Steff D.
Yelp
If I lived specifically within walking distance of Smalls, I can see making this a regular spot! The food and drinks are delicious; it's the perfect anytime-of-day sip and snack spot! The front part (the cafe) is so aesthetically pleasing and welcoming. There's seating at the counter, bar seating with a long mirror behind that, a table in one corner, and bench seating at the window in the other corner. The back has an (overwhelming) amount of artisan crafts, home goods, self care stuff, etc. for purchase as well.
The first time I went I tried:
1. the breakfast sandwich (silky egg, garlic and herb feta, tomato mayo, arugula) for $9 (a dollar more than when they first opened). It was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Probably in my top five favorite in Portland! The egg is square and has a nice crust on the outside of the patty, but it's soft and fluffy on the interior. The many different flavors and textures compliment each other, and it's such a unique offering compared to other breakfast sandwiches in the area!
2. the spinach and artichoke vegan sandwich (white beans, kalamata olives, red onion, peppadew cream cheese) for $13. It was okay, but strangely very, very sour. There was also no kalamata olives or red onion on mine, but lots and lots of artichokes and arugula.
3. an iced coffee for $4? $5?. Unfortunately, it was mostly ice.
While I enjoyed myself tremendously, Smalls missed the mark for me on a few things:
a. the music was so loud that I could barely hear the person I was with.
b. some of the staff came off as harried and impatient; some of the staff seemed friendly and engaging.
c. the breakfast sandwich is A LOT smaller than you might think (mine was the size of maybe an orange; it was satisfying, but not filling).
d. the iced coffees are shockingly small, the smallest I've had anywhere else in Portland (again, satisfying, but I did buy another coffee elsewhere afterwards).
I was torn between a Yelp 3 (which means "Okay") and a Yelp 4 (which means "Good") [...again, we really need half stars], but for me it came down to: would I visit again? And, sure, I can see myself coming back for a meeting or a WFM day!