Italian beef, delectable pastries: Portillo's alum opens new bakery cafe on Marco Island
With a line out the door on opening day, husband and wife owners Oriana and Tom Reed celebrated their grand opening of Ori’s Bakery & Café on Marco Island on July 1. It is a welcome addition to the area, as there’s nothing quite like it.
Think of it as first-class from-scratch finger-friendly food in a clean, casual counter-service setting: it’s among the few restaurants near the beach where wearing swimsuits and coverups will not raise eyebrows.
Walking in delights the senses: the first note is an aromatic confluence of hot-from-the-oven bread, sweet and savory pastries plus fresh-brewed coffees. Color is what you’ll notice next, most notably on the exquisitely decorated cakes and tarts, several served by the slice or as cupcakes.
The space, formerly Cocomo’s, is now bright and cheery with amply spaced tables and high tops. The Reeds kept the lovely wood bar; instead of spirits, it serves double duty as seating and pickup space for cappuccino, cortado (equal parts espresso and steamed milk) and other roasted coffees.
The most important sense? Taste, of course, and Ori’s has much to offer, with many sweet and savory choices.
Where's the beef?
Oriana, who prefers Ori, is the café’s namesake, and she also serves as executive pastry chef. Originally from Buenos Aires, her heritage is Italian. Both destinations’ cuisines are represented on the extensive menu.
One pastry showcase is devoted to empanadas. Baked from scratch throughout the day, they’re priced $4.50-$6.50 per with a selection of 15 creative fillings, including crab and grouper. For kids of any age, there’s mac and cheese with chopped hot dog. A flaky breakfast empanada of scrambled egg, sausage and cheese has pops of fresh red pepper.
“I can make empanadas in my sleep.”
For anyone on restrictive diets, gluten-free and vegan options are available as are carryout beach boxes serving two to six.
Another location with a presence on the menu?
Before moving to Naples, the Reeds lived in Chicago’s suburbs, where Ori worked at Portillo’s, which NDN’s readers voted as the hometown chain they missed most. Her Italian beef is a specialty at lunch and dinner, priced $14 plus $1 per additional topping. Other sandwiches include Cuban, Caprese and choripan, a portmanteau comprising chorizo with chimichurri in a baguette (pain is French for bread.)
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Alfajores a la Ori's
Ori’s riff on traditional Argentine alfajores, a cookie sandwich, is re-christened as “Alfaj’Oris.” Hers are pretty to view and better to eat with a generous inner layer of luscious dulce de leche and glazed with light coats of either dark or white chocolate, coconut or Italian meringue. Did I detect a hint of Grand Marnier? Her not-overly-sweet recipe is top secret. Some advice: Go with clean hands as you'll need your fingertips to devour each crumb.
In the works: a bread and pastry club for weekly pre-orders via delivery so patrons can skip what will likely be long lines from October on when busy season resumes.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Closed Monday. Lunch and dinner items are available after 11 a.m.
(945 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-450-4062; oriscafe.com)
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Ori’s Bakery & Café: New bakery-restaurant opens on Marco Island
