If you’ve walked down Washington Ave in the last couple of months you’re sure to have noticed the papered windows of the former Coffee by Design location 43 Washington Ave. Construction has been underway for a while and I’m happy to now to be able to share it’s slated to be the future home of Anoche (website, instagram) a cider and spirits bar being opened by longtime Novare Res manager Erika Colby.
In addition to cider and spirits, Colby is also planning to serve a menu of Basque-inspired food centered on pinxtos, tapas-style snacks that are traditionally served on bread with the topping spiked to the base with a small skewer.
Colby shared with me that she started this project with “a simple love for ciders” and it grew from there to encompass the full vision of a cider, spirits bar serving food from the Basque region of Spain. She’s found it a very rewarding process to start with a blank canvas and work to envision the final product of space, service, food and drinks, putting to use what she’s learned from years in the industry.
Colby is “excited to offer Portland something a little different” and hopes to open Anoche in late August.