Excellent cafe & coffee shop. The Frothy Monkey, located in the heart of 12th Avenue South, is everything you want your neighborhood coffee shop to be. And then some. It’s clean, cozy, efficient and eclectic; overall, it’s a very comfortable place to spend an afternoon.

As far as food and drink go, I have to call out The Frothy Monkey here a little bit because I would assert it’s actually more of a café masquerading as a coffee shop than anything else. I know that will make the baristas shudder with anger, but I’m sorry: if you want your coffee to be the main attraction, you’ll need to fire your chef and go back to serving the standard microwavable blueberry muffin other coffee shops push as “food.”

As coffee shop fare goes, the menu is pretty extensive yet very affordable. For just over $10 I got a full sandwich, a cup of soup and a side of chips, and I topped that off with a solid Chai Tea Latte for $3.35. The sandwich was “The PMP”, a popular choice that features prosciutto, mozzarella and provolone with basil, mayo, and avocado on toasted sourdough. The prosciutto was salty and perfectly portioned, and the natural creaminess of the avocado and mozzarella balanced the sandwich in a satisfying way.

The soup of the day was Cream of Mushroom, and it was smooth, tangy and garnished with pieces of sautéed mushrooms which gave it great texture. To be honest, after that, I really didn’t even care about the chips (which were tortilla). Actually, I don’t even think I was supposed to get chips, and I’m pretty sure they gave me a bowl of soup instead of a cup, so go ahead and add “generous” to the heaping pile of compliments I’m doling out to The Frothy Monkey staff today. Finally, there was the latte: it was piping hot, not overly sweet, and finished with a good kick of spice. But as I’ve already said, this show was seriously stolen by the goodness of the grub.…

Coffee from the monkey's rear. If you were looking for good coffee or anything of the sort, you should leave the frothy monkey and walk a few shops down to portland brew. I have not personally tasted portland brew, but horse urine could have more flavor than any item you purchase at the frothy monkey. Tasteless, sugarless slushy water with a teaspoon of coffee in each cup is what you pay $8.50 for. It is great for tastebudless diabetics who want a nice place to sit around and use wi-fi internet, but the average joe should get their cup of joe elsewhere.…

quiet, friendly place. Of the many coffee shops in town, this is one of my favorites; the smoothies and baked goods are fantastic, and there's nothing pretentious or hipper-than-thou about the decor or employees! I have to say, though, that over the past year I've not gone as much. To accommodate larger crowds, the cafe has shoved in more tables and it limits internet access during peak hours. In addition, the hours have been cut back from what's listed online -- Frothy Monkey is frequently closed by the time I get off from work (around 4pm). If it were open longer, this would still be the place I'd go to write and enjoy the atmosphere! Still...it's a great place and is dog-friendly.…

This 12South coffee shop houses a high-tech urban aesthetic in a sprawling hometown venue.. In Short
Situated within the hip 12th Avenue South district, this roomy cafe features hardwood floors, large front and side patios, a spiral staircase leading to a second-story loft, exposed-brick walls and plenty of natural light. The menu includes an array of gourmet cheeses, salads and sandwiches, as well as several fresh- and dried-fruit options. Sunday afternoons feature live bluegrass music on the spacious side deck, which is heated in the cooler months.…