Spotlight: Roste Chocolate House

Roste Chocolate House makes single-origin chocolate on site from raw cacao beans. Single-origin chocolate is made from cocoa beans sourced from a specific location, offering unique flavor profiles. Roste ethically sources high-quality cacao beans from around the world, roasts the beans in-house, turns them into chocolate, and then uses the single-origin chocolate created to make beverages, pastries, chocolate bars/confections, and more! Ranked Top 15 Best Hot Chocolate in North America by Yelp, Roste’s owner, Michael, shared with us about his business.

How do you feel Portland shapes or influences your business or work?

Michael: The food scene here is unlike anywhere else. When I first moved here in 2004, I was amazed by the sheer number of people who would focus on doing one thing incredibly well rather than doing a hundred things just to make their menu bigger. I was very influenced by that approach. At Roste Chocolate House, our one thing is chocolate.

If you could go back to the beginning, what would you have done differently?

Michael: I would have thought twice about opening a new food business during a once-a-century global pandemic. Definitely don't recommend that.

What role does the community play in your business?

Michael: A chocolate house is meant to be a place for community; a place for friends and family to meet up and enjoy a moment over delicious chocolate beverages and treats. Also, a place like ours develops its own community over time, and it is deeply satisfying to get to know everyone and interact with them regularly.