If you’ve ever driven down I-5 between Eugene and Cottage Grove, you may have seen the giant billboards advertising the Creswell Bakery. You may have even brushed these off as a marketing gimmick, and never thought to take the leap and check it out. Well I’m here to tell you once and for all that you should pull off the road right now and head straight there!
The Creswell Bakery is owned and run by Heidi Tunnell, a classically trained chef who started the company in 2008. And, even though she honed her culinary chops in New York City, she’s no stranger to this small, Willamette Valley town having spent much of her life running around and helping out on her grandparents’ 1,000 acre farm. In 2006, she started making bread out of her grandmother's kitchen under the name “Farm Girl Kitchen,” which she sold at local farmers markets, and at the same time ran her own successful catering company. Ultimately, she decided to focus more of her time with her family and it made sense to open her own bakery in town.
Everything here is made from scratch and in house and I mean everything! This includes salad dressings, croutons, breads, pastries, soup stocks— they make their own bacon in house, curing the pork belly for a week and then smoking it. What they can’t make themselves, they source from local producers and this love for real food and the community shines through with every item on their menu.
Creswell Bakery does everything well from sandwiches to cookies to soup, but we can’t go any further without mentioning the cinnamon rolls—dear lord, the cinnamon rolls! If you’re like me and are always upset when you get a cinnamon roll with skimpy frosting, then you simply must try out Creswell. First of all, these babies are enormous and might just give you a stomach ache if you eat the whole thing, so bring a friend. Second, they’re absolutely smothered in a decadent cream cheese frosting, so every bite will be perfect. And third, they’re made fresh daily using only the best ingredients. They might just be the best cinnamon rolls in Oregon. Just sayin’.
But since we can’t eat cinnamon rolls for every meal, they have so many other options that are just as fabulous. Other fantastic pastries here include the Hazelnut Sticky Bun, Raisin Walnut Sweet Rolls, Orange Coconut Rolls, and rotating cookie selection. You should also pick up a loaf of their fresh baked bread, like their naturally-fermented sourdough that uses only flour, water, and salt.
When you’re all sweetened out, turn to the great breakfast and lunch menu. Try their delicious Ham & Cheese Pretzel, any one of their ever-popular meat pies, or the House Made Cold Roast Beef Sandwich made with roast beef that’s been roasted in-house, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, onion, and Tillamook cheddar on a ciabatta roll. The menu is always changing to showcase seasonal ingredients or just when the bakers want to try something new! There’s also rotating specials on the board including a soup, salad and sandwich of the day.
This little bakery has created quite a name for itself and customers go out of their way to indulge in their breads, pastries, and sandwiches, so don’t be surprised if it’s crowded. They also sell take-and-bake bread and pizza dough, locally made products, wine and legitimately cool swag like tshirts and hoodies.
If you’re looking for a great place for a pitstop while on an Oregon road trip or anytime you’re in the Eugene area, the Creswell Bakery will not disappoint. It's the perfect spot whether you’re in a hurry and need to grab something quick and go, or if you want to stay a while and have lunch in their indoor dining room or out on the shady, outdoor patio.
Hours:
- Monday - Saturday, 7:00am to 6:00pm
- Sunday, 9:00am to 3:00pm
Address: 182 S 2nd St, Creswell
Phone: (541) 895-5885
