Hostel Cafe

I live close by & have been coming here for many years & have always had great service & good food. In the last 8 months, I have been managing life-threatening health issues & was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease. The severity of my autoimmune disease now prevents me from eating at restaurants that are not dedicated gluten-free, but I missed this place so much since getting sick, I insisted that my friend who was visiting town meet me here for lunch today. I came in with a salad I packed from home & some cookies from Trader Joe’s down the street, while my friend ordered two entrees (one for herself, & one to bring back to her husband). Because I love(d) this place so much, I wanted to be sure to personally support them just as I always had despite my new health limitations, so I ordered a large matcha & grabbed a bag of gluten-free chips as well. When we came back to our table, there was a sign saying “Reserved” & we were asked not-so-courteously to move by the owner (?). The only available seats now were outside, so we grabbed all of our things & settled into a table out there. A few minutes later, the owner (?) came over to our table & asked that we move AGAIN because they needed to “leaf blow”. Then she asked about my “outside food” despite seeing that we were clearly paying patrons. Embarrassed, I tried to explain my condition to her but was not met with any empathy. She said she would offer to let us sit somewhere else but it was for hostel guests only. So we were practically kicked-out as there was nowhere else for us to sit. I have never had anything like this happen to me before, it was so awkward & unkind. My friend was forced to box up her meal before she was finished & the bag of chips I bought from them turned out to be past their ‘best by’ date so I had to toss them! What a bizarre experience. I will not be coming back, such a bummer.

I love this cafe and make a point to eat here when I stay in Portland. The dishes are creative and food is delicious. Excellent coffee, too. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options, plus gluten-free bread. They prioritize local food and drinks. I've always had good service. A real gem in this district.