The cafe served an all-vegan menu and hosted community-based events, including local benefits, political teach-ins and anarchist infoshop-based classes.

It was originally opened as the Flying Saucer Cafe, which was purchased with loans from members in the community and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).

[11] The cafe was in local news in 2014 when John Langley called 911, for a man who appeared to be having a heroin overdose, and asked the emergency dispatcher explicitly not to send the police.

[12] The Red and Black Cafe served vegetarian and vegan fare and helped Portland become one of PETA's Most Vegetarian- and Vegan-Friendly Cities in 2010.

[13] The cafe purchased produce from Project Grow, an urban farming program that assists developmentally disabled adults.