Bread & Friends — Restaurant in Portland

Above and Beyond - Perfection of How to Be Treated for the Best Experience It took me awhile to write this review because I wanted to temper my enthusiasm after several experiences here. I wanted to have clarity of mind and be sure to detail why Bread & Friends defines excellence during today's environment where in general dining reviews are inconsistent by reviewers who give a 1 star to places because they waited an extra 15 minutes to sit down or they had unrealistic ego-centered self importance expectations when dining.

I have dined at James Beard awarded local faves in Portland and nominees. And for the life of me cannot understand how Bread & Friends is not at the top of the list. Some of those nominees befuddled me as to how they were nominated. But here, it is very clear.

From the front of the house to the kitchen staff, chef and all complimentary staff, Bread & Friends run by Jess delivers.

Vibe: There is a pleasantness and warmth by the staff that exudes being happy working there and interacting with customers. In a time when staff turnover is a challenge for restaurants, no matter who is working here, they always find staff that deliver a consistently friendly, patient, engaging and warm interaction from being shown to our seats to ordering to all the follow-up check-ins. The atmosphere is bright with lots of natural light and a decor that speaks to casual, comfortable and very clean.

Service: We have never been disappointed. You can see Jess managing the floor with a presence of joy with all that she does. The staff are all focused and relaxed while delivering with always a smile and kindness.

Food: We have dined for brunch and dinner, on a weekday and on a weekend. We have never been disappointed by the creations of Chef and his inventiveness with flavors, textures and presentation. How he comes up with flavor combinations is always a surprise because it works every time. We find ourselves eating especially slowly to savor each bite. That is not something we typically do - drag things out to savor the food for as long as we can. I would highlight specific dishes as I do in all of my reviews, but their menu changes for dinner and I would say just jump into anything on the menu that pulls you in.

But, I will say for brunch, there is a consistent menu. This food is not for those seeking traditional eggs or pancakes. This is artfully done eggs where the texture and flavors just don't show up anywhere else. Their barista makes coffee and special flavors such as a lavender peppercorn latte are always smoothly subtle. Our group last time fell in love with the three flavored latte options where more than one was tried and loved by each.

Final thoughts. Whether you are a local and do not know about Bread & Friends, then this is a hidden gem worth experiencing or if you are visiting Portland you may find it's the best dining experience for your visit.

This is all at the risk of promoting a place that maybe I won't be able to get into as their reputation for excellence is known by everyone close and far away. But the owner Maggie deserves everything that comes their way for success. She has built it for all the success that...

Absolutely fantastic experience. We made a reservation for our anniversary dinner, but ended up being hungry earlier so we stopped by and they were able to seat us an hour or so before our reservation. The decor is beautiful - modern Scandinavian style. There are two paid public lots with ample parking right next door as well as some street parking available. Service was fantastic. We were able to chat briefly with one of the owners and saw how much love and dedication they put into their operation.

Food is amazing and the presentation excellent. I wish I had been able to dine with a larger group so that we could have tried everything as every single dish sounded amazing. We had the Bread and Friends - we ran out of bread and then fought over who got to eat the last of the butter plain without bread. We also had the eggplant - beautiful presentation, great textures, delicious. I had the ricotta tortelli and wanted to lick the bowl clean afterwards. My husband had the salmon and this was honestly the best piece of salmon I've ever had in my life - light and melts in your mouth, not dense like every other piece of salmon I've had. We had the banana cake for dessert and they brought it out to us with a candle on it since we were celebrating our anniversary - such a sweet touch. I also really really enjoyed that they had non-alcoholic beverage options that showed just as much dedication to the ingredients as the food menu. I had the strawberry shrub and LOVED it. The entire menu is crafted in such a way that it prioritizes quality over quantity and really highlights each ingredient - this is absolutely the way food should be eaten. We left feeling perfectly full and not overly stuffed, even after two appetizers, our main courses, and a shared dessert.

We actually went back the next day to get some pastries as this is a bakery/brunch spot during the day. I wish we could have had sit down brunch as well, but we didn't have enough time. It was also PACKED on Sunday morning! A great sign for their success. The to-go line had quite a few people in it, but moved very quickly. The everything pull apart was delicious - savory and sweet at the same time. The sweet pastries were so good that my husband ate them all before I even got a bite.

If I lived close by I would be here weekly! We will definitely be back the next time we're...

I’ve been a fan of Bread & Friends since trying their strawberry fennel jam a year ago at a Congress Square Park market. It was one of the best jams I’ve ever had. I’ve been following their journey ever since, so I was incredibly excited when I saw them open a brick-and-mortar store in the heart of Portland.

I visited the new location on opening day, and I was blown away from the moment I stepped inside. First of all, can we talk about the decor?! It’s the little details for me: the hand-made mugs (a collab with a local pottery studio), the lights, the furniture, and the cutest bathroom in town. I can go for days — the vibe of the bakery is cozy and welcoming, yet stylish, artsy, and refreshing.

The food was simply divine. Although their breakfast menu was limited (and ends at 10:30 am, at least for now), the lunch menu was quite extensive! Honestly, I was surprised, in a good way. I was expecting a bakery with mostly baked goods, bread, and some breakfast items, but I was impressed by the caliber of most of their dishes. Oysters? Fresh fennel salad? Duck leg? Yep — they’re doing it all!

My partner and I ordered a few things to share, which is the way to go at Bread & Friends. Their lunch menu is mainly made up of shareable small plates.

The demi baguette — with a side of tomato jam and salted cultured butter — was incredible. The fresh baguette, which was still hot when we had it, was crunchy and delicious. The tomato jam was also a hit. The ricotta and jamón ibérico came with a side of focaccia — a match made in heaven. The ricotta had a subtle taste that allowed the other flavors to coexist, creating a perfect balance of sweet and savory. Lastly, the everything pull apart (muffin? pastry?) was one of our favorite items. Oh — and the coffee was also incredible. Every dish was just so good, and at times we felt like we were eating at an award-winning restaurant (which I’m sure they’ll be soon!).

There are still a few things they still have to figure out with time — it was a bit weird to order at a counter and then to get the check later at our table; they forgot utensils; and we had to tell them we were missing an item from our order. But we went on opening day, and things were hectic, so it’s all okay. We can’t wait to be back. Welcome to Portland, Bread & Friends! So glad...