Back to Eden Brings Food Cart “Cottage” to Southeast Portland
Image: Molly Woodstock
Between fresh pastries at Little T and Roman Candle, French sweets at St Honore and Petite Provence, and fluffy biscuits at Lauretta Jean’s and Pine State, Southeast Division Street has no shortage of brilliant baked goods. What it does lack is an equal wealth of plant-based, allergen-friendly treats…until now.
Back to Eden Bakery has rolled into Tidbit Food Farm and Garden, and plans to sell its first sweets on April 15. The bakeshop, which has served Northeast Alberta’s vegan community since 2009 and went gluten-free in 2012, will bring its beloved cupcakes, doughnuts, muffins, and more to Portland’s most meticulously curated cart pod.
“Expanding into a Southeast location has been the biggest demand by our customers for the last five and a half years,” says co-owner Garrett Jones. “Tidbit’s pod manager, Christina Davis, approached us. They had one stall left…and she had been turning people down because she wanted us in that spot so bad.”
Back to Eden's rose water pistachio doughnut
Image: Allison Jones
In addition to being 100% vegan and gluten-free, Back to Eden offers a number of treats suitable for sweet-tooths with soy, nut, or sugar sensitivities. The cart menu will include the shop’s signature ice cream sundaes, made with a choice of dairy-free soft serve or Oregon-made Coconut Bliss. Savory dishes like chili and cornbread may make an appearance come autumn.
The cart itself was designed by co-owner John Blomgren and built from scratch over the course of two months. The charming cottage evokes the brick-and-mortar bakery’s aesthetic with twee touches like a green metal roof, wall sconces, and a mural painted by local artist Flora Bowley.
“It’s probably going to be the cutest cart in Portland,” Blomgren says. “That’s even the agreement we had with Christina—she said, ‘If you’re going to do it, you have to make it cute!' ”
The cart is part of Back to Eden’s broader expansion plan; the bakery plans to move in to the wholesale market by May, starting with People’s Co-op and a number of coffee shops. Blomgren also hopes to position the shop as Portland’s go-to choice for vegan and gluten-free wedding catering, offering an extended menu of sweet and savory allergen-friendly dishes.
Back to Eden at Tidbit
SE 28th Pl and Division St
