ZUbakery — Restaurant in Portland

I visited ZuBakery 4 times in a row while visiting Portland this week. This bakery places a strong emphasis on the quality of the dough and their efforts are well reflected in the wonderful texture of the bread and sweet smell of yeast.

The apple galette is phenomenal. The apples on top are beautifully caramelized and not soggy (!). The crust is the best part and it is perfect; light and crunchy, but yet retains its structure and texture.

I had their ham and cheese croissant and it is excellent. This is not a butter heavy (I am sure a lot of butter goes in here, but you know what I mean) croissant where everything is impossibly buttery. And no, this is a not an airpocket filled croissant (horror) with a rockhard (or) sad droopy shell. The outer shell is light and crispy. The quality of the dough really shines in the inner layers of the croissant-- the flavor of the dough comes forward and it is so delightful. Ham and cheese are generously added, and they are of a good quality.

Currant scone.. wasn't my favorite. Too dry.

Challah (Fridays only) was very good. It is dense (as it should) and the texture is on point. Flavor-wise, it is not sweet at all. (Personally, I like slightly sweeter challah).

If I had more time in Portland, I would have tried out their fresh baguettes... maybe next time.

Lastly, what the other reviewers say is true. They sell out quickly.. within 30min of the bakery opening time, crowd...

Amazing pastries and bread! We tried a croissant, pain au chocolat, and their hand pizza in our first few visits, and they were all incredible! We've never been to a bakery where they were literally putting everything out fresh from the oven as soon as we walked in! And each time we've been in, it's been the same experience - everything fresh from the oven just waiting to be enjoyed! It doesn't get any better than that! The quality and flavor are exceptional, and you can clearly see the passion behind what they do. While we were waiting for our fresh pastries to be packaged, we watched one of the team members checking the bread in the oven, asking another team member if they were happy with the color or thought it should bake a bit more. It was really nice to see how much they care about what they put out. You don't find this just anywhere these days. Keep up the good work! We look forward to being regular...

My daughter recommended this bakery and she was spot on. The service was fantastic and the person at the counter did a wonderful job even though there was a line. He made the experience relaxed and enjoyable. One comment about other reviews complaining that some items were not available that is your fault. On the bakeries website they clearly state that they only make a certain amount and when they are gone they are gone. Thank you to the bakery for clearly providing that information. Now in to the important part the amazing breads and other treats made here. The croissants are fantastic and compare to ones sold at a place called Butter Bang in Rhode Island. Incredibly flaky and buttery The brioche rolls had great texture and flavor. My wife and I look forward to visiting again and enjoying the fantastic breads from...