At a glance
- Roasts inPortland, OR
- Founded2023
- Founded byJosh White
- CafesPortland
- VisitorsOpen to the public
Heretic Coffee Co. is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Oregon: an independent roaster based in Portland, founded in 2023. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.
Their story
Heretic is a nonprofit coffee shop of about 500 square feet in an old building. Volunteer baristas staff the counter. All its coffee is roasted on an electric roaster in the shop. Volunteers can learn roasting and green coffee buying on top of barista skills. Josh White opened Heretic in April 2023 in a former Ardent Coffee space near Reed College. Bridgetown Bites reported that aside from White and one other person, the staff work as volunteers.
White told Bridgetown Bites the name refers to challenging accepted ways of doing things, including how coffee businesses usually run. Profits go to an incubator whose aim is launching new local companies and nonprofits. Its green coffee, from Colombia and Ethiopia, is bought through the importer Genuine Origin, which says it makes sure farmers are paid fairly for their work.
What they roast
House blends include Holy Roller and Midnight Rider. Single origins on the list when we checked: Ethiopia Misty Valley. Espresso: Holy Roller. Decaf: Slow Burn. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-28.
Where to drink it
The shop is open weekdays 8am to 2pm and weekends 9:30am to 2pm.
- 5120 SE 28th Ave., Portland
Address
5120 SE 28th Ave., Portland, OR 97202
Nonprofit coffee shop with in-house roaster.
Why buying from Heretic Coffee Co. matters here
Each day anyone who orders the SNAP Breakfast gets fed for free, with no questions and no proof of need. The free SNAP breakfast, a burrito with a cup of coffee, started during the 2025 federal shutdown. By mid November of that year donors had given about $360,000 and the shop had handed out some 1,200 meals, Wikipedia reports.
Every bag bought from a Portland roaster pays roasting and cafe wages in Oregon, and the coffee reaches you days after roasting instead of months. That is the reason the club exists. Why local roasters matter.
About this listing
Listed as a local favorite. A listing does not mean Heretic Coffee Co. is part of the club.
Are you Heretic Coffee Co.? Email coffee@multnomahcoffeeclub.com to correct or remove this page.
More Oregon roasters
- Jet Black Coffee Company, Portland
- Kaphiy Roasters, Portland
- Mae Coffee Roasters, Portland
By Joe McRose, Multnomah Coffee Club. Updated . Facts from Heretic Coffee Co.'s own pages and public sources, read 2026-09-28.