Bridge City Cafe - Essex House

Just a simple nice deli. Just had a great tuna sandwich. Really good bread and it comes with a really good cookie. Very reasonable.

I've been coming here for lunch regularly for the last 8 years. My go-to lunch is the Southwest Chicken Ceasar salad. It's spicy but not too spicy. Love this place!

Always friendly service. Amazing sandwiches. Great baked goods.

Good lunch spot, healthy choices. The chocolate chip cookies are super yummy!

This is the Hawthorne Ham & Swiss. Good quality and ham and a decent size. Coffee was better than most cafes in the city centre. Free chocolate chip cookie with a sandwich purchase - and they make sure you don't forget it!

Great food and Friendly staff.

Nice little local delivery for a quick lunch. Picked up a dozen cookies to bring home to my kids and staff took the time to make sure they were packed well enough to make it through the flight.

Always fresh food. Very pleasant employees. Hard workers. Even when there are customers preceding, the line moves fast because the employees work hard to move things along. Fremont Chicken Walnut Salad sandwich on the Cafe's homemade bread is dee-lish. Chocolate chip cookies that accompany all full sandwiches are scrumptious. --Steve Kenney Recently updated on 12/11/2023. You ask, "how are we doing?" I would say, "Just fine." Today I had the Fremont Chicken Salad Sandwich & Caesar Salad. Very generous, moist chicken salad. Lovely bread. Delicious Caesar salad with Ranch dressing. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookie with lots of chocolate. I would say, "Just fine." Updated 5/13/2025. The receipt ask "How are we doing?" I would say, "Just fine." Had a combination, 1/2 Fremont Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich on wheat with a Caesar Salad (no cheese, please). Very pleasant representative took my order and tossed the salad. Another representative made my chicken salad sandwich. Yummy, yummy. And the terrific chocolate chip cookie included is a very nice touch. --Steve Kenney, Portland

Found this place at the bottom of Pioneer mall! I was so hungry that I ordered a bag (13)of the mini-cookies (chippers) and they were so chewy, delicious, and buttery :-) I ordered the chocolate chip oatmeal chippers and a couple of the double chocolate chippers. Also, maybe bc we looked like tourists but our kind server threw in a free cookie :-) They had a lot of other things on the menu too, like soups and sandwiches! Plenty of seating as well

What happens when you walk into a place, the fellow customers are obnoxiously rude, and the staff isn't much better? You can either leave ( my vote) or stay ( his vote) to grab food to go. We decided to share a Turkey sandwich, and while it was good, it's wasn't fabulous, despite it being a decent size to share. The filling ( Turkey ) was sparse, and it could have been so much better than what it was. The best part? It's like a school lunch... there was a cookie that came with it!

Bridge City Cafe has been pretty solid and consistent throughout the pandemic so far. The only changes that I can think of is that hey no longer have pepperoncinis, and sliced onions for their sandwiches, and they no longer do their punch card anymore. Food quality and freshness has always been solid here, and is something that I've noticed is something other places have let slip on occasion during the pandemic due to perhaps less volume. It's a bit sad that so many places DT like BCC don't seem to get the same amount of foot traffic and business as before the pandemic as it appeared many employees downtown are able to work from home these days. BTW, their cookies are fantastic and made fresh daily. I love the texture of their cookie so much and often get a half sandwich and salad/soup instead of a full salad/soup just to get the free cookie.

Food was fresh and the cookies were delicious! Excellent service and very reasonably priced.

Quality spot in the mall food court. I had the chicken and walnut salad sandwich and it was really good. Very fresh bread really tasty chicken salad. I loved the walnuts in this salad and will be trying at home when I can make it. I also had the Caesar salad and it was real tasty. I don't always like Caesar salad because a lot of places don't make the dressing fresh and I never like the bottled versions. Here everything is made from scratch, and this was one of the best Caesar dressings I've had. Same with the salad croutons which were also fresh and delicious. Saving the best for last; the service was phenomenal. The guy who was working the counter today (which was a Monday around 130) was very friendly, helpful and kind. Will be back next time I'm in Portland!

We were in the Pioneer place and stopped by. My wife got the Broadway veggie sandwich, tomato basil bisque soup and chocolate chip cookie. She absolutely loved everything and went back for more. The staff was also super nice. Can definitely recommend.

Southwest chicken Caesar salad is hands down the best salad. Customer service is great.

I had a couple of very good quiche muffins. The place is big inside and looks like they make some good food with fresh ingredients, the people were nice and the coffee was perfect. No need to waste your money over at Starbucks, check this place out and you'll be happy that you did. Sorry, I ate the quiche so fast, I forgot to take a picture!

Tucked in the Lower Level of Pioneer Place down the escalator next to the Yardhouse entrance. Delicious baked breads, fresh produce, and I recommend the lunchtime combination meals. Truly worth the wait as the line only speaks for the excellent quality and proof of their made for order cook line.

Great hand made sandwiches come ready to go. Take advantage of there cookie deals. They r hard but soft and chocolate in every bite.

sandwiches are healthy and incredibly tasty. the owner was working the register and he was nice and informative. (cookies are amazing, every time i go i get the buy 6 get 6 deal) highly recommend

I love bridges city cafe. The menu and food is great and the people who work there are friendly and know what they're doing. The real star however is this: bridges city cafe has THE best coffee cake in existence. Every time I go I have to get it, and often I wish I could eat 6 slices of it for breakfast.

Nice place. Close to my office. Sandwiches and cookies are good. Only beef: when I say "no Mayo" that means "no Mayo"! Sheesh!

Decent food but the atmosphere and vibe could use some improvement. Specifically the friendliness of the staff. There's no smiles, no friendly tone in their voices and you can feel the negative vibe when you walk-in. Customers shouldn't feel like they are inconveniencing anyone when ordering their lunch or asking what flavors of cookies they have available that day. Also something to note, this company uses large, thick plastic containers for salads yet does not offer any sort of recycling option when finished with your meal. Straight to the landfill. This really bothers me and you would think (especially in Portland with it being so pro-sustainability) they would at least make a better effort to recycle given the volume of plastic products they go through daily.

A very basic cafe, but one that has fantastic food. The bacon quiche muffins are excellent as are the fruit and yogurt cups. The strawberries are very fresh and the yogurt was ice cold and tangy. Perfect spot for a quick breakfast.

Super overpriced food from when I DID eat here When I didn't they wanted to charge me for a side of ranch for a sandwich I got at the SB next door Skip this place for kettle or Ramen

This place has the best bread and staff. Favorite cafe downtown.

I probably go to Bridge City at least once a week with my coworkers. It's cheap, fast and tasty. The workers get confused sometime, but they get through the line fast and are very nice. I usually get a small chicken Caesar salad, and sometimes I'll get the tomato bisque which is really tasty. Always tell them to add the garlic sour cream. Also make sure to get a punch card. You get a free meal after your 10th punch! They also have decent cookies and sandwiches!

My husband has gotten me a giant cookie cake for my past couple birthdays. His (and my) go to for this is Bridge City Café! He will tell them he what design he wants and give them creative freedom. It is so fun to see the outcome every year! Also: delicious food and friendly service!

Paradise Bakery is one of my favorite places to have lunch. They have some of the best sandwiches around and the best cookies. They have a variety of both to choose from. For sandwiches, the paradise club is my favorite. It is served on a croissant with turkey, bacon, ham, tomato, lettuce and a sweet dijon mayo. The California turkey is also delicious and has a creamy pesto mayo on it. Paradise Bakery makes their own cookies and they are the best around. Whenever I get some they fresh and if you are lucky to be there after a batch comes out then you get them warm. The chocolate chip coconut and the peanut butter and amazing. You can also get their "chippers" which are mini cookies and they come in a cute little box! Besides sandwiches you can get soup or choose from a variety of salads. The Paradise pasta salad is yummy! The individual sandwiches are a little pricey, but are good size. I like to get the half sandwich and a small salad for $7. They do have a daily special , that changes every day, with a sandwich, chips and a drink. The best part about getting a lunch is a cookie comes with the special or any sandwich that you order. The best time to visit the 3rd ave location is before noon or later in the day since it gets busy around noon. The staff is helpful though and they try to keep the line moving as fast as possible.

I've been a pretty regular customer at Bridge City for quite a few years now, often going there for lunch, but more recently going there towards the end of the day and picking up some dinner for a weekly game we have in the evening after work. They make very good food, love the sandwiches and salads. The problem though is some of the people there are downright hostile at the end of the day. Yea, I get it, someone comes in there 15 or 20min before closing, and it kind of sucks. You have to stop putting things away, maybe open up some things and make a sandwich and salad. Maybe that delays you getting out of there by 5min when you're tired and ready to call it a day. I get it. But all the hostility thrown my way for having the audacity to order dinner from you guys, week after week, has eventually worn me down to the point where I've quit going there, even for lunches. No thanks, not worth it. Potbelly is right down the street, and I get remarkably more friendly service there. They have their problems too, but at the end of the day, having a personable interaction and getting slightly worse food is going to win over a downright hostile interaction and better food 100% of the time. Good riddance Bridge City.

I come here a few times over a quarter. The sandwiches are made with great precision, but lunch here costs more than I can pay daily. The cookies are really great too. Service is not speedy. They are relaxed about making your sandwich. I wouldn't say it is so slow that it is a complaint but I don't come here when I am in a huge hurry. Selection is also limited for those of you that like a lot of options.

This is a great place to stop and get lunch or dinner. They have great sandwiches and the flavors do not disappoint. Each sandwich is served with a fresh chocolate chip cookie, which is always a bonus! My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5, would be that the inside of the store was not very clean. But that does not reflect on the food, still a great little restaurant for something quick!

Chocolate chip cookie paradise Next time you're at Lloyd Center and are exhausted from shopping and need a sugar lift, go to Paradise Bakery & Caf for some chocolate chips cookies. These cookies are to die for and in my opinion much better than the chain Mrs. Fields. They're not as rich and buttery and are cheaper. I especially love the chocolate chip and coconut ones. The caf also serves up some pretty good sandwich and salad combos, which you can watch them make fresh. Tip: If you stop in one hour before closing, you can get three cookies for the price of four. Dangerous I know but oh so good.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience here. I had never been to a Bridge City Cafe, and I will never be back. My boyfriend and I were hungry hoping for a nice breakfast/early lunch, and since Bridge City Cafe (BCC) was close, we decided to hop in. During lunch, the lines are so long it snakes outside the door, so we had to try. When we arrived, the way the ordering works is confusing. Fresh out of the oven stuff is ordered right as you walk in, salads are down the line, and sandwiches and cookies are by the register. We only wanted sandwiches, so we 'cut' in front of a man ordering croissants. Is that technically cutting? After ordering a Thai Chicken Wrap, a Hawthorn Ham and Swiss Sandwich, and two small cups of orange juice, we found a small table and looked at the food. By the way, the whole tab was $22.00 (minus tip). I was extremely disappointed that for the $8.95 paid for my sandwich, I got bread that I could have bought from Safeway (regular processed loaf, and not even fresh baked or a ciabatta, literally a sad piece of bread I make my own sandwiches with), 2 pieces of swiss cheese stuck together, cold ham (4 layers stuck together), a measly tomato and a layer of lettuce. My boyfriend's wrap was even worse. It was cold enough he couldn't hold it and felt like it came right out of a freezer (not a refrigerator), the tortilla was falling apart, and the chicken was pink! They gave him undercooked chicken! I was appalled. When bringing it up to the supervisor due to the health hazard that could bring, he seemed to give zero craps, as though we were just being picky. My boyfriend pointed to the pink chicken and told him it wasn't safe to which he replied the chicken is bought pre-cooked and frozen, then cooked in-house "a little more to get the juice out" before being put into a fridge until served. The chicken is cooked, frozen, cooked, then refrigerated (for God knows how long), THEN served. He looked at my boyfriend as though it wasn't BCC's fault and we should go to the chicken manufacturer to get it sorted out there. We also do not understand what kind of 'juices' the chicken would have after being frozen that could be cooked out. My boyfriend lastly said it was very cold, and the manager shrugged his shoulders and he tried offering something else. Yeah right. The supervisor's demeanor was condescending and judgemental. He did not listen to our concerns and looked at us as if we were stupid. My boyfriend walked out furious. (I have pictures but am not sure how to add them). For a cafe whose sign says they proudly serve local ingredients, I am ashamed. We will never ever go here again or to any of their locations. The cookies, orange juice, and the clean area was the only thing this place had going for it. I will from now on never understand the long wait. Go to a food cart and get double the food and triple the quality and quadruple the service than this place would ever care to offer.

Great menu. Service is fast. Restaurant is very clean. All of their staff is friendly and very accomodating. You get free cookies for every sandwich order. Highly recommend this place for lunch or meetings with friends. The location is nice. It is surrounded by other restaurants and is inside a shopping center.

I arrived in town starving due to the time difference from home. BCC was a short walk from my hotel and clearly a popular lunch spot. This restaurant is a similar concept to Great Harvest or Panera. The setup of the cafe is odd - it's hard to see the menu while in line. The workers were quick to ask what you want and i felt pressured to make a decision without getting to really look over the menu. I didn't want to be "that" tourist holding up folks on their normal Tuesday lunch break. While the efficiency was appreciated, the staff weren't overly friendly or accommodating, which is why I didn't give a full 5 star rating. However, I fully recommend the food. My salad was delicious and the sandwich was phenomenal. The bread was fresh and the meat delicious. The combo (half of each) also comes with a wonderful chocolate chip cookie! I also enjoyed eating on the street (plenty of tables and chairs) on a perfect June day!

I would first like to start off my saying that I myself work in the customer service environment and pride myself on striving for excellent service with my guests. When o came in here to have breakfast with a friend from out of town, we had the WORST customer service. And after we struggled our way through ordering it was soo nice to hear all the staff talking shit after. A young lady at the register with curly hair, and tall lady who appears to be a baker. And another gentlemen. This was really unfortunate as the food and coffee appeared as though it would've been delicious however the entire experience was ruined. to feel that uncomfortable in a place of business is so unprofessional. I would highly recommend the Starbucks next door. At least there they have the tact to go in the back room to speak poorly about their guest.

Love this place! They are quick and efficient and the food always tastes good :) I come hear almost every day for lunch and I appreciate their service and friendly staff.

Bad customer service. The person behind the register was borderline rude when I asked for an iced coffee, as if it were the first time she had heard of one. Attitude and lack of professionalism made this place an unfortunate stop.

I had the south west Caesar salad today and it was the best salad I've ever had. Can't wait to come back.

Good food , great pastries . Customer service was awful today . Two friends and I came to a practically empty cafe. We literally stood there forever waiting to be greeted and acknowledged and have our orders taken. The workers were busy chatting away amongst one another and standing around doing nothing significant . When we finally sat down to eat we had a full view of an over stuffed garbage can with garbage literally hanging out of trash bin. Management really should invest in training these young ladies in providing excellent customer service and hospitality .

I love this place. It's my favorite lunch spot! Southwest chicken salad is bomb and the staff are always friendly and helpful. Don't worry if you get there and they have a line, it goes fast cause they are on it!

I used to really like Bridge City. The cookies are tasty. After a while, I made the connection that I felt kind of lousy after eating their cookies. As a result, I inquired about the ingredients and found out that they don't use real butter. Instead, they use vegetable shortening (yuck). Still, I went and ordered my favorite sandwich, which is the Burnside Turkey Bacon. I started substituting extra bacon instead of the cookie - not a bad trade off. Just today, I went there and a server went and asked the manager if that substitution is allowed and he said no - pretty inflexible if you ask me. In short, the negatives outweigh the positives and I'll not be going to Bridge City café anymore.

"Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you." ~Cookie Monster~ Obviously Cookie Monster has never tried the cookies at Paradise Bakery! No amount of love would prompt me to give away one of these little bites of perfection. Grab a mix 'n' match sampling of the chippers to be transported directly to cookie heaven.

My first word was "cookie". It's true, ask anyone who was there. Therefore, I should know cookies. Luckily, I do appreciate them to their fullest, and I would shave my dog's eyebrows to prove it. The chocolate chippies are nearly as good as grandma used to make, that is before we found out she was actually grandpa . The sandwiches are fine, and the soda is cold. Don't be afraid to eat here.

Cookies. Oh, and sandwiches, and soup. They get four stars for the cookie, though. This Paradise is a downtown lunch stop that is always packed to the gills with hungry downtown workers, come noonish. A long line out the door is guaranteed. The sandwich bread is fresh and tasty (as it should be, they call themselves a bakery), and in my opinion this alone gives their sandwiches an added star from most of the deli choices in the area. I love their tuna salad sandwich. The soup is pretty good, and steaming hot for sure. The salads are pretty tasty, too, although sometimes the ceasar is drowning---and I mean drowning, in salad dressing. The service is generally pretty slow, or at least it seems that way because I am starving and hate waiting in that long cramped line. The servers are sometimes friendly, but usually seem harried and sometimes surly. Thier debit card machine seems to go on the fritz sometimes, so bring cash just in case. Anyway, I don't come here for the service or the ambiance (a small place, with tables packed in--hungry vultures standing all around eyeing your spot to see if you will leave soon), I come here to get a sandwich to go, washed down with an awesome cookie if I am feeling indulgent that day...

The Bridge City Cafe, Essex House on SW Third Avenue recently closed its customer restroom. That pretty much takes this restaurant out of the running for me. Eighty years old. Need dependable luncheon spot WITH RESTROOM during long walks.

Bridge City is a very quaint and homey lunch/breakfast spot downtown. I've had their cookies at numerous office celebrations, and I've had a sandwich/salad there. The atmosphere here is pretty much your basic office lunch place. There are a bunch of tables and chairs available for eating-in. But if it's nice out, I would definitely recommend eating outside at one of the nearby park areas, rather than eating inside the restaurant. This place gets really busy during the lunch hour so beware. Though the line goes quick, there are big crowds with limited seating. The people who work here are really nice, and the best part about eating here, would have to be the sample cookies that they supply you with while you wait in line for your sandwich. This place just has loads of samples during the busy hours. My favorite cookie there is the coconut/chocolate, but I know some people who stand by the peanut butter. Also, you can buy six small cookies for about $1.50, which is pretty awesome. The only time I've eaten there for lunch, with a co-worker, I had a turkey sandwich with a side salad, which was ok. It was definitely nothing amazing, and I'm pretty sure I make better turkey sandwiches at home. This is no Bunk Sandwiches or Devil's Dill. This is your basic, American, sandwich. Oh man, Devil's Dill + Bridge City cookies would be an idyllic lunchtime heaven, though.

There are not many options for lunch near my offices -- so Paradise seems to be a place we hit a lot. I would say they are ... ok. They have a good selection of sandwiches for meat eaters -- but only one for veggies. I like them fine ... but am not a fan of paying $7 for a sandwich (or soup and 1/2 sandwich) ... even if I do get a free cookie. OH and they push the cookies on you ... it's not even an option. It's just like ... crack. humph ... I want a better deli.

My company has ordered their food for me a couple of times, and I've never been disappointed! I get the roast beef, the ham, or the turkey cranberry sandwiches, and they're all delicious! The kettle chips and soft cookies are really good, too! I like that they name the sandwiches after PDX streets, like the Burnside Turkey Bacon and Hawthorne Ham and Swiss :-)

Very nice place to stop for fresh croissant and good coffee. (What we were looking for.) Plenty of seating. Everything looked fresh! Great lunch menu.

I am updating my review. i ordered sandwich and soup combo last time, and it wasnt good. Today I ordered soup and salad combo which comes with a roll of bread. The Caesar salad was tasty , and the tomato gorgonzola was good as last time. For 8 bucks, the food surpasses the price. Hence 4 stars. I will visit again.

A great lunch spot! The staff is fast and friendly and will get you through that line quickly, so don't let that deter you. I always go for the Steel Bridge, Roast Beef, Cheddar Cheese, horseradish mayo, tomato, lettuce all on their home made bread! You always get a big chocolate chip cookie with your order too! The last time I went in I got a cup of fresh melon with strawberries and 1/2 Steel sandwich. It was a bit cheaper and very satisfying. They sell espresso and other baked goodies too!

Cookies! The Lemon sugar cookie is oh so much my favorite. And when I get them little chippers, I get to share the baked love. The Steel bridge is my sandwich of choice.. but honestly, it's all about the cookie here. I need to stay away, but I can't. Damn you cookie!

I go here often with coworkers. I'm not sure if they make their own bagels or buy them, but they are good and you can get a buttered one for just a dollar. Coworkers often get the breakfast bagel sandwich which is cooked fresh and the breakfast quiche. Their soups are pretty meh to me. But I like the sandwiches. I feel like the quality is good and the price is fair. Same for the salad. Try the sandwich on a croissant. It's pretty amazing. Only downside is how extremely busy it gets. They go as quick as possible but it can still take some time. And of course the cookies. Delicious and a great value. If you buy 6 you get 6 free, so plenty to take to the office. My current favorite is the lemon. In the mornings the often have day old cookies. Each bag contains generally 4-6 and they are 2$. Can't beat that deal. Overall clean, friendly, and fairly priced.

Great salads and sandwiches! Yum! You get a full meal for about $9 bucks and friendly and quick staff. Ordered a tray of breakfast goodies... great service!

EAT ONE OF THEIR BROWNIES. I don't care if you're allergic. It will be the best last decision you've ever made.

This place used to be a Paradise Bakery but then went local. I stop by often for their muffins and cookies, which are always top-notch and fresh. I love their Pumpkin Nut, Banana-Chocolate Chip, and Low-fat Lemon Poppy Seed best. When I go for lunch, I almost always get their Southwest Caesar Salad. The large is filling, tasty, and reasonably priced.