Cafe Voila

Recommends

KathrinS

Joined 3 years ago

Great Italian illy coffee drinks and yummy pastries!. If you are downtown and need a quick breakfast or lunch, this is the place! Delicious pastries and illy coffee! Friendly service. Great sandwichs and salads. OMG! Soo good~ !

Doesn't Recommend

sugarandspice34

Joined 5 years ago

Should be better.. I give this place two stars because, although some of their food is decent, they call themselves "gourmet" and I think that's misleading. I work nearby and have tried many of their daily entree specials - they are almost always disappointing. The meats, fish, pastas and gratins tend to be overcooked and/or dry, and are often lacking in flavor. I will say that their soups are generally good, although there always seems to be one herb that throws the flavor out of balance. The cobb salad is the one thing that I do go back for, despite several episodes of bad (slimy) lettuce pieces. When it's good and fresh, it's a nice salad.

The lemon ricotta bar is fabulous.

I think the problem is that this place has a reputation for being a quick, gourmet lunch option and they are resting on their laurels. It seems like they need to rethink their approach to the daily entree specials - the way they prepare and heat food, so that it is fresher and cooked appropriately. Right now, they are not really living up to their reputation.

Recommends

moaks

Joined 5 years ago

BEST CHEAP EATS in Portland for Lunch. Cafe Voila should be on the list for BEST CHEAP EATS! There gourmet lunches are about $7. As the hot entree is different everyday, this is the only spot for downtown lunch for the picky gourmet on a budget. Skip on Kenny & Zukes and their $15 cobb salad...Cafe Voila's is only $6 and is lots better!

Recommends

mbucky

Joined 5 years ago

Favorite lunch spot. The menu is constantly treating me to welcome gourmet excursions from the norm. Miso glazed salmon, chicken pepita salad, and consistently good food makes this place my favorite place to introduce to bored lunch-goers. Don't get the coffee -- ugh, Illy. The service is really friendly and accommodating. Sign up for the emailed menu and call ahead when you aren't able to venture there before 12pm to ensure you get your entree. The prepared salads, sandwiches, and deli salads are always a good fallback. Great lunch for less than $7.50!

Recommends

orangeyouglad

Joined 7 years ago

I can't shut up about how great this place is.. Cafe Voila is the result of a gourmet catering company opening up a small corner cafe. Every day they have a different entree, soup, and salad - plus they have a number of seasonally rotating standard sandwiches, entrees, and salads. Everything is high quality, and best of all, it's fast. I work nearby and everyone in my office eats here all the time - it's so easy for us to run down and pick up a cup of their gourmet soup and a sandwich to go when we're short on time. I personally am obsessed with their soups, which are always inventive and fresh (try the Curried Sweet Potato, Tomato Lime, Parsnip & Apple, Yellow Squash & Sweetcorn, or the Gingered Butternut Squash & Pear...)

And you can't forget the dessert! Their big cookies rock, the cardamom ginger shortbread is to die for, and their scones and pastries are definitely worth a try.