One of the things that I love most about Portland is the places that make it what it is. Sure, there’s no doubt that the hot restaurants that everyone wants to get into are fun, but you can’t go there every time you need a quick breakfast or lunch bite.
And that’s where a place like baristas + bites comes in. The name might sound familiar, and maybe you’ve even walked past it a few times running errands but never made it in. I’m here to tell you, you’re missing out! Keep reading to find out just a few reasons why baristas + bites is a hidden gem of Portland!
Grab & Go Options
One thing that makes baristas + bites stand out in the crowd of Old Port eateries is that they offer grab and go options. These include some of their most popular sandwiches, salads, power bowls, iced teas, and so much more!
I recently got a Chicken Bahn Mi because I needed something quick to eat between Magic of Christmas shows and it was a lifesaver! I literally only needed something I could grab and then run with because I had minutes to get where I was going.
I didn’t have time to wait for a custom sandwich to be made for me, and I know there are a lot of people out there who need options like this during their busy days. Trust me, this will come in handy when you least expect it.
Loyalty Program
Here’s what you may not know about baristas + bites: they have an amazing loyalty program. First things first, baristas + bites is a cashless establishment, which is actually incredibly convenient! Think about it…when do you ever have cash on you?
Instead, they only accept cards, and they have one of the best loyalty programs in Portland, at least in my opinion. Part of why it’s so great is because it’s connected to your phone number, which you are prompted to enter at the end of every purchase.
This means that if you use a credit card one time, and a debit card another time, or maybe you have multiple credit cards, you’ll get credit for all of them together! The best part: once you’ve spent $100 you get a $10 reward that you can use to spend. baristas + bites are literally paying you to shop with them, which is pretty genius if you ask me.
Extensive retail selection including curated bottles of wine
Now that Bow Street Beverage has moved out to Forest Ave to their bigger, gorgeous space, it’s leaving people in the Old Port with fewer options when it comes to picking up a bottle of wine. Specifically, the area that’s around Monument Square. Think about it. Where can you go to grab a good bottle of wine around this area anymore?
Okay, are you done thinking? I have an answer for you: baristas + bites. Let that sink in for a minute. Yes, not only do baristas + bites sell delicious breakfast and lunch options (more on that later) but they also have a retail section featuring curated bottles of wine.
Look, if you’re searching for a two buck chuck bottle, probably not going to recommend b+b for that, but if you want a good bottle of wine that you can pick up on your lunch hour, baristas + bites definitely has you covered. I recently tried the 2019 release of the Beaujolais Nouveau, which I picked up to have at my Thanksgiving dinner and it was superb.
I’m not a big red wine drinker but it was delicious! Keep in mind, baristas + bites are open until 3:30 pm, so plan accordingly if you are picking up a bottle of wine.
Baked Goods To Make Your Sweet Tooth Happy
Don’t want a sandwich, power bowl, or a salad? No problem! baristas + bites also have some killer baked goods for when your sweet tooth is looking for that something special.
Not only are these sweets delicious, but many items are available gluten-free or vegan, which is just downright impressive when you’re baking but they pull it off.
baristas + bites are also home to Love Kupcakes. You know, the one that used to be in the Public Market, has a food truck, and makes the most amazing cupcakes that are somehow also available in many gluten-free and vegan varieties?
Yeah, that one! Not only are there cupcakes, but you can get whoopie pies, cookies, pies, scones, puffs, pastries…the list goes on and on! The baked goods at baristas + bites and Love Kupcakes are always made with love and it shows. Your sweet tooth won’t know what hit it when you bite into one of their tasty sweets!
baristas + bites have: ALL DAY BREAKFAST
This is important: baristas + bites offer all-day breakfast. This is especially important when you’ve been out drinking in the Old Port on a Friday night and you just need breakfast.
The problem is that many places in the Old Port stop serving their breakfast offerings after 11 am. But not at baristas + bites because they offer breakfast all day including their incredibly popular breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, and their sconewich.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, no problem. You can get their breakfast items vegan or vegetarian as well, and it’s beyond easy to add any bacon or other meat to your breakfast burrito or sandwich as well.
There’s something very refreshing about an establishment that’s trying to cater to everybody who is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or just wants good food. Go and check out baristas + bites for yourself!
