Bella Espresso231 N. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach; (503) 436-2595; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day; Everything less than $6

For more than a quarter century, Cannon Beach has served as a dreams-come-true kind of place, an ideal venue to fall in love, discover art or find yourself.

But even with the mega-excitement of summer in the air, to chance upon a coffeehouse like Bella Espresso seems remarkable.

Not that there aren’t marvelous joe joints sprinkled throughout the Columbia-Pacific region. Still, Bella Espresso feels uncommon, yet chummy and familiar as soon as you step through the threshold and inhale the seductive aromas of coffee beans, layered cakes and caramel apples.

Maybe Bella Espresso’s so distinctive because of the black tables and cherrywood chairs, the soft overhead lighting extruding from the magenta ceiling and the red-orange fabric “flames” wavering in the sconces. Not to be missed is the back-wall ultra-cushy leather couch that envelops unsuspecting patrons. And certainly the tiered dessert case displaying tiramisu, Double-Tall cheesecake, carrot cake, a chocolate-truffle torte and then some, cannot be ignored. Overseeing the scene, a hip and helpful young staff keeps things lively, exuberantly calling out completed orders.

Bella Espresso would be more at home in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle or Portland’s Pearl District than Cannon Beach, except the clientele – mostly a house blend of weekenders and wannabe locals – is too casual. This is, after all, the coast, and the indiscriminate dress code accommodates everything from Hawaiian prints and khaki pants to halter tops and flip flops. Except for the staff, chic all-black garb is on the outs.

Another thing: How many java parlors around here cater to parents pushing high-tech strollers or hauling babies in backpacks? Bella Espresso welcomes them in spades, urban yups who look like they haven’t had a caffeine fix since breakfast. They order double-shot something-or-others (Bella Roasta coffees are featured), then buy raspberry Italian sodas, cinnamon-coated caramel apples or sugar cones stuffed with cherry gelato for their young’uns.

Kudos to Bella Espresso for its munchie selection. Coffeehouse confections can run the flavor gauntlet from too sweet and so-so to utterly scrumptious. Usually it’s the smaller, one-location establishments that purvey the latter, although mega-chain Starbucks sells passable baked goods. In step with its theme, Bella Espresso offers cannoli, that quintessential Italian treat featuring a tubular pastry shell stuffed with sweetened whipped ricotta. The version here, along with the tiramisu, is tasty if not superb, and an unexpected goody at the beach. Double-Tall cheesecake is creamy good, but comes topped with frozen berries, a disappointment in the produce-rich Northwest.

Bella Espresso customers in the know opt for the chocolate-truffle torte or the irresistible pistachio gelato, perhaps this beach town’s yummiest carry-out dessert. Ethereal mandarin sorbet or a filling smoothie – say, Mango Rama or Berry Extreme – are other can’t-miss choices.

The Cellar On 10th1004 Marine Drive, Astoria; (503) 325-6600; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 11a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday; Wine prices from $5.99 a bottle

After our initial sip – the first sniff, actually – we knew this wine was a winner, a smooth, ripe, easy-drinking red tasting of plum and cherries with a hint of chocolate. No, it wasn’t a red Burgundy, a Super Tuscan or a California cabernet. And our bottle of wine cost a scant $7.50.

It was wine made from malbec, Argentina’s best-known grape. Originally imported from Bordeaux in southwestern France, the grape now thrives on the hillsides lining Argentina’s Mendoza Valley. Except among aficionados, wines made from malbec go mostly unnoticed in this country. This is particularly true in the Northwest, where regional pride dictates that Oregon’s pinot noirs and Washington’s cabernets, syrahs and merlots are among the best produced anywhere.

True enough. But if you appreciate fine wine, break free occasionally of the Northwest’s ethnocentric mind set and explore what other grape-growing regions have to offer. A pleasant place to browse some of world’s fine wines is The Cellar On 10th, owned by Mike Wallis.

Appropriately named, The Cellar is down a flight of stairs and inside a shop walled with windows. About 5,000 bottles ranging in price from $5.99 to $1,000 are displayed atop and inside custom wood cases, including wines from Australia, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Argentina, Chile and New Zealand, as well as California. Plus, there’s a substantial Northwest selection. Amiable wine steward Kerry Grasee-Rodgers, a Portland-area transplant, will get you oriented, answer questions and explain the nuances of, say, a New Zealand versus a Washington sauvignon blanc.

Far from being a wine snob, Grasee-Rodgers searches for bargain bottles from around the world. “I want people to feel comfortable choosing wines,” she says. “We have numerous wines available by the glass, and we offer free tastings. I want to make sure I meet people’s needs.”

Here are a half dozen Grasee-Rodgers’ picks of wines selling for less than $10:

Bodega Lurton Mendoza Malbec 1999 (Argentina), $7.50 – an easy-drinking red tasting of plum, cherries and a hint of chocolate

San Giorgio Sangiovese 2001(Italy), $5.99 – crazy value … that’s all I can say.

Les Heretique 2001 (France), $7.50 – smooth, fruity yet dry red that goes with everything

Oreilly’s Riesling 2002 (Oregon), $9.99 – like biting into a fresh peach!

Pepperwood Viogner 2001 (California), $7.99 – honeysuckle and apricots … crisp, dry finish

La Vielle Ferme Rouge 2001 (France), $7.99 – delicious berry and cherry fruit with a silky mouth feel.

Wine merchantsWine merchants abound in the Columbia-Pacific region. North to south, look for The Wine Dock, 77 11th St., inside Pier 11 Mall, Astoria; (503) 325-5691; Wine Haus, 12th Ave. and Highway 101, Seaside, (503) 738-0201; Laurel’s Cannon Beach Wine Shop, 263 N. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach; (503) 436-1666; The Wine Shack, 124 N. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach; (503) 436-1100; plus numerous grocery stores and supermarkets.

Contact the Mouth at The Daily Astorian, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103 or phone (503) 325-3211 or e-mail mouth@dailyastorian.com