Corner Bakery Cafe boasts local feel in new Orem location
The Anahiem Scrambler, Chicken Pomadori grilled panini, Uptown Turkey sandwich and Chopped Salad are available at The Corner Bakery Cafe in Orem. The restaurant may be a national franchise, but it exudes local charm.
The Chicken Pomodori panini comes on grilled sourdough bread and features chicken, basil, oven-roasted tomatoes, provolone cheese and pesto mayo.
The Uptown Turkey sandwich is served on harvest toast and features smoked turkey, applewood smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomatos and mayo.
The Chocolate Baby Bundt Cake is available at The Corner Bakery Cafe.
The Anahiem Scrambler and Chopped Salad are available at The Corner Bakery Cafe. The former is found on the restaurant's breakfast menu.
The Uptown Turkey sandwich at Corner Bakery in Orem. Visit heraldextra.com/ticket to read the Herald's review.
The Chocolate Baby Bundt Cake at Corner Bakery.
Corner Bakery Cafe may have received its start in the fast-paced urban environment of downtown Chicago — but one wouldn’t get that impression by visiting the franchise’s brand new Orem location.
One of the things that stood out to my wife and I on our recent Saturday night sitting was just how much of a local feel and flavor the restaurant exudes. We were sitting at our booth waiting for our meal choices to arrive and just soaking in the restaurant’s ambiance, and it was obvious that this is a place that caters to all kinds. There were couples young and old, families of varying age and size, a girls night out group, etc.
Something I found impressive in the restaurant’s decor was a wide collage swath of photos through the middle of the main walls. Sure, many of the photos featured food items and the like, but there were also many photos of local scenery — all Orem-based, in fact. From street signs to photos of the SCERA, Utah Valley University and even the Orem Arboretum, it was readily apparent that a lot of effort was made to infuse this location with local flair and enhance the neighborhood feel.
It turned out to be mere coincidence, but as I was making the connection with the local photos in the collage, Imagine Dragons was playing over the restaurant loudspeakers. (OK, I know they were a Provo band — but for a few brief moments I did wonder if the music also was chosen with a purely local theme in mind.)
At Corner Bakery Cafe, you order at the front counter, with a boatload of menu choices featured on a board behind the cashiers. While waiting in line, however, one can’t help but be tempted by passing a variety of bakery specialties — such as cakes, breads, crisps and pastries.
Once your order is placed you take a number and select your own seating location. There are two separate dining areas, with a variety of booths, mainly around the perimeter, and tables for four in the middle.
The menu at Corner Bakery Cafe is pretty expansive — especially in its wheelhouse of salad, sandwich, soup and pasta offerings. So many tempting options had to be pared down to a manageable level, but as a diner, that’s always a good situation to be in.
For sandwiches, I ordered the Steak and Cheese. My wife opted for the Chicken Pomodori grilled panini. The Steak and Cheese is served on a toasted French roll and features roast beef slathered in provolone cheese, grilled mushrooms, peppers and onions, and topped with cheddar cheese sauce. This combination was so good together that I preferred it just like this, instead of using the accompanying tangy dipping sauce.
The Chicken Pomodori panini was likewise delicious. It comes on grilled sourdough bread and features chicken, basil, oven-roasted tomatoes, provolone cheese and pesto mayo.
Both sandwiches came with kettle-cooked bakery chips (you could sub these out for baby carrots) and a pickle spear. What is it with pickle spears, we wondered? Neither of us can stand sliced pickles, such as those for hamburgers, but put a pickle spear on our plates in a delicatessen atmosphere and we usually find them delightful. Such was the case here.
We also had high hopes for the Tomato Basil soup — which has become one of our go-to choices whenever we find it on the menu at Utah County restaurants. The soup came loaded with large croutons, and a side piece of dipping bread. The soup was good certainly — but it couldn’t quite match some of our other local favorites for Tomato Basil.
For drinks we had Truffle Hot Chocolate and a Four Berry Smoothie. The former was a perfect call on a cold winter evening. The latter offered a burst of flavorful goodness that was hard to resist. Both were excellent.
There are five other Corner Bakery Cafe locations along the Wasatch Front — from Draper to Ogden — but this is the franchise’s first foray into Utah County. Based on our visit, we’d say it is a welcome one indeed.
There are many other enticing selections on the menu, so we’ll certainly be back. Corner Bakery Cafe also serves a good-sized breakfast menu, with a variety of omelettes (or Scramblers as they are termed here), pancakes, paninis, oatmeals and yogurt.
CORNER BAKERY CAFE
Where: 115 W. Center St., Orem
Hours: Monday to Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Prices: $3.89-$7.89 for breakfast, $3.89-$8.99 for lunch and dinner
Info: (801) 221-3740, cornerbakery.com
