Pied Cow Coffeehouse

3244 SE Belmont St, Portland, 97214

The Pied Cow definitely has its quirky charms: it's a big old Victorian house right on Belmont with seating in three parlors (how quaint!); it also has a magical outdoor seating area that's perfect for lounging on warm summer nights; it's open late on the weekends, which is especially great for the under-21 crowd; it's dog-friendly (they even have menu items for your dog!); great desserts, including a $50 sundae (for sharing, of course) and an amazing chocolate velvet cheesecake; it serves beer and wine in addition to decent coffee drinks; they've got hookahs.

On the down side, the service is pretty unreliable. It's taken me 20 minutes before just to get a server's attention to order something. Definitely not someplace to stop into on your way to a movie. Aside from desserts, I can't recommend their food, either, unfortunately. The spicy refried bean dip was downright disgusting, the hummus plate merely so-so.

In short, if you're not in a hurry, not particularly hungry, and you're just looking for a lovely outdoor spot to hang out with friends (including your furry ones) for a cup of coffee or tea or for dessert, I recommend this spot. But really: don't be in a hurry.