Grand Central Baking Co

You can almost get full off the smells alone at GCB, but if you're still hungry their freshly baked artisan bread makes a great sandwich. more

I LOVE the bacon egg breakfast sandwiches at Grand Central. I frequent the location in NW and it's never too crowded and the staff is friendly. The Irish Soda bread is also to die for! Pros: Yummy breakfast sandwiches and pastries more

I've been here several times as well as to their other location on Weidler. The first couple of times I've been here, I tried several of the sandwiches and although I thought the turkey and chutney was all right, the ham and swiss served on a baguette was pretty bad. I first had the ham and swiss at the Weidler location and the baguette was so hard and dry that I thought there was no way this could be how all the baguette sandwiches were supposed to be. The inside of the baguette was the driest and hardest thing I've ever bit in to (no joke). So I actually went to the Hawthorne location a couple weeks later and ordered the ham and swiss there just to compare. I was very disappointed to see that the baguette sandwich there was just as bad. Since then I've never ordered any sandwich that comes on a baguette. Now when I come I always go for the pastries which are some of the best in town. Pros: Pastries, Parking Cons: Ham and Swiss Sandwich more

I've apparently been living in the ""bizzaro universe Portland"" as first I find horrid reviews of Yoko's and now disparaging ones about Grand Central. I've been going to Grand Central Baking on Hawthorne pretty much once a day for the past 4 months, and, approx 2-3 times a week for the 2 years before that so I think I have a good grasp on their products and service (in the morning).\r \r The pastries are consistently delicious, well-made, and still warm from the oven if you get there early enough. I love the Irish Soda Bread and the marionberry coffeecake. Also good are the: bread pudding, blueberry muffins, ham/cheese croissants, rhubarb handpie, and much more.\r \r The bread is terrific and used at many good restaurants around town. I particularly like the piccolo comos and the campi.\r \r True enough the baking operation has been moved to NW portland so that the breads are indeed trucked across the river but the pastries are made on-site.\r \r Coffee is good--they use Stumptown.\r \r Service has been nothing but wonderful. The staff cares about the customers and welcomes everyone. Pros: Great pastries and breads; delicious sandwhiches; Friendly service Cons: Can be crowded; small seating area (until they remodel) more

The workers here appear to be trying to be disgusting in appearance and attitude. While ordering food, I overheard one woman make a side joke to the woman taking my order about her ""camel toe"". Are there no aesthetic boundaries at this bakery? Also, the products are now being trucked over and no longer as fresh as in the past. The atmosphere is crowded, loud, and not conducive for enjoying coffee and pastry. Pros: Can't think of any Cons: undesirable comments by workers more

Burnt dry bread tasted like day old to me - St Honore is much better and ken's. It really was bad sorry but it should have been thrown out - my cookie was dry too. Pros: Nice Bakery Enviroment Cons: Burnt Bread - No pastry selection - Stale product more

I've been going to the Grand Central Bakery pretty much once or twice a week for over a year. The breads are amazing--and used at many local restaurants--and the pastries are delicious. GC uses Stumptown coffee. They make lattes the Stumptown way as well. I have had their croissants, muffins, pullaparts, scones, jammers, rolls, cookies, and Soda bread; they are all delicious!\r \r I have to admit I've never had their sandwiches, but friends get them regularly and say they are delicious.\r \r The service is great and the staff pleasant. The only time they have trouble is when so many people come in at one time. It is hard to keep up, even with three of them, when there are 16 people waiting. I can say, as a former cafe manager, cut them some slack if it is really busy. \r \r Also, the Hawthorne location has limited indoor seating, but also has outdoor tables in front of the store, and a deck with seating around the side of the building.\r \r This place rocks. It is one of my most favorite places to go have ""coffee and a roll"" in Portland! Pros: Delicious baked goods, great coffee, pleasant staff Cons: Limited indoor seating more

I was really looking forward to visiting this bakery, but was dissappointed with the breakfast sandwich and the customer service. I ordered a bole sandwich with egg and bacon, which came with a tomato salsa on the side. The egg was runny on the sandwich, and when I asked the cashier about it she said ""that's how we make them"". Really? Yuck. Who wants to eat an egg sandwich with an over easy egg? It was running all over the place, and I couldn't even pick up the sandwich. I think it would have been appropriate for this staff person to try and remedy the situation and offer to have the egg cooked.\r Also, the tomato salsa came in a thimble sized container, and there wasn't even enough to cover half the sandwich. Strangely, there was jam on the plate as well....who wants jam on an egg and bacon sandwich? I gave up.\r \r I'm usually not a complainer but the food quality and poor customer service at this place left me dissappointed.\r \r Pros: baked goods looked yummy. Cons: very long line, only one cashier. more

I really like this place for lunch . I have been in several times and find that the sandwich is always so fresh and a great deal. I have always wanted my office to bring this food in our boardroom. We tend to order online for sac lunches or box lunches. I think they have a nice web site but when can order online from this company? I also love the blueberry muffins. Pros: fresh , good value Cons: long lines , cant order online more

Grand Central has some of the best sandwiches in town. The best deal here is the ""sack lunch"" which includes one of their super delicious house sandwiches (recommend the Reuben on toasted rye or Bistro Ham on a rustic baguette), a bag of Kettle chips and your choice of one of the best cookies you'll ever have. While seating is limited, (there are a limited number of stools in a counter environment) the sack lunch is something you can pick up and take home or on a fantastic picnic. Pros: tasty sandwiches, cheap, amazing bread Cons: small seating area, crowded more

Highly recommend the sack lunch for $7.50 - $7.95. The ruben is fantastic on a delicious sour rye and this deal comes with a HUGE chewy cookie and a bag of kettle chips. Opt to dine at the counter and read one of the many newspapers available or take it to go. Pros: Inexpensive Cons: Crowded at lunch more