Rainy afternoons, neighborhood strolls, and a stop for something sweet feel like a natural part of life in Portland. In a city where people care deeply about good food and local businesses, there's one bakery on Southeast Division Street that's become a destination all of its own. Walk past the front window at Lauretta Jean's and you'll probably find yourself slowing down to admire rows of pies, moist cakes, buttery pastries, and treats that seem to call your name before you even step inside.

One Whiff Is All It Takes To Pull You Through The Door Of Lauretta Jean's

The smell of fresh baked butter crust, warm cinnamon, and fruit straight from the oven hangs in the air outside the bakery. The line might stretch out from the door, but nobody seems to mind much. That's part of the experience. While waiting, there's plenty of time to admire the rotating display of pies and decide whether today's craving calls for a classic cream pie, a flaky fruit filled favorite, or a cinnamon roll to take home for the next morning.

For dessert lovers around Oregon, Lauretta Jean's has become one of those places that's worth going out of the way for. If you're wondering where to start, there's one pie that rises above the rest.

This Mouthwatering Blueberry Victoria Pie Deserves Every Bit of Attention

Every bakery has that one dessert people can't stop talking about. At Lauretta Jean's, the Blueberry Victoria Pie has earned that kind of reputation.

The Blueberry Victoria Pie isn't your average fruit pie. Layers of sponge cake, lemon curd, and blueberry compote are baked into a buttery crust, creating what can only be described as a "cake in a pie." It's one of those desserts that leaves people planning their next visit before they've even finished the first slice. It blends bright blueberry flavor with the richness of cake and the tang of lemon curd, making it one of the most distinctive desserts in the bakery's display case.

The Pie Case At Lauretta Jean's Only Gets More Tempting From Here

Seasonal offerings rotate throughout the year at Lauretta Jean's, giving regular customers plenty of reasons to keep coming back.

Depending on when you stop by, you may find Tart Cherry, Blackberry Raspberry Streusel, Marionberry, Oregon Blueberry, Salted Honey, Chocolate Chess, Lemon Chess, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Key Lime, Strawberry Short, Chocolate Cream, Coconut Cream, Banana Cream, Lemon Meringue, S'mores, Chocolate Banana Cream, and other seasonal favorites waiting in the case.

Trying to narrow it down to a single pie can be a challenge. That's where single slices come in, giving visitors the chance to sample several flavors in one visit. Buy a slice, or five.

Pro Tip: There's not much seating available at Lauretta Jean's. Grab a few slices and take them to your favorite park to enjoy!

From Grandma Jean's Kitchen To One Of Portland's Favorite Bakeries

Long before Lauretta Jean's became one of Portland's favorite bakeries, its story began with a young girl learning to bake alongside her grandmother. Owner Kate first started making pies with Grandma Jean when she was just eleven years old. Years later, after moving to Portland in her twenties, those family recipes grew from baking for friends and relatives into something much larger.

The business first took shape in Kate's own kitchen. Demand grew quickly, eventually leading to the Portland Farmers Market. After a successful year there, the bakery moved into the former Cafe Velo space before expanding again into its current Southeast Division Street location.

More than 15 years later, that small home kitchen has grown into one of Portland's favorite places to stop for pie. Even as the bakery has become one of Portland's most recognized dessert destinations, it still carries the warmth of something that started around a family kitchen table, and the bakery's name honors Grandma Jean, whose influence still lives on in every pie coming out of the ovens today.

Cakes, Cookies, And Cream Puffs, Oh My

Pie may be the headliner, but stopping at Lauretta Jean's only for pie would mean missing a huge part of what makes the bakery special.

The pastry case is packed with cakes, cookies, cream puffs, sticky buns, biscuits, scones, cinnamon rolls, and other baked treats that change with the seasons.

The butterscotch pudding has earned plenty of loyal fans, while the Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake offers another reason to return.

Cake lovers have plenty to celebrate too. Choices range from Raspberry Wedding Cake layered with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam to Lemon Wedding Cake filled with lemon curd.

Chocolate lovers can choose Triple Chocolate or Chocolate Raspberry, while Cookie Dough Cake adds a playful twist with brown sugar chocolate chip icing, cookies, and ganache.

Portland Knows Good Pie When It Sees It

It's common to find a steady line moving through the shop right after the doors open, especially during weekends or when seasonal fruit pies make their return. Thankfully, the line usually keeps moving, and many customers already know exactly what they're ordering before reaching the counter.

The cozy dining area has only a handful of tables, so many people choose to take their pie outside when the weather cooperates. On a nice day, grabbing a slice and heading to one of the sidewalk picnic tables is an easy choice.

Need Dessert For The Whole Family?

Sometimes one slice isn't enough. Fortunately, whole pies are available daily and the bakery often has plenty ready to take home directly from the display case. Customers can also place whole pie orders with a day's notice, making them a great choice for birthdays, family dinners, holidays, or weekend gatherings.

Whole pies are priced at $47, which includes a refundable $5 deposit for the reusable nine inch pie dish.

Can I preorder a single slice of pie? If you're hoping to reserve individual slices ahead of time, that's one thing the bakery doesn't offer. Slice preorders aren't accepted, although slices are available daily (except Tuesday when Lauretta Jean's is closed) while supplies last.

Lauretta Jean's Pie Bakery, Portland, Oregon Information

• Location: 3402 SE Division St in Portland, Oregon
• Hours:
  • Monday 11 AM - 9 PM
  • Tuesday - Closed
  • Wednesday & Thursday 11 AM - 9 PM
  • Friday & Saturday 9 AM - 10 PM
  • Sunday 9 AM - 9 PM
• Get more information at the Lauretta Jean's website.

Some bakeries are worth visiting once. Lauretta Jean's has a way of turning first time visitors into regulars. Maybe you'll come for the Blueberry Victoria Pie and leave carrying a cinnamon roll for breakfast. Perhaps you'll grab a slice of Key Lime before spotting a cake that suddenly seems necessary for the weekend. Or maybe you'll already be planning another trip before you've finished the last bite.