All photos taken by OMN photographer Ridwana Afreen Rahman

One of my first few nights of living in Corvallis as a freshman at Oregon State was spent in the booth of a tiny coffee shop downtown with friends. In 2019, the town said goodbye to the old Beanery after the shop’s closure last year, and hello to Bodhi, a new artisanal bakery and cafe located on 2nd St. and Washington Ave. 

Walking in on a Saturday morning for brunch with friends after a night out, I was very pleasantly greeted with a nice open-floor plan, calm natural lighting, and a pastry case so jam-packed with breads and other treats, I just had to grab a sourdough baguette on my way out.

At first glance, Bodhi’s menu is massive, yet not at all intimidating. There is something for everyone on this menu, with options and flexibility for any sort of dietary restrictions you might have, or for whatever brunch item you might be craving. Ultimately, I went with The Portobello sandwich and the C’est La Vie, a caramel, cardamom, and fleur de sel iced latte.

After ordering and grabbing water, my friends and I snagged a table and chatted while our food was being prepared. The open and breathable atmosphere in the restaurant made chatting easy, and I never once felt the sudden urge to finish our food quickly and take the conversation elsewhere.

When the food was ready, my sandwich came dressed to impress. The Portobello is a light sandwich served pressed on Bodhi sourdough with grilled portobello, goat cheese, spinach, tomato, aged balsamic and almond pesto which is then plated next to a nice side salad. The sandwich itself is easily a 10/10 in my book. Using a sourdough that pairs really nicely with the crisp tomato and goat cheese is crucial and Bodhi knocks it out of the park. 

The grilled portobello is flavorful and still very much the center stage in this sandwich, but does a good job at not overpowering the other ingredients, and instead, harmonizes really well with them. 

In French, C’est La Vie translates roughly to ‘that’s life,’ suiting this iced latte perfectly. I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I’m recovering the morning after a good night out, I’m craving some coffee. This latte does such a good job at bringing you that nice salted caramel-esque flavor with the fleur de sel, while not being overbearingly sweet. With a lovely subtle flavor, this iced coffee drink is a perfect pairing with anything the Bodhi menu has to offer.

When you’re all wrapped up after a nice sit down with the girls, stop by Bodhi’s pastry case or grab one of their house-made pressed juices to keep the good energy going throughout your day. All in all, I think Bodhi is the perfect place to grab a bite with friends, enjoy a coffee and study amidst the end of the term, or grab a baguette for a nice night in. 

Check them out on Instagram @bodhi_corvallis or on their website here!

*Information regarding the hours of operation/what services are available during the COVID-19 shutdown, if any, may vary, and can be requested from the cafe’s email or phone, found on their website.