The Best Cinnamon Rolls in Portland

My friends Lindsay and Evan have been talking almost non-stop about local restaurant Sugar Mama’s Cafe, which was originally located in the adorable Goose Hollow, but closed several months back to move to a new location on SW Alder, between SW 3^rd and SW 4^th where it recently re-opened

Whenever this restaurant comes up in conversation, the go-to line is something like “you simply have to try their cinnamon roles, but get there early because they only make them on Friday, and when they run out they don’t have more until the next Friday.” Somewhere in there, the biscuits and gravy are recommended too.

So, this past Friday, I decided to go for it. To head over to Sugar Mama’s Cafe and check out the cinnamon role. So, I walk the 15ish blocks over.

The first thing you notice when you walk in is that it is green. Like. Really, really green. Not in an obnoxious, annoying way, but in a quirky, unique way. It’s a just-off-electric shade of green that screams “now make sure you’re awake!”

I sat down at a table and order my cinnamon role and some water. In fact, I specifically order the maple bacon cinnamon role, because hey, that sounds good.

A tall carafe of water with a lime and some ice are placed on my table with a cup as I wait and read.

And then, there it is. That beautiful, beautiful cinnamon roll, topped with a maple glaze and little pieces of bacon cooked to that perfect place between crispy and chewy. I inhale its glorious cinnamon scent, spreading my napkin over my lap and picking up the fork – oh yes, a fork is needed for this cinnamon role.

I peck at the doughy goodness and pull a layer off, slathered in the glaze. It tastes light and delicious. The warm flavor of the cinnamon wraps around the chewiness of the dough – cooked to soft perfection. Wordlessly, I eat the cinnamon role. As I draw near to the end of it, I pause momentarily, mourning the passing of this delicious culinary creation.

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Sugar Mama’s Cafe is located at 320 SW Alder, open from 7:00am to 3:00pm daily. Twitter: @SugarMamasCafe || Facebook: Sugar Mama’s Cafe