Back to Eden Bakery Boutique

(Please also read Part 2 -- September 2012)

Back to Eden Bakery Boutique is an all-vegan bakery and coffee shop (selling both sweet and savory items) located on NE Alberta in Portland, Oregon.

Seeking a snack on a Monday, I came face-to-face with a gauntlet of delectable pastries and desserts.

I ultimately chose a cinnamon roll ($3.25). The friendly woman at the counter mentioned it was one of the most popular menu items. She asked if I would like the cinnamon roll warmed up...better believe it! Nothing like a warm cinnamon roll in my belly!

Cinnamon Roll
(Back to Eden Bakery Boutique)

I loved the burst of cinnamon here, and warming up the cinnamon roll is the ideal way to feast on this treat. Despite seeing granulated sugar and icing coating the top, it wasn't overly sweet, a bit surprising to me. Yes, I've had softer and lighter cinnamon rolls (heck, even some that are more cinnamon-y), but this was still very good and should be commended.

Some of the other popular items include the Peanut Butter Amaranth Bar ($2.50), the Chocolate Almond Toffee Bar ($3), and the gluten-free cheesecakes (around $5/slice; I saw lemon and blueberry vanilla on my visit). There's even a soy-free classic apple pie ($4.25/slice). Mmm...pie.

Peanut Butter Amaranth Bar

Chocolate Almond Toffee Bar

If in a more  savory mood, they have a grilled cheese sandwich for $5, using Daiya vegan cheddar or pepperjack. Pair it with soup for a few extra bucks. No espresso machine, but they have coffees and teas (both hot and cold). Back to Eden also has vegan ice creams.

A pleasant first experience, and I plan to stop by again in the future.