You fall in love with Northwest Coffee Roasting before you even reach the door. On the walk toward the low-slung, block building, you’ll wander through a vast courtyard shared with the neighboring wine bar. Tables set atop crushed rock make for a perfect outdoor hangout, semi-hidden in a quiet pocket of the Central West End. The interior is spare and functionally stylish with a small number of tables in front of glass-paned garage doors and a short distance from the roasting works at the back of the shop. Jason Wilson, who has owned the business since 2012, has created an engaging space where he occasionally hosts progressive politicians for discussions. One of the few Black roasters in the country, he has adopted a mission to not only succeed in business, but build a model that shows others the joy of thriving in stereotype-busting roles. He calls it controlling the narrative — the idea that you can shape your own story. He’s done that — and he makes a first-class cup of coffee. — Doyle Murphy