Simmer Down Cafe

This place is kind of a hidden gem as it is located inside the George Fox University: Portland Center on the 2^nd floor so you DO have to look for it but it is SO worth the search! They are SUPER close to my work and they have absolutely DELICIOUS food! I’ve never had anything there I didn’t like! Although I do have my favorites. Everything here is homemade for the most part! ALL their soups are homemade and, wow, do they have a great beef vegetable barley soup! And the clam chowder? Yum! Tastes like my mom’s! That’s a HUGE compliment! They have lunch specials every day and it’s something different every day. Their sandwiches are super good too! I haven’t had their salads, except for one, and it was a taco salad. They leave the meat off so you can add it! I love that so the lettuce isn’t warm under the meat… smart! Everyone there is SO friendly! Jameson and his wife, Jen, own and run the place. Sis use to work with him when he worked just down the street from there. His forte is food! I usually call ahead and my lunch is always ready to go when I get there! Oh, you HAVE to try the cookies! SO excellent! It varies from day to day but they are always homemade too! JUST GO! If you are disabled, there is an elevator by the stairs to get up to them. You do need to remember to grab your silverware before you walk out the door at the help-​yourself area if you need them.

Service is still pretty slow, but they are working to fix that. They have been taking suggestions as well. Between that and how friendly they are, i decided maybe i was a bit harsh at first. There have been multiple occasions where they made me a mocha or some food after they have closed. Thank you for that. The food is of high quality, but a lil spendy at times. Sometimes i would like to see bigger dinner portions at a cheaper price, even if its not super healthy/​organic. All that being said, they are very nice and genuinely care about improving their business. Keep it up!

I love this new café! Friendly staff, fresh food, awesome drinks. Their drinks are always refreshing and taste delicious. Love their bakery selections– homemade & delicious– there is something for everyone. They run a really smooth operation and know what they are doing!
Also impressed with their POS system, no minimum purchase requirement to use your credit card. Of course, pay with cash if you have it to help out small businesses.

This place and the crew that run it are amazing! I never thought that a school café could have such outstanding food and customer service, because let’s be real, it’s school and most of the customers are anxious and sleep deprived. I wouldn’t want to serve grad students. However, Janet and her people go out of their way to make us feel cared for.
They offer really good dinners that change each day. I think Janet used to be a chef somewhere in NY, but I’m not sure. Her husband makes rad curry. They also have snacks, because snacks are awesome and essential to learning.
Best of all, they have a gluten free baker who makes bomb muffins.