The Purple House

I was beyond excited to visit The Purple House and taste a bit of the hype. I was a huge Bresca fan and was excited for this new venture. I am now left feeling deflated as they, yes on a Saturday morning, only had a couple chocolate bagels left for sale. I totally understand new business trial and error running out of items, but this far into the game, the system should be worked out for the demand. To smooth my hungry belly for the drive over to Scratch for bagels, I ordered a coffee to go. I was handed a cup of coffee with lots of extra bits floating around. Here's to growing pains. Hopefully I'll be up for giving it another go & hopefully they'll be up for having more than chocolate bagels. Side note: I did check their Facebook page & there was no mention that they were out of bagels. Nor did the teen working the register mention when bagels would be back for sale.

Great Food! A must stop if your visiting Maine. Was Lucky enough to visit the Purple House During the 2018 Jaguar Wild Blueberry Blast Event.

Great food, friendly staff. Very cozy lots of choices. Loved the ambiance.

This place is overpriced and overrated. 400tl per person to pitch a tent, 400tl for mediocre dinner. No hot water in the shower, you have to buy drinking water. Continue walking for 5 minutes and you’ll come to places that offer free camping

Wow very nice we pulled up on a random thursday morning and were just in time before the crowd came in. Ordered some latte and cappucino which were very good and also had a few bagels with salmon, wow very nice bagels! Would highly reccommend this place to visit !

The inside is small but charming--the oven added not only warmth but character. Our bagels (rosemary sea salt and maple sugar) were delicious! The staff was very friendly, too. We got a pastry to go and it was well-worth it, flavorful and fresh. In the winter it's better to grab your food and go, as there is barely any seating inside.

This place is cute. It’s super tiny (there’s only one inside table, it’s like a picnic bench). It’s basically the downstairs of a very small house. The lattes are really yummy, and they’re served in nice large mugs that fit well in your hands. The bagels are good, but they’re not anything too special. They’re kind of hard, and stuff spills out a bit. The other food they serve, however, is really delicious. The pizza is really good, and the salads are super! They’ve got some baked treats as well. If you go on a nice day they have tables outside you can use. If you sit at the inside table you’ll be surrounded by windows, which is nice. And you can watch the action in the kitchen, which is right in front of you. Cute place! I’d recommend giving it a try.

I will echo what many others have said - the food here is outstanding. In my opinion, this stands among the best bakeries I've ever been to including (insert one of several fancy schmancy European cities). The options are numerous, creative, delicious and simply incredible. As you stand in the cramped quarters, plate after plate of new baked items comes out of the oven. The smoked maple tart is a favorite as are their chocolate chip cookies which are my favorite in Maine so far (assuming you're a crispy cookie guy like myself). I haven't even mentioned what they're actually famous for which are their delicious bagel sandwiches. You can get everything from a classic lox and cream cheese to sea urchin terrine with apple cider gelee. Which, by the way, is amazing. The downside? The experience is unique and for some might not be what they expect. The entire operation including cooking area, restaurant storage, cash register and the single table for 8 are all squashed into a tiny one room cottage. Don't expect to find easy parking. Expect to wait a while in lines. Don't be surprised if there's no seating available. But if you enter with an idea of what The Purple House is (and some extra time in case it takes a while), you will not be disappointed.

Cute spot in North Yarmouth! Just minutes away from Portland is North Yarmouth where I barely had 3G internet on my phone; relaxing. We went here for lunch just 20 min before they closed on a Saturday. It's a small cozy space with skylights - one large community table with 8 chairs. Otherwise you're either eating outside if the weather is nice or bringing hour food to eat elsewhere. We were lucky to get a spot at the table under the skylight to enjoy our lunch. Ingredients are high quality - expect portland prices ($9-$10 for sandwiches etc). High end quality - the baked goods were excellent. The matcha latte was a stand out - one of the best I've had in the area! Congrats on their recent James Beard nomination as well!

I will echo what many others have said - the food here is outstanding. In my opinion, this stands among the best bakeries I've ever been to including (insert one of several fancy schmancy European cities). The options are numerous, creative, delicious and simply incredible. As you stand in the cramped quarters, plate after plate of new baked items comes out of the oven. The smoked maple tart is a favorite as are their chocolate chip cookies which are my favorite in Maine so far (assuming you're a crispy cookie guy like myself). I haven't even mentioned what they're actually famous for which are their delicious bagel sandwiches. You can get everything from a classic lox and cream cheese to sea urchin terrine with apple cider gelee. Which, by the way, is amazing. The downside? The experience is unique and for some might not be what they expect. The entire operation including cooking area, restaurant storage, cash register and the single table for 8 are all squashed into a tiny one room cottage. Don't expect to find easy parking. Expect to wait a while in lines. Don't be surprised if there's no seating available. But if you enter with an idea of what The Purple House is (and some extra time in case it takes a while), you will not be disappointed.

These may be the best bagels I have ever had. Fresh made in a brick, wood fired, oven on a wooden board. The rosemary sea salt bagel was incredible. Toppings were fresh and delicious. The yogurt with granola and fruit was also the best I have ever had. The granola is not all oats, it had lots of nuts and seeds and was toasted perfectly. The fruit included gooseberries, which I had never had before and now I am a big fan. I cannot wait to go back for lunch. The inside is very small, with only one table with 8 seats. Everyone sits together and both the staff and patrons were very nice. The music also helped set the mood of a french cafe, which was a very nice touch.

I wonder what it'd cost to plop this lil Purple House on a flatbed and truck it to Minneapolis... Pretty sure it'd be worth it. This adorable, colorful, quaint, rustic, little eatery is truly a gem. Step inside what looks like someone's personal purple home and be greeted by friendly staff, a beautiful pastry case, and an inviting brick oven. It's small inside, so plan on grabbing something to go, or hope a seat opens up at the one communal table (seats maybe 10?). They offer breakfast and lunch ranging from flatbreads, bagels, pastries, tarts, cafe drinks, salads, and more! All of their menu items look and taste rustic and made thoughtfully and with love. I got the za'atar bagel with cultured cream cheese, gravlax, cucumber, and ikura (salmon roe). Seriously, this was the best version of bagel & lox I have ever had. And I speak from a lot of experience, trust me. I feel like they make a lot of the ingredients in-house, like the bagels, cream cheese, and lox, or they do some high quality sourcing. I tried a bite of one of their tarts (I think it was plum) and it was heavenly. Other items that caught my eye: rum punch ice cream (special), pork belly salad w roasted veggies (special), speck and persimmon and cheese sandwich (special), wood fired granola, rosemary sea salt bagel, fennel seed maple salt bagel, and assorted seasonal pickles.

This Montreal-style bagel shop is seriously sooo good! I already love bagels, but add on wood-fired too? double plus in my book. The small batch cooking allows everything to be so fresh and delicious. The bagels are perfectly crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. I couldn't help myself this time, and also got the raspberry, (pear?) almond toast. It was just too pretty to not get, well... All of their pastries were really pretty haha. The little bit of tartness from the fruit was balanced with the sweetness of the toppings. The ganache used for the mocha was a great balance of chocolatey goodness, while not being overly sweet. I've been here a few times with my BF while we were living here, and it is one of our preferred bagel shops. I definitely need to come back to try their lunch items though, before I leave Maine. This place is a total gem outside of Portland.

The quality of food and drink options is a 4 but the space and experience is a 3. Many high quality, unique pastries and tarts to choose from. The menu felt overwhelming and I felt rushed to make a decision. I was surprised to not see a generic breakfast sandwich (egg, meat and cheese) available. The price point is high if you want anything other than a bagel and cream cheese and the portions are small. The bagels are served cold, not sure if toasting is an option but we were not asked to have them toasted (I guess I just assumed they would be...). The turmeric ginger latte was really great! We were the only customers which is good because the space is very small and there is not a lot of space to wait.

So good that we stopped by once to try it out and returned the next day. My boyfriend's parents live in Portland, and I think I am more inclined to join him on visits because we can stop by The Purple House. It is a cute place that clearly was a residence in the not so distant past. There is one shared table to sit at, which we did both visits, but I imagine you'd mostly get take out here. The sandwiches are like nothing I have ever had. The flavors were complex and interesting and the combinations make it clear the chef/owner has a real talent for food. The bagels are not huge but they are really tasty. I want to go back now, writing this is sort of torture being so many hours away!

You know the old saying, 'The whole is the sum of its parts'? Well, in the case of my breakfast and lunch visits today to The Purple House, I'd have to say that the process of getting in, ordering, and receiving that order is much different than the result. In other words, the food is much better than the rest of the experience. Thing is, I'm not sure anything can really be done to improve the process leading to the food. Let me explain... Now, I realize it's a Saturday and I consider that fact to be as important as I do when I read idiotic complaints about slow service at touristy spots along the Maine coast on 4th of July weekend at 5pm. Having said that, my culinary day began as I pulled into...or rather attempted to pull into the small parking lot shortly after 8am. Wound up circling around and eventually found someone pulling out of a space. So, in I went for my much anticipated order of a couple of bagels to go. The ordering area is very small, and with one register (but a very friendly order taker) and a bunch of latte orders (as contemptuous to coffee as cosmopolitans are to martinis) it took quite a while to place my order. One plain, one sea salt bagel to go. My intention was to get home, shmear on some cream cheese, adorn my bagel of choice with pastrami smoked salmon fromTrader Joe's and that would be that. Because these Montreal style bagels were basically being baked in the wood oven as they were ordered, it took a good 15 minutes for my name to be called. And due to the crowd flocking in, I literally stood leaning against the side of the wood oven, waiting my turn. But the place is so small that ordering and waiting becomes more of a chore than a pleasure. But I just can't imagine an easy fix for this or really any fix at all. So, let me cut to the chase. If you're not familiar with Montreal bagels, do an Internet search for them or watch a Youtube video or better yet, get over to The Purple House on Rt. 115 in North Yarmouth, a short three miles from 'downtown' Yarmouth. Be patient, enjoy watching an acclaimed chef working the bagel peel, and enjoy some delicious wood oven baked bagels which are crusty on the outside, soft on the inside with just enough sweetness, char and smokiness to enhance the experience. Even after a couple of hours, my second bagel, the plain was still just as crusty and delicious. I'll follow this up with some comments about my anticipated lunch visit for what is described as Roman style pizza, but this is plenty for now. Check them out at 'www.thepurplehousebakery.com'.

Excellent bagels and other house-made items. Always seems to be rotating menu of cool stuff. Also, very good coffee and patisseries. Don't expect a NYC deli experience though, if you're looking for that, the creativity here might not be for you. Plenty of other places for that anyway. Come here for bagel combos you can't get anywhere else.

So I made the trip out of downtown Portland to get to this special place before they took their vacation for the next few months! Let me tell you, this little purple house has charm. I loved upon walking in you see the wood oven. Parking is very limited. I also didn't realize that there were menus up by the cashier, so I was glad I looked on yelp beforehand and already knew what I wanted otherwise I would have felt rushed to make a decision when I got up to the cashier. Now I know I can grab a menu while I'm in line next time! I got a chai tea latte and it was honestly the best spiced chai I've had in a while. I also got a maple sugar bagel with plain cream cheese and some sort of pastry (I wish I could remember what it was called!). All I know is i gobbled it up in a few bites. I would definitely recommend a visit to this cute little house.

Roasted rabbit with carrots, cabbage, pearl onions, and cider-pickled shallots, side salad, fennel-maple bagel, and matcha latte. Very special food at a very special place: a small one-room cottage on a country road with one communal farm table that seats eight. The tiniest, off-the-beaten-path James Beard nominated place. So worth the drive and the nicest people. Welcome to Maine.

This place is MAGICAL!! Family member saw it on Food Network. So glad we took the trip. Bagels, sticky buns, pizza, we tried it all and LOVED everything. Seating is tight but service is amazing.

If you don't get why waiting for good food is worth it, don't go. If you don't understand how Montreal style bagels are prepared, don't go. If you don't get why the owner doesn't acknowledge you (she's WORKING), don't go. If you prefer run-of-the-mill bagels and standard/mediocre accoutrements, don't go. If you want a GREAT bagel from a hard-working staff trying really hard to accommodate lines of fans, go. And smile, and wait patiently, and enjoy what you came for.

Oy vey. I can't stand writing negative reviews, but this had to be said. Went in on a Friday with a decent line and there was only one person taking all orders and doing coffee drinks so each order took forever. The guy behind us in line was frustrated with the wait and impatient about not getting the bagel type he wanted so "preordered" bagels by asking the baker in the back to set them aside for him. He took the last of the plain bagels despite the fact that there were two parties ahead of him who may have wanted plain. His rude behavior was completely enabled and had his bagels waiting for him at the front. When we finally reached the register we didn't get our drip coffees and had to remind the attendant to serve them to us. We ordered a lox bagel and a bagel with cream cheese which took about 35 mins (I'm not exaggerating) to complete and after all of that the bagel was served not sliced with a to-go side of cream cheese without a knife. The bagels didn't live up to the hype and the cream cheese actually tasted more like ricotta cheese. The tops were pretty charred from the oven, which i guess is the point of the montreal style bagel, but it wasn't for me. Hopefully once they have been up and running for a while, they'll iron out the issues with the poor service we received. Needless to say, we wouldn't make the trek from Portland out to N. Yarmouth to go back.

The purple house absolutely oozes charm and is sure to continue to be quite popular. The tiny little space offers a fun peek into the wood firing process behind these Montreal style bagels, and is packed with farmhousey furniture and cute little touches. The toppings are particularly promising ranging from sake-cured trout to your more traditional cream cheese and gravlax. Prices are a little steep, but really comparable to your average fancy breakfast sandwich (2 bagels with gravlax, 2 coffees, $18ish). I wish them all kinds of well as they get started, but unfortunately my rather-charred bagel left a bit to be desired. I could tell that the rosemary sea salt flavor would be really nice, but it had reached the point of so crispy on the top so as to be a danger to the delicate roof of your mouth. Still, I would definitely come back and try some more flavors (like the maple) in the future.

Tasty bagels and a great fresh squeezed orange juice Good spot for a nice leisurely breakfast Will go again

This is probably one of the most wholesome family style places I've ever been the people are incredibly nice it was my first time going there today and I felt like I was a regular customer walking in everyone was so helpful when trying to make a decision on what to get and knowledgeable down to being able to explain the sensation of eating something it's a great place super tiny and if you don't know about it you wouldn't even know it's there!

It was absolutely delicious. We tried the chocolate chip cookie, the Orange Flannel, and the maple sugar bagel. All of them were absolutely yummy. The only downside is that there is literally only one table, so in cold weather you'll need to plan to take this to go. Here's hoping they expand to include a little more seating...

We did not eat here because the only indoor seating is one community table and they would've had to rearrange people so my husband and I could sit. It's a very small place with a limited menu that looked to be quite artisan. We were looking for a more traditional breakfast. It would have been good to know this before traveling out of our way to try The Purple House.

This adorable café is as delicious as it is tiny! The bagels were amazing, but get there EARLY cause they go fast! We tried the sea salt and the chocolate bagel - must go back for the sea salt and rosemary! The sandwiches, pastries, coffee and tea are also delicious and fresh. It has a small communal table so keep in mind you may have to take it to go, or enjoy your food in the outdoor tables (weather permiting). Would definitely go back!

So happy to have tried this gem of a place while in the area. Wonderful selection of local pork sandwiches and salads for lunch. We were told the bagels are very popular in the morning. Excellent quality espresso and coffee drinks as well. Highly recommended, friendly service and very clean and bright. Open Thursday to Sunday now.

One of the best bagels I've ever had but possibly the worst organized small business and slowest service I have ever seen.

This place is amazing. The walnut and beet hummus sandwich is to die for. The Montreal style bagels are delicious. The pastries are dangerously good. The staff is super friendly. I love the small, farm style environment! Already looking forward to having them return from vacation!

Very good concept and food is tasty when available. Big problems though with execution of this place. The food is not often available, the space is too small to sit, the service is slow, and despite the slow service and lack of service they still ask for tips. Seems like the Purple House is more interested in doing what the owners want, rather than what customers want or deserve. I have visited on three occasions and had poor experiences each time; likely won't be back. Too bad.

Delicious food, Montreal style bagels! One of the best breakfast sandwiches I have ever eaten! One of my favorite places to eat out!

Awesome little spot. Great variety of high quality baked goods and coffee. Parking is limited but it's worth the trouble.

delicious food, absolutely, but it does not make up for the cramped space, terrible/disorganized ordering process, and incredibly rude and pretentious owner. waited for a good half an hour which wouldn't normally have bothered me if they had space to sit/comfortably stand, or if it wasn't advertised as a "grab-n-go" kind of place. when a customer did complain the owner responded very coldly, basically dismissing her. people got their food all at different times no matter where we were in line when we ordered. when i was finally given my food it almost felt as if i was being pushed out of the door, but i was happy to leave. definitely not a welcoming or comfortable experience. they didn't seem prepared for the amount of people that were there. feel very bad for the employees. they seemed to be under a lot of stress but were working really hard. i almost left when the owner began to scold her employees in front of ALL of her customers! if i was a braver person i would've stood up for them and asked for my money back because honestly i could've classified her actions as bullying. i don't know if it was a bad day or if the employees had done something before i got there, but judging by what i've heard from others, she is very rarely a pleasant person. her interactions with customers were also very cold. i think that maybe they should stay closed, but that's just my honest opinion. food was undeniably delicious but unfortunately taste isn't the only part of the experience. i won't be back.

You would think that if you run out of bagels every single day after an hour and a half that you might plan for making more bagels. I have been disappointed multiple times coming here at 9:30 WHICH IS NOT THAT LATE!!! They're also closing for the entire summer which is the only time you can actually sit and eat there because there is only one table inside. The bagels are super good which is why it sucks that they have such a horrible business plan. Also who doesn't have sausage egg and cheese??

Mediocre food served with a side of pretentious attitude. Best to stay away. Happy they're closed for the summer.

So disappointed. The food at The Purple House is undeniably delicious, but owning a business that keeps customers coming back, takes more than just good food. Today was the second day I attempted to feed my yummy bagel craving by driving to the Purple House during posted business hours, only to find a dark, lifeless building and locked door. A note, containing an explanation, was nowhere to be found. I then searched their website looking for the disclaimer that read - "Owner may opt not to open if after waking up on the wrong side of the bed." OR "Please call before getting in your car and driving all the way here, only to find we've decided it was a good day to be closed." There was no such disclaimer. So sadly, the next time I find myself wanting some good food, I'll drive to one of the other hundreds of establishments that posts hours of operation, and actually keeps them!

This place rekindled all the foodie fire inside of me. The chocolate financiers are better than Bouchon. The bagels are worth every calorie. I can't wait to eat my way through every dish they make.

Finally got the chance to try The Purple House and was unfortunately very disappointed. In summary the food was good but not great and very over priced. The real turn off was the slow service and attitude of the employees which clearly stemmed from the rude and angry owner. Space: Small and cramped interior (it was raining so sitting at the limited outdoor space was not possible) made worse by being able to overhear the owner's negative comments from the open kitchen as she prepared our food which put everyone in my group on edge. Food: Bagels were ok but half were burnt giving them an unpleasant taste. Cream cheese was almost flavorless. Coffee was good but a good cup of coffee was not why I drove all the way here. The average to sub-par quality of the food would have been ok if the prices were not so outrageous. Service: Long wait and slow service but really wasn't the fault of the front of the house employee. Interior set up and ordering process is terrible which is clearly the fault of the owner. Employee who delivered the food basically just threw the items on the table and walked away without saying a thing. As for the owner, she was rude and short to customers waiting in line and generally just seemed angry and generally annoyed to be there. Her presence made the whole experience generally negative and she seems to genuinely dislike customers. Maybe I just hit her on a bad day but when I relayed my experience to others who had visited the restaurant they also felt the same. Overall, I do not recommend The Purple House. There are far better places for breakfast and lunch in the surrounding towns as well as North Yarmouth itself.

Wonderful staff, extremely friendly and cheery. My maple steamer was made perfectly.. I enjoy not burning my mouth very much. And with macadamia milk? What?! It was delicious and a must try! Got a rosemary sea salt bagel with horseradish dill cream cheese and butter. It was really delicious. The bagels are on the sweeter side which went really well with the savory cream cheese. Also I think it's absolutely wonderful that they bake everything in a wood fired oven. The pastries were stunning. All in all it was a wonderful experience.

Delicious bagels made in house and fresh GOOD coffee. Atmosphere was a little tight and it looked like some customers had to wait a while for their food.

It took 45 minutes for them to put cream cheese on a cold bagel. The bagel and the cream cheese were delicious, to be sure, but this is a rich lady's passion project, not a functioning business.

You won't get a better bagel than at the purple house. Unfortunately, a bit of lack luster service this time around. I waited in line for 45 minutes to get 6 bagels. Certainly worth it. However when I arrived home I opened my bag of bagels and found only five. At $11 for six bagels I would have hoped that the young lady in the pink shirt and gray spandex would have had a bit better counting skills. I did not go back as it was not worth waiting another 45 minutes to get a bagel that is probably already sold out. Guess it is probably good that they are closing down for the summer season. Seems like they need a bit of a break.

This place is so good that I almost don't want to review it because I want to keep it for myself. I COULDN'T BELIEVE that this gem didn't have 5 stars. The pork sandwich I had here today was seriously heavenly. So, so good. It was so good that neither my friend nor I talked while eating it except to say how good the sandwich was and wonder what magic it was made out of. The pizza was also excellent, and the restaurant interior was really cozy and cute. This is a very small spot with not a lot of seating indoors but plenty of bistro and picnic tables outside. I loved everything about this spot and will definitely be back.

So good! Small place with the best bagels. The rosemary is an absolute go to. So many different and delicious flavors

The service issues others have mentioned seem to have been resolved in 2018. Very friendly and incredibly tasty bagels. The place is small, but quaint. Service was excellent and quick on a Sunday morning. Enjoy this wonderful taste of Montreal.

Ok...seems like a great place. Went in for 1/2 dozen bagels...better cooked than last time (too chared last time) so they seem to be getting a better handle on that aspect. My mistake asking for 6 bagels and asking for a mix and letting clerk get them. Got 3 different bagels 2 of each. Disappointing he did not mix it up more. Lessen learned.

We tried the bagels. Never tried Montreal style before. While different then we are used to, we liked them very much. The place has been very busy for only being open a few weeks. The owner and staff are very nice and doing a great job. Looking forward to trying lunch.

What a great find! They actually let us in 15 minutes pre-opening because we told them we were traveling back to CT. The fennel bagels and the rosemary bagels were my husband's fave! We'll be back!

Visited Purple House first time about 6 weeks ago. AWESOME Bagels. Ruined all other basic bagels for me. Then found out I am gluten intolerant :(... So now i torture myself by just getting them for the fam... Still working out the kinks... but The Bagels are worth a try!

A fantastic little bakery tucked away in North Yarmouth, Purple House serves the area's best bagels -- provided you're willing to either wait for them or go at off-times. Been three times and have been increasingly wowed each time. Purple House has by far and away the best lox in the area, and paired with chewy, Montreal-style bagels it makes for a terrific start to the day. Even better is the orange flannel breakfast sandwich, pairing house smoked ham with fresno chiles and a maple fried egg. Go early for the bagels, as they're prone to selling out, and don't expect to find seating at the sole eight person table. Do plan to enjoy a cup of coffee while waiting for your warm bagels to come out, and enjoy the energy and shared love of good food emanating from this small restaurant.