The Great North (St. Johns)
St. JohnsThe original Great North (open since 2016), a small corner espresso bar and breakfast cafe in the heart of the St. Johns business district. Founded by two owners who came up through Coava, Barista, and Stumptown, it pulls Coava beans and pours The Jasmine Pearl tea, but the real tell is everything they make themselves — chai, syrups, sauces, specialty sodas — and the breakfast sandwiches people keep coming back for. For commuters and St. Johns regulars who want a careful drink and something to eat, not a roastery tour.
The order
A breakfast sandwich and an espresso drink on Coava beans — that's the house move (the plant-based version gets singled out by regulars, and there are bagel sandwiches too). If you're drinking something sweeter, get the house-made chai or whatever the monthly latte special is.
Know before you go
- Early open is the draw: weekdays 6am-6pm, weekends 7am-6pm. No drive-through, walk-up or sit-down only.
- Small space — it gets cramped and a line forms at peak hours. Indoor and outdoor seating, plus wifi for laptop work.
- Dog-friendly and good for kids.
- The entrance is not wheelchair accessible, per the owner.
- Street parking in the St. Johns commercial core; no dedicated lot.
