Arleta Library Bakery and Café

I was tired of the same old same old breakfast joints I usually go to and my boyfriend stumbled upon Arleta's searching the internet for a new breakfast place to try out. I was blown away at how amazing their food is. Perfect portions, great potatoes, amazing eggs and they make their own ketchup and have the best homemade jams. I live in NE by the airport and I will make the drive out to eat breakfast here more frequently. Plus this has become my new ""must take"" out of towners too. I love it! What a jem! My only complaint is no Chai Tea. Us non coffee drinkers need places to serve Chai. Thank you! more

My wife a I were recommended to this place by a couple of friends, so we went over on a Tuesday to try it out. We had their famous biscuits & gravy, a BLT (with avocado), manhattan clam chowder, a side of bacon and a chocolate chip cookie (I know we ordered a little weird). The chowder was pretty solid, nothing spectacular, just good. The bacon was pretty solid, too, I like that it came a little crispy. But the BLT was one of the best we've ever had, and the biscuits and gravy we're truly the best I've ever had in this city. The sausage gravy was of the perfect consistency (not too runny but smooth and flowing). They make their own sweet potato infused biscuits, and then to top it all off they serve it with paper-thinly shaved roast pork loin, and not just a couple of slices, there was plenty (about 10-12). The owner waited on us (on everyone actually), and he told us they do the pork themselves, but the sausage comes from Otto's. There was definitely no room in there to make sausage. It definitely gives Toast (just down the street, and our other favorite b-fast in the area) a run for its money. We can't wait to go back, but it definitely won't be on a weekend. It must get just downright ugly, because the place is so small we got the last table at noon on a Tuesday (maybe 8 tables?). Great find. Pros: Food and service Cons: none, except it's gotta be hard to get table on a weekend more

I love their wheat bread, so crunchy and yummy. Their potatoes/ fries are spicy and perfect. The staff is friendly and usually prompt. The coffee is rather strong, though. My son loves just a side of eggs. Pros: JUST GOOD Cons: SMALL AREA, USUALLY A WAIT ON SUNDAYS more

The service is always fantastic and the servers are super attractive. The food is always delicious! And seriously the coconut macaroon dipped in dark belgium chocolate and rolled in pistachios is to die for! Pros: Again COCONUT MACAROONS Cons: The more folks that find out about his sweet, little gem the longer I have to wait for a table. more

Great breakfast. Great sandwiches. I come here for brunch on Sat or Sun and for lunch during the week. The owners are great. The service is friendly and the chef is outstanding! Try one of the baked goods for takeout, as you will be to stuffed to enjoy it after your meal. One of the best breakfast places in Portland. Pros: Friendly service and good food Cons: Small space and wait for table on weekend can take 10 minutes or so. more

Ok, so they took the muffuletta sandwich off the menu before I got a chance to try it but they made up for that! I can't say one bad thing about this place except that I didn't find it earlier. The produce is fresh, local, and flavorful. And who would have thought homemade ketchup was so good!? The meats are good quality and not lacking in flavor. Some sandwiches are bigger than others like the Weezy. That's the best BLT I've ever had! Good bread and ingredients really make a difference. I went there again for my birthday lunch with my grandparents, family, and boyfriend and everyone was pleased! The owners are cool, friendly, personable, and interesting. The place is cozy and comfortable! The bathroom are unique and interestingly decorated with cookbooks and old doors. I've found it a very rare find here in Portland to find a place which encompasses quality menu items, good beverages, quality service, decent pricing, and inviting atmosphere. Pros: Service, Food, Ambiance Cons: No muffuletta more

Having been to many Portland breakfast hotspots, this one is definitely our favorite. Local, seasonal food, and amazing flavors from a creative chef you can watch preparing the dishes. Weekdays there are Incredible to-go pastries, prepared by a pastry chef - co-owner. Full breakfast menu on weekends including the best biscuits and gravy ever - sweet potato biscuit and the most yummy gravy ever made. i have a hard time ordering anything else with that on the menu. My wife would also vote for best vegetarian breakfast dish - The Hawthorne - with collection of seasonal vegs, all cooked to perfection. But all big kudos aside, we really like to eat good, local food, and this is our spot. You can walk there in a few steps from the #10, and #14 bus lines. Pros: amazing food from great people Cons: so good, it gets busy... more

Our fixie biker friends and I were at home here, enjoying a plentiful breakfast with bottomless Stumptown coffee and extra friendly service. We were here before, and so we wanted to show it off to the rest of our breakfast club. You guys do it right. Superb with fresh made ketchup and jam. What else should I recommend? Maybe an alternate art collection and a larger venue (kick out a wall maybe). Pros: Service, Food, Stumptown, Food, Food, Food. Cons: Space size, art collection more

Oh, the Library. How I adore you. I moved into the Mt. Scott/Arleta neighborhood during Summer '06 and didn't feel I had found home until I stumbled upon this little cafe! The staff is delightful: both genuine, and talented. There is parking in front but sometimes this is limited by Rec Center attendees-- parking on SE Harold is almost a sure thing. :) Food is original and filling: I love the Witless sandwich for lunch and the Portland for a mushroom scramble breakfast. The biscuits and gravy has cured my roommate's hangover-- if you're into it, definitely get an order! To Go orders are fast and accommodating! This cafe is a new venture so the space and menu is limited but this won't be the case for long! We love you, Library! Pros: Fresh ingredients, great local business w/ lovely staff, charming ambience inside Cons: limited menus and weekend hours more

This place has the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had! First of all, the biscuits are sweet potato biscuits as opposed to the normal buttermilk biscuits you find elsewhere. Next, they're covered in a super-flavorful sausage gravy that doesn't need salt or pepper. There isn't a hint of under cooked flour that you can run into with other gravies. The best part of these however is the thinly sliced pork tenderloin hidden between the biscuits. My god, it is absolutely delicious! The braised beef hash with parmesan eggs is also fabulous. The clearly use the best ingredients available and really care about putting out a fantastic product. Plus, the staff is super friendly and they have Stumptown presspot coffee. I only wish they were open on Mondays but that's purely out of selfish reasons. Pros: biscuits and gravy, coffee, desserts more

I am a concert promoter so I travel often. I must say I was amazed upon discovering this cafe in Portland. I have been back everytime I am on assignment in the area. My favorite is ""The Witless"" turkey sandwich. They take a normal sandwich and make it taste like it's fine cuisine. As a matter of fact, that's the best way to describe all the meals I've had there. They take what would usually be a normal meal (Turkey Sandwich, BLT, Bisquits and Gravey) and they upgrade it so it tastes like fine dining. The Cheesesteak on Thursdays is the best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly (I grew up in a Philly suburb so, trust me, I know). The atmosphere is inviting and the service has always been extremely congenial. I spoke with, who I assume, was the owner and he mentioned that they are planning on expanding with an outside deck due to increased popularity and demand. If the food and experience continues to remain at the high level that it has in the past, they are going to need more than a new deck; they're going to have to open 3 or 4 other restaurants! If you are in Portland or visiting you MUST visit this cafe. Pros: Delicious Food and Great Service! Cons: Not enough of this type of restaurant in other areas...there needs to be more. more

Well, you'd never know there was a yummy little place like in the Mt Scott area. They make a muffeletta sandwich that was excellent- and I've been to New Orleans. Their Cheesesteak Thursday is a calendar marking experience and we have marked ours. And they have breakfast too! \r \r This is a place you go and thank your lucky stars you found it. Heartly recommend this place, you'll love it all! more

I moved to this outer southeast wasteland off Foster Rd. from NW Portland three years ago. I really missed the amenities of living where the action is, but things are finally starting to look up since this new joint opened down the street. It's got the best food of any place for miles. They make everything from scratch--from their ham to their jam. The brunch on the weekends is really good and there's usually a lot of people waiting for a table, so I go on the week days most of the time. I'm working my way through the menu--so far everything has been excellent or beyond. I especially love Philly cheesesteak Thursdays (ask for yours ""Philly style"" and get the secret sauce) and their biscuits and gravy are among Portland's best. \r \r The espresso-laced little motivator cookies are crazy good and jack you up for hours and their sour cream coffee cake is hands-down the best I've EVER had. \r \r The place is small and family-owned so they don't have a huge amount of choices, but the service is friendly and attentive. Pros: Awesome food--fresh and organic; good bakery; excellent coffee Cons: No beer or wine, pretty small space more

During a recent stay in the area, I ate almost daily at the Arleta Libray Cafe. I would recommend everything that I had. The date scone was the best I have ever had. The Portland scramble was excellent and hot from the first bite to the last. The Weezie was a sandwich that is delicious and filling. If I lived in Portland, I would be a regular at this cafe that not only offers excellent food but friendly service and cozy atmosphere. Pros: fresh baked goods, awesome brunch, homemade jam Cons: no diet sodas more

Fresh ingredients and simple ideas meet culinary expertise at one of my new favorite breakfast/lunch spots in Portland. The food is the attraction here, but the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The sandwiches rank among the best I have tasted from Elephants, Zupans, or New Seasons. Try a salad or bowl of (real) minestrone with a sandwich at lunch, or treat yourself to brunch on the weekends. The daily specials are superb, the breads and pastries delicious, and the coffee outstanding. I visit often, with grownups and kids alike, and am always happy that I did. more

This cafe is such a breath of fresh air for my neighborhood. I really cannot rave enough about the quality of the food, service and atmosphere. I have eaten both breakfast and lunch as well as had baked goods and absolutely everything has been delicious. The coffee alone is worth the trip, so come check it out. Pros: Amazing food and excellent service more

I only have a couple of favorite breakfast places in Portland, and this is now top on my list. The food comes hot, and is obviously prepared by culinary pros. The staff is welcoming from the moment you walk in, and the service is great. I highly recommend the Portland scramble with shrooms and bacon. Comes with potatoes - this is one of the few places in PDX that knows how to do them right - crispy on the outside, hot and soft in the middle, a little rosemary and to top it off homeade ketchup - little piggy heaven.\r \r The pastrys are also excellent, but you will be too full from breakfast to even think about eating one until late afternoon.\r \r They only do brunch on weekends, so I need to skip out of work one day to try lunch that looks by the menu to be worth the loss in pay I will incur for playing hookie!\r \r Pros: Excellent Food & Service Cons: No lunch on weekends (brunch only) more

i'm not sure too many places can boast of homemade ketchup, but it's the little things that makes this cafe just as good or better that many of the great breakfast places around portland. thank goodness outer SE area has a close place to grab a quick roast beef sammy (slow roasted by ALBC) or spend a brunch sipping on stumptown coffee and slathering fresh strawberry jam on pearl bakery/arleta bread. \r \r the atmosphere isn't pretentious and the staff is very welcoming.\r \r I've noticed a significant drop off in quality restaurants once your leave hawthorne in the SE. It picks back up around sellwood but the middle ground is kinda shaky. This new place fits a gaping hole. The area is up and coming (like many fringe portland areas). This should be a great start to reshaping the mt. scott/arleta area.\r Pros: fresh ingredients, great service, the little rouches Cons: lite breakfast menu during the week more

What a treat to have this new place in an area of southeast that has no other decent food. They use quality ingredients (Stumptown coffee and everything is from scratch) and the cooking is top-notch. My favorites so far are the french toast and the beef hash. They have the best sandwiches in town, too. It is also nice that they have fresh, homemade baked goods - the morning glory muffins rock! I can't rave enough about this place. I live nearby, but I'd still drive across town to eat at the Arleta Library. Pros: Tasty food & great service Cons: only apple & orange juice - no grapefruit juice for breakfast:( more