You might try calling Doernbecher tonight or first thing tomorrow and asking at front desk what in the hospital is open. Nurses station might also have good suggestions for nearby spots that have dine-in. Dine-in is only just now re-opening in spots in Portland, over the last few weeks, and it's pretty spotty.
posted by curious nu at 6:32 PM on May 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

Oracle coffee is down in the south waterfront and serves a damn fine cup (you’ll likely have to take the tram down from OHSU to get there easily, but that’s like a plus in my book). No one that I’m aware of has really restarted indoor coffee service though. Coffee shops are by and large not up and running in that way.
posted by furnace.heart at 6:54 PM on May 23, 2021 [1 favorite]

i was up at OHSU last week and the Sam Jackson cafeteria was open, but the cafe was closed. i asked an employee and what she told me led me to think that on campus cafe spaces might be only intermittently open due to the virus.
posted by hollisimo at 6:54 PM on May 23, 2021

Response by poster: If indoor coffee places aren’t an option (we are in Eugene and they are open with reduced capacity here)-other ideas to kill a few rainy hours?
posted by purenitrous at 7:17 PM on May 23, 2021

It's raining here RN but OMSI is open with reservations.
posted by fiercekitten at 7:26 AM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: A quick update. We killed some time taking Max to South Waterfront then tram to the hospital-fun and a little terrifying. Hospital cafe was open and we were able to grab a table and eat and I did my first meeting-mainly listening cause I don’t want to be that obnoxious person talking loudly in a restaurant. Waiting area on our floor at Doernbecher has a ton of space so we checked in early and asked and they had no problem with us finding a corner to do work and school. Thanks all!
posted by purenitrous at 10:09 AM on May 24, 2021 [1 favorite]