Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

On the Grid : Grand Central Bakery

"Two words: monkey muffins. While Grand Central offers many fine breads, pastries, and sandwiches for both breakfast and lunch, the monkey muffins -- handheld servings of simultaneously chewy and crisp monkey bread -- will keep you coming back. Grand Central is the perfect spot to start a day out and about. Grab a cup of coffee, a savory breakfast biscuit sandwich or one of the aforementioned muffins, and you're set to hit the road." - Kevin M. Fitzgerald

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

Where to Pre-Order Thanksgiving Dessert Right Now

"This Pacific Northwestern bakery chain has opened pre-orders, which are available for pickup from each of its six Portland-area locations. Order a bourbon pecan pie, pumpkin pie, you-bake apple pie, you-bake marionberry pie, cookie or pastry boxes, or dinner rolls. The window for pre-orders closes Friday, November 17." - Janey Wong

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

"Grand Central Bakery, Hawthorne by Kevin M. Fitzgerald. Two words: monkey muffins. While Grand Central offers many fine breads, pastries, and sandwiches for both breakfast and lunch, the monkey muffins -- handheld servings of simultaneously chewy and crisp monkey bread -- will keep you coming back. Grand Central is the perfect spot to start a day out and about. Grab a cup of coffee, a savory breakfast biscuit sandwich or one of the aforementioned muffins, and you're set to hit the road."

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

Where to Pre-Order a Pie for Thanksgiving in Portland

"A local bakery group, Grand Central Bakery will have all of its locations open the day before Thanksgiving for order pickups. In addition to pies like pumpkin, bourbon pecan, apple, and marionberry, there’s also rolls, biscuits, and coffee cake for the morning. Orders are available online starting November 13, and must be filled by November 21, and the menu is available here." - Alex Frane

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

Silas Walker

Google

This is a cute bakery with very solid food and drink offerings. Bread looked amazing and they had lots of variety. The shop has a small parking lot, that seems to fill quickly but there is street parking all around. There is lots of seating and lots of space. Staff was friendly and quick on orders. I plan to visit again!

Angela

Google

We got their Rasher Egg and Cheese English Muffin with tomato. It tasted good and healthy. I didn't know the tomato was extra $3 charge. The sandwich is definitely not worth $12.80 so skip the tomato. We tried some of their other pastries and sourdough and they were all very good.

Dan Frosaker

Google

Picked up some pastries early on a cold rainy morning. The coffee cake was still hot from the oven and was delicious. I enjoyed some coffee and John Prine before heading back out in the rain.

Hay

Google

I personally didn’t like the almond croissant. It tasted odd on the inside. But the other stuff might be good.

maria adams

Google

Went to grab a coffee and food, and left getting more than i could have imagined. The price was more than fair for the delicious and creamy danish I bought. The coffee was great not too sweet and not too bitter just right. The atmosphere was very pleasant and welcoming.

Dani

Google

We got two sandwiches, the happy goat and veggie grinder, side salad, a fontina pull-apart & a pecan pull-apart, and a soda and chai. Both of the sandwiches were super good, loved the happy goat. The veggie grinder was good but the baguette was hard this day. The pastries were a little hard/dry too, esp the pecan pull-apart. The caramelized sugar on top had really hardened. We were understanding bc it was end of day for them. The chai was semi sweet and nicely spicy. The greens in the side salad were fresh and the dressing was good. Really enjoyed the cozy space on a rainy Portland day. But I've had baked goods from grand central before that were way better than what we had this day, so that was slightly disappointing. Still a good spot for a light lunch. Stopped into ecovibe next door afterwards for some shopping.

Peter M

Google

Pretty solid bakery. I've never had a bad experience with this place. Just a tad pricey but worth it in my opinion. The Como bread and the cookies are ny personal favorites.

Holden LeCroy

Google

We call it "Central Perk" being our neighborhood spot like friends! We come here often for breakfast sandwiches or just coffee. Staff is always friendly and service is always fast!

Kimberly D.

Yelp

Usually just buy bread from here, but on occasion we have lunch or grab breakfast sandwiches there. Counter service and staff turnover quite a bit or maybe they go to different locations, not entirely sure. Pastries are great and seasonal. The restaurant itself has been upgraded many times since I have lived in the neighborhood and always for the better. Perfect place to meet some for coffee or a quick lunch.

Cate K.

Yelp

Grand Central gave me food poisoning. I went to Grand Central at 12 pm on Thursday (1/2/25). I made a mistake in ordering the Frittata sandwich and an iced chai. I would not recommend coming here, it doesn't seem they put much care into preparing food, even my last few experiences the foods: cold, and it takes a long time to prepare just small inconvenience as such. I never thought I'd get food poisoning. I don't know if it's just this location that is the issue, or if Grand Central isn't as "grand" as their name suggests. Stay safe.

Paul K.

Yelp

Grand pianos present phenomenal sounds for the many keys and strings that create beautiful noise. Grand central provides many different breads and pastries for your delight. In the last year, I have eaten their sandwiches, chocolate croissants, blueberry muffins, etc. Not only is this place consistent, but it's consistently good. It's definitely in the rotation for a good pastry. It's definitely a 4.5 out of 5, but I've rounded down due to expensive price tag. Another improvable could be to include an unique aspect that this bakery can bring to the table. In other words, I would love to see something that only grand central can do. Overall, I love this place and will recommend anyone to check it out.

Chucknonverbal ..

Yelp

It took 73 years, but I finally had what I would call the worst muffin of my lifetime (and that includes highway gas station stores). The Apple Cardamom muffin was gummy, tasteless and had not a hint of cardamom flavor. The tiny bit of apples were neither spiced or sweetened...making them just a texture. Like eating cardboard masquerading as food. As awful as it gets. Boy, do they have some nerve charging a premium for that! Shameless...

Ploy N.

Yelp

Been eyeing to come to this location for the longest time, glad to finally dropby. The iniside is modern but cozy with light wooden interior. It's pretty bustling with constant traffic all morning. We went specifically on a Friday to grab their Challah loaf that I've been thinking about for 5 months since I last had a taste. I love how fluffy the inside of the challah is. Also got a very solid crust on the outside. I ate a third of it straight and saving the rest for bread pudding. We also got some coffee and their Special Sasquatch Sausage Sandwich to share. The sandwich was AMAZING. Some of the best sandwiches I've had. Evenly toasted on both sides and filled with gooey gouda cheese, slices of well-roasted and sweet butternutsquash and a sausage patty. This was a big dub, wish they would have it all the time. We'll be back to visit this spot for sure!

Van H.

Yelp

Picked up a Roast beef sandwich & chocolate croissant. They were good! I loved the mayo spread & everything that's stuffed into this sandwich, along with a piece of pickle on the side. The taste & texture of their chocolate croissant reminds me of having espresso coffee & chocolate croissants in Italy.

Lisa S.

Yelp

Everything changes. I'm so glad Grand Central Bakery was able to survive throughout Covid. But I don't really feel comfortable at this location. I get the feeling that I'm in their way. I asked for PB&J with the bread toasted. I feel like this is a pretty basic ask. I got a PB&J but it was dripping with oil, it was grilled in a pan, with oil or butter. The three nice people working there all approached and were trying to understand what I needed. They literally didn't know what toast was, they looked puzzled. I finally said, "can you just toast a couple pieces of bread, put jam on one side and peanut butter on the other and hand it to me? Somebody finally mentioned that they don't have a toaster. So I said, "can you just put bread in a pan, dry, and just brown it?" And then make the sandwich with that? " It's called critical thinking. Somebody's asking for toast and you don't have a toaster, so what do you do.... It ended up being the most evenly toasted wonderful bread I've ever had. I guess they learned something. Weird times.

Elexise C.

Yelp

Street parking. Renovated. Great energy. I would always come here after a night shift after the hospital. I came back to visit since I've moved out of town. I'm so glad to see how much it has grown and the quality is just the same, which is amazing. I love this gem. Accepts Apple Pay.

Kristen M.

Yelp

I had a ginger snap cookie and it was so lovely! The breads are really well made and the space is big enough for friends and brunch. Counter service.

Peaches H.

Yelp

Grabbed a quick chocolate croissant after eating breakfast at Jam on Hawthore and this was so buttery and tasty, packed full with chocolate. While I would have loved to try more, this was to be enjoyed later because I had no room for it at the time in my belly. I would love to stop in again as they had some beautifully baked breads and pasteries!

Jennifer C.

Yelp

Pricey for what it is but I'll round up because they were good quality. Got the veggie grinder which is a seedeed baguette with hot peppers, their pea and white bean spread, onion and lettuce. It could come with cheese but I opted for it without. The actual bread had some interesting flavors. It's not just poppy seeds. Maybe fennel? And the star is really that spread. The pea flavor really stands out, in a good way. Everything was really fresh. We ordered for pickup and it was ready on time.

Cathy W.

Yelp

The smells alone are worth five stars. The servers were warm and welcoming as was the setting. They offer a good selection of sweet and savory baked goods.

Megan E.

Yelp

A 4.5* review for sure, but I'm being a bit picky with the half star. I ate here twice once for breakfast (chai and a crossiant) and once for lunch (egg sandwich, kale salad, chai). Both times, the food was good, the service was fine, and I was satisfied. However, I thought it was a bit expensive for what I got - the salad was a bit basic, same for the biscuit. The chai was a bit small. So, overall, recommend it for sure as a breakfast/light lunch place and somewhere to a bit of work during the morning. However, be wary of the expense.

Vicki G.

Yelp

What a great start to our vacation with a visit to Grand Central Bakery! From savory to sweet offerings, there's something to satisfy everyone's palate. Hubz and I opted for breakfast sandwiches: the recommended Bacon Egg Bolo and the Sausage Egg Biscuit. Absolutely YUMZ. Our friends shared the Tuna Melt with a cup of Cream of Tomato Soup. I was so happy I got to taste that soup - it was the best I've ever had! We also ordered a few pastries for a breakfast charcuterie the next day. The perfect way to sample everything - one delicious bite after another.

Priti K.

Yelp

They are one of the few places that do croissants right-flaky and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Their coffee is awesome too. I've had a few other pastries here and they all tasted great.

A.Rose M.

Yelp

I don't know what it was about today but it was the day of "stank attitudes." Me and my mom stopped in for some cookies and the lady at the front counter couldn't have been less friendly or helpful. I'm sorry you have to work on a sunny day but try to be somewhat friendly and less stuck up. I'm a baker and I was taken aback at how passive aggressive she was.

Sumi Y.

Yelp

Really good bread, sandwiches and pastries. I would skip the coffee next time. Casual and fast.

Dina E.

Yelp

I've had their bread before but never eaten in. Today I decided to eat something there soI got a coffee, frosted cinnamon roll, sliced sour dough loaf and vegetable quiche. Everything was fresh and delicious. Staff seemed stressed. I sat outside -- all the tables and chairs were covered in crumbs. I recommend ordering ahead and picking up (no line for that). The ambiance is...not it.

Bea B.

Yelp

We loved their cinnamon rolls. They were sold out the day before Thanksgiving of most bread options, but managed to grab a few items for our family Thanksgiving dinner. On our second visit, we had to have more cinnamon rolls and also enjoyed a delicious latte. Bonus to this location is the farmers market adjacent to it. A two for one deal. A little sinfulness and plenty of fruits and veggies to counter the simple guilty pleasures this world has to offer.

Cami S.

Yelp

Grand central bakery gets pretty busy on weekend mornings, although they keep the line going really quickly. The chocolate croissant was not too sweet and denser than I thought it was gonna be but I would still order it again. The jammer was a very flaky, buttery biscuit with sweet (strawberry?) jam inside.

Cristofer A.

Yelp

Good food and drinks, friendly quick service, and a very comfortable dining area. First time having a quick bite here definitely recommend. All pastry's looked delicious and a great menu to order from.

Jade M.

Yelp

I'd always eye this bakery from across the street while waiting for a spot at Jam. Grand Central never had a line outside, and so I'd justify to myself that the hour-long wait at Jam must have meant they had better food... but man was I wrong! Grand Central was awesome! Their croissant egg + bacon sandwich is delightful, and their service is speedy! They also have amazing loaves of bread for purchase, and plan to be exclusively buying my bread here. Get the Colo loaf! I docked a star because the latte was just okay, but the food was amazing! Highly recommend!

Leslie L.

Yelp

YUM!! There sausage biscuit sandwich and hot cinnamon rolls are bonkers good! Really glad we stumbled across this place because it was fast, easy and delicious (the other nearby brunch places were crowded with waits hours long).

Omar F.

Yelp

Coffee fresh bake good fresh good service simple and effective for an enjoyable visit. Friendly service from the second you step in. Ordered a vanilla latte and a fresh baked quiche. Both absolutely delicious. Perfect breakfast on the go. The bacon quiche was absolutely baked to perfection. Full of flavor. Definitely a need to try.

Matt S.

Yelp

I love this place. The pecan pull aparts (yes, that's actually what they're called) as well as the iced brioche cinnamon rolls are to die for. The chocolate croissant is also always a classic. I've never had any of their savory stuff (like their quiche) but it just gives me an excuse to return and I"m sure like everything else it'll be great. The bread. They have wonderful bread (no surprise). You can never go wrong with their rustic baguette or their challah but probably my favorite is the como. Just try it, you won't be disappointed.

Lily P.

Yelp

I've tried scones at 3 locations. Since they were different days, the scone recipes differed. My first scone, cranberry, from Sellwood was delicious - fresh and not too sweet. The second, blueberry, from Belmont, was ok but too much sugar on top and not as fresh. The third, ginger, from Hawthorne was horrible. It was covered and filled with candied ginger. I scrapped off the top and tried to refreshen it without success. The cloying scone lingered until I brushed my teeth and used mouth wash.

Rachael H.

Yelp

Cookies! We got one of each, peanut butter, trail mix, molasses and chocolate chip. Not picture is the chocolate chip because we ate that so fast! These are well baked! Soft in the middle a bit of crunch on the outside. They don't disappoint!

Paul L.

Yelp

I ate breakfast here for a few days last month as the pandemic precautions started taking effect. Sitting at a table and watching the eye-popping headlines on my cell phone made it an unnerving experience. However, the delicious lattes, croissants, and various egg sandwiches were like comfort food for the psyche. I hope Grand Central can survive the pandemic and be there when conditions get back to some sense of normal.

K C.

Yelp

I was here in July 2023 I had a ham and cheese quiche , a sticky pecan roll and one of the best coffees I have had in a very long time thank you so very much for making my first visit to Portland Oregon memorable

Robert E.

Yelp

There are too many treats here to try. Go for you favorite or whatever catches your eye--wont be disappointed. I grabbed baguette to enjoy at the wineries today and cheese Danish with some coffee for the drive. Out of this world good.

Ashly S.

Yelp

I have been doing Paleo on on and off for years but I am at the point where I want to to start adding quality bread back into

Shauna S.

Yelp

Been a customer for 15 years. The ham and cheese croissant has changed. Now there's a thick layer of stone ground mustard on the sandwich, which makes it literally a mustard sandwich and inedible. PLEASE CHANGE THIS. The mustard was so heavy handed I had to scrap off what I could to eat it! This is not the breakfast sandwich! This is the ham and cheese croissant in the case! I want my money back!

Janice K.

Yelp

Their freshly made jammer and chocolate croissant- yummy!! Coffee is also good and my husband loves their chai latte! We also love getting their breakfast menu- bacon, egg and cheese biscuit! Make sure to have a side of their hot sauce that adds that extra kick :D Everyone is super pleasant and nice and service is fast. There is also outdoor seating areas in the front as well as in the back- great vibe overall :)

River W.

Yelp

Friendly and quick service. The bacon quiche was so good and the perfect size for a light, but filling breakfast.

Karen C.

Yelp

Nice selection of sandwiches - hard to decide but went for the shrimp Roll. Will have to try others next time. Fast service . Took it to go.

Hugh B.

Yelp

Sunday afternoon 3:30, great pastry good coffee and later saw them give what ever is left at the end of the day to the needy. Cheers. As a neighbor go there frequently. Regrettably on Sunday server embarrassed me over my enthusiasm and interest in selection of pastry. Stunning comment but meant well I'm sure. Coming back but not too soon. Lot's of places to grab an expensive cup of coffee these days. Will all be fine seeing less of each other cheers

Anna M.

Yelp

I've driven by this place a few times and it's always looked busy, but it ended up being very quick to get food. They also have picnic tables set up outside so you can eat there if you like. The bacon egg croissant is seriously SO good. Make sure to get it with the tomato relish.

Jordyn B.

Yelp

Love this spot! Amazing bakery on Hawthorne, always busy but they're super speedy and have a lot of different options for everyone! (Gluten free stuff, vegetarian, etc.) Good coffee and good amount of seating. I like a casual spot where I can just take my stuff and go. Bread is amazing -- buy a loaf for home and the brioche cinnamon roll, or a breakfast sandwich with the house made sausage

Ron B.

Yelp

I agree with another reviewer, come here for the amazing food (bread on the sandwich, the sandwich itself, baked treats), but the coffee isn't really anything special. 5 stars because the workers were really kind and the veggie sandwich on the baguette was unexpectedly incredible. I'm not vegan, I'm not vegetarian. I love meat. I prefer to avoid meatless things in general. This was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. I am a little biased bc I love avocado. I can't imagine how great this place would be with a little focus on the coffee. We were going to Pip's from looking at online reviews and articles and arrived a few minutes after they closed at 2 and accidentally stumbled across this bakery. Wow, what an incredible treat.

Tanu J.

Yelp

Ordered an almond croissant, a coffee fruit cake, a chai, and a veggie grill sandwich. Personally, the sandwich was my favorite, but I did wish that the bread was different as it currently has a really hard crust. However, the ingredients inside the sandwich were delicious! The coffee cake is good if you don't like sweet pastries, but the chai was a bit too sweet. Almond croissant was delicious, but unfortunately they can't warm it up. That being said, overall a great experience!

Emily Z.

Yelp

Great spot for a quick pastry. Their selection is really large and I wish I was hungry for more so I could try every one. They have a lot of unique twists to classic pastry items too (i.e. the everything croissant, which I wish I wouldn't ordered too). We ended up ordering the almond croissant and the leek quiche. Almond croissant was sooo flakey and crispy. I loved the texture a lot. The taste was good too but not the best almond croissant I've ever had. The quiche had a wonderful, buttery crust, and the inside had a salty and savory flavor. I would get this again. At $5, it was priced fairly too. If I lived in the area, I would give their breads a try.

Bee F.

Yelp

This is "our" Grand Central on Hawthorne, where we've been coming for well over 20 years. They have #portlandoregon 's favorite #baguette (the rustic) as well as some great pastries. Our favorites here are the Jammer (jam on a biscuit dough baked crispy), Monkey Muffin, and the very well-layered and buttery #croissant and it's many variations. Also, they now have Talerico's Produce in their parking lot, which has the best local produce in Portland for my money!

Melissa H.

Yelp

I thought I'd give this Hawthorne location a second shot since I had received a thoughtful "$10 coupon on us" in the mail from the Manager here. I ordered a tuna melt--$8.60, a cup of soup, a refillable coffee and peanut butter cookies, the butter cookie variety for a whopping $8 for 7 of them. The coffee was bitter and tasted old. The sandwich barely had cheese on it and it was luke-warm. I asked for a different kind of bread for the sammie..Cuomo...I got the standard white. The filling was sparse and pasted on and again, luke-warm, not hot. The young woman with the short sandy hair told me that the "aportion" sandwich filling amounts and that that was a regular portion. I explained, I was used to more generous. I've been coming to Grand Central Bakery since I moved to Oregon in 2001. I didn't give her the long story, just the brief strokes. Jus begrudgingly offered to make me another sandwich...but told me it would be "just the same." So, I did say to here, that's alright, I can leave comments on YELP...and I will do that. The soup was cool as well. Maybe its the location. Maybe its the staff. Maybe its that everyone is just more concerned about costs and making a buck. This location , in my opinion, no longer is the homey friendly place it once was. And the quality and generosity that the staff gave in service, attitude and portion size is no longer there. I will take my business elsewhere, maybe to the NE location. You ought to have paid your former staff better and retained them...and maybe not expanded the seating so much that your bakery looks just like everyone else's dining spot...an overly crowded hipster hangout who isn't interested in listening to nor serving the customer. I could get a better attitude and better service in a small town greasy spoon. I will not be returning. I hope you enjoy my usual good tip. Sunday October 9, 2022 around 12:30-1:30pm.

Ant P.

Yelp

Absolutely love this place - this specific location never let's me down! Located off Hawthorne right next to a walk-up market. The Jammer is the most delicious pastry I've had in my entire life and I say that with everything in me. Also their lattes and breakfast items have always been a treat. Love coming here for a quick, delicious morning meal.

Laurel H.

Yelp

Grand Central came up when I searched Yelp for bagel places. Bad Yelp, no bagels! They don't make them. While we were there we were seduced by the dark side of the Lamb Merguez with Chimichurri on a demi baguette. The local Cattail Creek lamb was flavorful enough to stand up to the seasonings. It was big enough to split generously. The sandwich was nearly impossible to eat until I made it open faced. That left me distribute the goodies so that I got all the flavors in each bite. The first bite saw a cascade of green oil avalanching down my hand. I caught it before it got my sleeve and it wasn't much of a problem after that. The 'buy a pastry and get a free coffee' offer sucked me into a rustic cherry tart that was really lovely. The coffee was good too. I missed the bagel I was jonesing for but didn't feel too abused.

Jessie T.

Yelp

This was my first time here and besides the nicest staff in the world, the service was top notch and the attention to our table was perfect. My friend and I arrived and both marveled at the parking lot on Hawthorne. That's a rarity and it was excellent to have on a rainy day. We both ordered sandwiches and pastries. My sandwich was a sausage breakfast sandwich. The biscuit was mouth watering delicious and it's buttery goodness fell apart (in that good way--not the 'There goes my sandwich' kinda way). I then had the chocolate hazelnut croissant. So freaking good! Thick layer of chocolate down the middle and big, juicy hazelnuts on top. When I checked in on Yelp, it mentioned a free cup of coffee. I went back up to the counter (having already ordered) and shoes then the offer. They gladly honored it and seemed delighted to serve me. I will be back. You should definitely join me!

Greg S.

Yelp

Update from previous experience (from 2-stars now 4-stars) So after seeing our review, management from grand central bakery contacted us to fix what they had done wrong. They gave us a voucher for 2 coffees and 2 pastries. This time I also tried to order a cold brew but was informed that they don't carry cold brew and they only have ice coffee. This would explain why the previous location tasted like iced coffee when I ordered cold brew. We ordered the quiche again this time and they didn't heat it up but it was actually warm this time . The beechers croissant was also really tasty. This experience was much better than previous. ... Came here because the resultant across the street (jam on Hawthorne) was way too busy. We were looking for something quick. I ordered the asparagus quiche (see photos) and my GF ordered a custom breakfast sandwich. Was also got "cold brew". The quiche was decent. They didn't heat it up or offer to heat it up which I was disappointed about. The breakfast sandwich took way to long to make. It came out warmed but was dry and flavorless. This is a bakery after all and I'm sure their savory and sweet pastries are much better than what we ordered. We also ordered cold brew and this tasted nothing like a cold brew. It seems like they took yesterday's coffee, stuck it in the fridge and served it to us calling it "cold brew". If I ask for cold brew, serve me cold brew. If I ask for cold brew and you only have iced coffee, tell me so I know to expect an iced coffee. This place would probably be good had we ordered something else, but based on our experience I'm giving it 2-star

Nyssa R.

Yelp

I used to love this this place, but over the years, especially after Covid, it's gotten so much worse. The coffee is horrible, the staff clearly don't want to be there as I was rushed by the odd staff working this morning when there was no one behind me. They gave me the wrong order and the sandwiches/pastries were stale (I got the iced cinnamon roll I don't recommend). The location in Milwaukee is so much better so don't waste your time here.

Erin G.

Yelp

Cute place, clean and modern. Workers are super nice. Pastries were good! They sadly sold out of biscuits by the time I got there at 11:30am.

On the Grid : Grand Central Bakery

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

Where to Pre-Order Thanksgiving Dessert Right Now

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe

View Postcard for Grand Central Bakery - Hawthorne cafe