Cravin Raven Bakery

Cravin Raven is a little bakery in the heart of Sellwood. It’s fairly new — only a couple years old. Their slogan, «making healthy delicious again»
And let’s just say, they accomplish their mission. They specialize in dietary restrictions while still making delicious bakery concoctions! My son, who has a gluten allergy, can go and get a muffin or a slice of pumpkin bread that is tasty and wonderful but also is gluten free and affordably priced.
For any of you out there dealing with restrictions on diet, you know that a gluten free muffin can, at times, be the equivalent of a muffin-​shaped stale sponge. But not at Cravin Raven! You’ll hardly notice the difference and it’s something people with all dietary restrictions can get excited about!

This is a review by a vegetarian whose body mass was built from calories composed of about %75 gluten.
That’s a damn fine $ 3 Lemon Poppy seed cookie. It’s actually just about the size of a hockey puck but a lot tastier, moister, and less dense than most of the hockey pucks I’ve put in my mouth.

I never thought I would find a five star bakery, but we were looking for dairy-​free and gluten-​free and found heaven. This is a tiny little bakery around the corner from the Sellwood Bridge. Street parking and a few tables set outside on nice days. You walk in to see shelves with ingredients and mixing bowls and most often two women standing around a prep table whipping something together.
Behind a glass partition you gaze at the little baked goodies arranged on plates with delicious names. I’ve tried about six different items and they have all been superb, moist, tasty, not too sweet, and just the right size to satisfy my sweet tooth. We always order an espresso with their coconut milk to pair with the goody.
An untold secret may be their cakes. We ordered one for a birthday (dairy-​free, gluten-​free) and it was beautiful and delicious. None of the party goers ever suspected or complained that it wasn’t a standard cake. Plus they were super helpful and creative in designing the cake. Small, local, creative businesses like this are truly what make Portland fun.

Ok, look. By this time, all you gluten-​intolerant, dairy-​free, celiac prone folks should know that there are PLENTY of absolutely terrible dessert options lurking about. Most taste like dense dirt with a cardboard aftertaste.
Cravin Raven is in a league all their own. I mean, you can’t even tell that it is something special, made with flour alternatives and no dairy. It would fool even the toughest food critic.
They are super sensitive to all food allergies and even those avoiding sugar, peanuts, etc. will find something to satisfy their sweet tooth.
I had the plain chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting and think I might just be going back there tomorrow for a one-​person birthday party for myself.
A-​mazing. Makes me happy. The end.

I absolutely adore this place. I discovered it because my mother in law bought me a Groupon as a gift (thanks, mom!), and now I recommend it to everyone and regularly meet people here.
Their mookies are phenomenal; the texture is perfect, and they neither taste nor look like any other GF baked good I’ve had.
They also make espresso drinks with coconut milk. Amazing.
If you have food sensitivities of any kind and have all but given up on indulging in treats, go here. They know exactly what’s in every single item on the display and can help you find something tasty and kind to your body.

The gluten free chocolate cupcake is perfection.
Need I say more? If you are gluten free and are in search of a completely satisfying morsel of tasty goodness, go out of your way to visit this little gem of a bakery. The staff are always informative and kind. The space is neat and tidy with sidewalk space in the summer months.
I believe they take custom orders. So bring on the cupcakes for your kids birthday party and no one will even guess they are gluten free.
Oh, I guess I should mention the cookies, pastries and vegan free options…

One word sums up my visit there today– YUM!!!
Best oatmeal raisin cookie I’ve ever had. It was vegan to boot. Very moist and lots of flavor. Great customer service. Very sweet little bakery!

So good! I’ve had the delectable cinnamon rolls and the scrumptiously delicious peach ginger muffins. I’d definitely recommend both. My date had the blueberry muffin and loved it as well.
The girl behind the counter was just as sweet as the choice treats!

dream bakery alert!!!
they don’t make bread (yet)
but they make everything else
and man, they do it RIGHT!
everything is out of this world delicious
and imaginative
and it’s organic
and unrefined.
so so happy they’re just a little farther than i can/​want to drive
everyday because i would be in big big trouble!

Always so nice to stop in and get a little something. I am torn between coming here and going to «Love Cup». I think that while the pastries are awesome the coffee isn’t so great, not saying bad, just not great.

I’m so happy I discovered this cute little bakery!
The nice lady behind the counter treated me very well, service was wonderful.
I was using one of those Living Social things, and she let me split it up and use it over several trips. No other place with a groupon/​coupon/​deal-​io has allowed me to do that.
She also recommended her favorites, and waited patiently for me to make up my indecisive mind. So I got the impression that Cravin is very accommodating, and that they care about the way customers perceive their experience, and that they work hard to keep it that way.
I ordered a pumpkin muffin, apple muffin, and a snickerdoodle to take home. All was delicious! and it didn’t taste like I had just ingested two sticks of butter like in other bakeries, which was so refreshing!
This place is probably more impressive to the health conscious and to people with gluten intolerance than it would be to people who don’t pay attention to that stuff.
I disagree with a previous poster that the portions are too small, but I guess it’s a matter of preference. The muffin is the size that would come out of a standard muffin tin. I think a lot of people are too used to those Costco muffins that are the size of your head. And besides, there were other, bigger pastries to choose from – why order the one that’s visibly too small for you? In general, it is true that this place is best for the GF folks who are thankful to have the option to eat pastries again!
I will make a special trip back. I wish I lived closer to this place!

Yummy and yummy. My tummy loves the gluten free stuff here. the smell when you walk in the door. heavenly!

Since just recently diagnosed with a gluten allergy, finding yummies that actually taste yummy has been challenging. I am adding this place to my «must visits» for my sweets. Growing up in the Midwest, I am used to the old fashioned goodies, so while the vegan and gluten free fair just isn’t the same as grandma used to make, its a fantastic substitute.
My faves are the chocolate chip cookie and the snickerdoodle. I also like the chocolate whoopie pies. I am looking forward to trying the muffins on future visits. Cindy the owner is super friendly and very accommodating. A cookie and her friendliness will keep you coming back.

I had the Pumpkin Chocolate Mookie and it was tasty. The almond tart topped with peanut butter and chocolate was also amazing. I am only giving 4 stars because my soy latte was a little blah. Happy eating.

Who knew healthy could taste SO good?!? All of the baked goods are amazing and about as «guilt-​free» as delicious baked goods get. It’s run by really good people and it’s nestled in a tiny, adorable nook of Sellwood. I have used their services/​products for a few client brunches and breakfast meetings (as well as gift baskets) and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Plus, not only are their baked goods delicious, but it just feels good to support a small, local business! :-)

Picture me giving two thumbs up, mere moments after devouring two pumpkin chocolate chunk mookies. What is a mookie? It’s a cross between a muffin top and a cookie and my new favoritest dessert/​breakfast/​emotional eating go-​to item.
This little bakery is amazing. They make only healthy items (no sugar, no white flour, etc.) and everything is delicious! The staff is incredibly friendly and more than willing to try new ideas. In the midst of a personal crisis? You can even call ahead to have them whip up a batch of your own personal emotional eating go-​to item before your arrival! I heart Cindy (the owner)!

A recent devotee of agave, I was drawn into this place by the premise of their use of only good stuff in their goods. No junk. At all. Anywhere on site. No white flour, only whole-​grain flours (and interesting stuff like amaranth), sweetened with agave (low-​glycemic), and healthy all around.
Their stuff does taste and feel a bit earthier than your average baked goods, sure. So if Ho-Ho’s you be cravin’… this isn’t the spot. But to satisfy a sweet tooth without undoing a week’s worth of dieting and kick-​boxing, it’s a great place. Almost all vegan, it’s also a great place for people with certain allergies, including gluten. Folks with allergies need their cake, too!
To take back to the office, I got a couple of cookies, a «mookie» (pumpkin chocolate chip), a day-​old muffin (blueberry), and a big coffee for myself for under $ 7. The mookie was awesome and made for a great breakfast the next day. Whole cakes are a bit on the pricey side at around $ 40, but a 2-​layer mini cake is only $ 4.
Not the biggest variety daily, but it’s a small shop. Selections rotate. Best of luck to this shop, I will definitely be back next time it’s my turn for office treats. I do like to butter people up… now I can do it without any actual butter!

Love Love Love their gluten free brownies! They taste better to me than regular brownies either at bakeries or ones I make at home.
I find this place to be very friendly, welcoming with friendly staff. They are child friendly as well.
I have made suggestions to the owner about other baked goods and she is willing to try new recipes which I found refreshing. Their peanut butter quinoa cookies are also really delicious.

I was very impressed with Cravin Raven.
I am not a big «baked goods» person, but do like a sweet treat every now and then. Its a really cute little shop with nice bright red walls. Very cheery. Its a bit off the main hub in Sellwood, just south a few blocks of Tacoma. But I like the corner location and it has a few nice tables to sit and read while eating the sweet treats.
They have the most amazing gluten free chocolate cupcakes! Very rich, moist and tasty! The perfect chocolate fix! That’s what I go back for. I also just tried their gluten free choc. chunk cookie. Wow.
I am amazed not more people know about this place.

A corner bakery on the deep SE side of Antique Row. Very friendly owner, Cindy, makes organic noms with selections that are gluten free, alternatively sweetened, and deliciously different. I can’t remember what local coffee is served, but it is not Stumptown or any other name that sounded familiar, it was good.
I haven’t had enough of the cookies to know what I love, but the quinoa peanut butter cookie was oddly tasty and I heard from my hombre that the cookies with chocolate were delish.
Soooo, for the lack of more detail, head down there and see whats up.