Let Me Put U On: Why the Aunt Viv latte at Portrait Coffee feels like home

In our weekly series, “Let Me Put U On,” the UATL team shares the stories, places and experiences that continue to resonate long after we first discovered them. Some things are simply too good to keep to ourselves.

I approach every first-time visit to a coffee shop the same way.

I scan the menu — though I rarely deviate from my iced vanilla oat latte — passing over the typical suspects.

My eyes go from “cold brew” down to “drip,” then “Americano” and “cappuccino.”

But at this particular spot, something unusual yet familiar catches my eye. It’s a signature drink called the Aunt Viv latte, and instantly, I feel right at home.

Barista Aayanna Collier (left) and general manager Jahlissa Colas work behind the counter inside Atlanta’s Portrait Coffee on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

I first stepped foot inside Portrait Coffee, a Black-owned roastery in Atlanta, about three years ago. The brown sugar and cardamom-infused beverage, named after the beloved Vivian Banks character from the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” wasn’t the only thing that hooked me.

It was the mission, too. The company, founded by six Atlanta friends, hopes to “change the picture that comes to mind when folks think of specialty coffee,” according to its website. They want to see more Black folks in the business, and frankly, I do, too.

I can trace my coffee shop obsession back to my graduate school days in Chicago. The early mornings and late nights required a caffeine boost.

And coffee shops were also just a nice change of scenery. The bold, nutty aroma of fresh beans. The rhythmic buzzing of the espresso machine. The high-pitched hissing of the steamer. A mellow playlist quietly humming in the background. Oh, and if it’s raining? I’m happily staying put for hours.

But my earliest experiences with coffee shops were through large chains, and I didn’t see a lot of folks who looked like me owning them. Leave it to Atlanta, the city with the infamous Black mecca label, to show me a different story.

The Black businesses here are so intentional. And Portrait is no exception. From the vinyl records adorning shelves along one wall to the cast-iron skillet — like the one your grandma used — taking up space on another, it’s Blackity Black just how I like it.

And of course, portraits (pun intended) of Black life are everywhere.

A record player sits on a stand at Portrait Coffee in Atlanta. Vinyl records adorn shelves along one wall. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Even the space it occupies has meaning.

It’s located in the Lottie Watkins Building in Atlanta’s historic West End neighborhood, named after Atlanta’s first Black female real estate broker.

I drop in nearly every time I’m in the area. It has become my temporary office more times than I can count. I’ve caught up with colleagues in the cushiony chairs against the graffiti wall toward the back.

AJC multimedia journalist Najja Parker enjoys a caffeine boost from Portrait Coffee in Atlanta. Parker can trace her coffee shop obsession back to her graduate school days in Chicago. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

I’ve rushed in to grab a quick pick-me-up in the middle of shooting video projects, like the Atlanta University Center graduation ceremonies. I’ve even stopped by to plug my camera equipment into the outlets along the wooden benches for a last-minute recharge.

And when I can’t make it to Portrait, I practice my barista skills at home with my new espresso machine and their Double Double beans.