Marc B.
Yelp
Artemisia Cafe takes me to what it would be like walking the streets of France and going to a small cafe. With greenery over the bar, the stained glass fixtures, and the intimate setting, it screams European inspiration.
My husband and I decided to come here on a Saturday morning for breakfast, and knowing that it was a small cafe, we were expecting to wait for a table. However, when we walked in, we were greeted by the hostess and we were instantly brought to our booth by a window. For it being 10:30am on a Saturday in Portland, there were only a few other couples in the cafe, which was surprising, but it added to the quiet, easy aesthetic of the venue.
The menu has various takes on typical breakfast foods. From a variety of scrambles, omelettes, benedicts, and french toasts, there is something for everyone, but Artemisia elevates these options into something amazing. I ended up ordering the Sardou, which was a benedict with creamed spinach and artichokes on tuscan bread, and it was served with home fries. It was an explosion of flavor and the bread that it was on really added to the wholesomeness of the dish. My husband ordered the scramble with kielbasa, which was equally delicious and had amazing amounts of flavor. We also shared a cinnamon roll, which was flaky and had a nice amount of icing on it.
Sounds like a 5 star review, right? The only thing that keeps me from giving Artemisia 5 stars is the service. Our waitress was incredibly nice, however, we were barely checked on. My husband only ordered water for a drink, and he had to be the one to consistently stop her for more. Then, we got our food and we weren't checked on until both of us were done our meals.
Will the service stop me from going back? Absolutely not, as I definitely plan on coming back to try more of the items on their menu. However, after experiencing the service and reading other reviews, I think this is an area of opportunity for them. If they fix their service, they would definitely earn a 5 star review.