Iron Mutt Coffee - Hillsboro

If you've been reading me for a while you know I'm a big fan of the coffee. And that I will go out of my way to try new shops and beans from various places. Most of the top-ranked places in Portland I've enjoyed...but none of them are all that close to home.

So where do we go when we want to go out for coffee and don't want to go far? Iron Mutt Coffee Company in Hillsboro.

We ran across this place a few years ago not long after it opened because it was written up in an article in the Oregonian because of it's uniqueness. As you can tell from the name, they love themselves the dogs, and even have a small dog park off to the side of the building - something I guess you can do when you are at the end of the strip mall.

The service here is always good and relaxed, not the hyper feel of going to a Starbucks at all. The baristas make good stuff, and I think it's gotten even better recently when they switched their coffee from Portland Roasting Company to Caffe D'Arte. The baked goods are all made exclusively for the store by one of the owners. They also serve ice cream.

The owners, Sean and Rachelle, are always friendly. Sean used to be around in the shop more, but has since added two more locations (called Papaccino's and not themed the same way as Iron Mutt) so is understandably busy.

Iron Mutt also has an email newsletter they send out specials via on a semi-regular basis.

The coffee menu has all the usual staples as well as monthly specials written up on a chalkboard - and the combinations aren't something you'd probably ever expect. You can get a Milky Way mocha, for instance, or a Snickers mocha, or a peppermint mocha...or just about anything else you can think of. There are always non-coffee specials as well, plus they come up with actual treats for the pups.

Personally, I'm a big fan of their mochas, even moreso after the switch in coffee sources. Wifey typically orders a caramel macchiato. In the summer the mocha frappe is excellent (especially with the chocolate whip cream!).

So, if you are in the area, check it out - good stuff.