We stopped by Navis Cafe in Portland, Maine and ordered two bagels for breakfast. Overall, it was an okay experience. The service was nice, prompt, and the prices were reasonable, which we appreciated. We're from New York, so we're definitely used to top-tier bagels. That said--considering this was a bagel from Maine--it was pretty A-okay, lol. Nothing mind-blowing, but solid enough for a casual breakfast. The cafe itself is really nice inside and seemed dog-friendly, which is always a plus. In the past, they've also had great pre-packaged dessert options from a local bakery. I didn't see anything that caught my eye this time around, but it's something I've enjoyed before. Overall, a pleasant stop with friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere--just manage expectations if you're a New York bagel snob like us. read more

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This will be a first non-cost review until I am on my feet again and can walk in. I first heard about Navis Café while attending a yelp elite event at Thames Landing, which is located directly next-door which also has the same owners, the Roy's. My husband and I love Thames Landing, so why not try breakfast and lunch! Located on the waterfront in downtown Portland, they have a nice view of the walkway, railway, and the ocean Gateway. Parking is either on street or in the conveniently located parking area next to the building. I ordered the breakfast sandwich of bacon, egg, and cheese on and everything bagel. Bagel was nicely toasted not overly chewy, cheddar, egg, and bacon well balanced. I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture! For lunch, I ordered their Bow sandwich which consisted of sliced smoked turkey, cheddar, bacon, greens, and red onion with a chipotle mayo, which I substituted for regular. They give you multiple choices of bread, I chose a wrap, which they kindly cut in half. I found this to be very delicious, the turkey the cheese to be well balanced with the greens making it very refreshing with each bite. I did take a picture of this! I enjoyed my lunch with some kombucha, which also was very refreshing. My hope is that my husband and I will go for breakfast this weekend when I can go out and experience the atmosphere and where I can take more photos. read more

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amazing coffee- super smooth and delicious. cute bakery items too! love that they offer vegan. met the owner tonight when walking by and he made me a coffee even though the coffee shop was closed! he was so welcoming and friendly! would definitely love to also try the restaurant next door. 10/10 experience. read more

Coffee is not on the menu and so closest thing is Americano, however, the Americano served was extremely weak. I don't think they follow the rule of thumb which is a 1 to 3 ratio (sometimes 1:2). It was so weak that one could barely appreciate any coffee taste and we almost took ours back to the counter to ask them to remake them. Extremely disappointed in this beverage. Service was friendly and sweet treats were nice. Clean and bright atmosphere. Only stopped in for coffee and sweet treat, so unable to comment further. Really hoping that they do well and part of that success will be to learn the process of making a terrific Americano, please. read more

We stopped in to try the Lobster rolls here while we were in port on a cruise ship. We asked our tour guide for a suggestion and this is where he sent us. So glad he did! Hubby and I both ordered a Lobster Roll and Chocolate Chip Cookies. The Lobster Roll was huge. Chocked full of Lobster. I asked for Mayo for mine. We both loved it. Price was good. Didn't wait long to get our food once we placed our order at the counter. We definitely would come back! read more

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It was a cute and calm little shop right by the water with a beautiful view, the breakfast sandwich on an English muffin was so good. My boyfriend and I really liked it! The workers were so nice too. read more

I met my cousin who was here on a cruise for brunch and they wanted to be within walking distance to the ship. The pastry was wonderful as was the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a hearty English muffin. I asked if they made their own pastries but they did not. Forage makes them for Navis. It was good and I'd go back again. Even parking on the street was easy. read more

Went in here the other day and the staff was nice but one of their self-proclaimed everyday regulars was harassing all of the customers. She took it upon herself to seat people walking in and preceded to get up in everyone's business. It was incredibly unpleasant. I will be avoided this place in fear of interacting with that crazy lady again. read more

Navis is one of those cafes I'm surprised isn't more busy during the week. They have a small menu, but something for everyone--their Grain Bowl, chowder, avo toast, and chai latte are my favorites. It's a perfect place to sit and work on a sunny day, as the interior is incredibly bright and sunny given their floor-to-ceiling windows. The staff are always friendly as well. I love popping in here for a quick bite! read more

Navis Cafe - Avocado toast with fried egg, iced chai, peanut butter cookie - Sandwiches Near Me - Portland, Maine

The food here is brilliant. Easily the best lox bagel in the Portland area - and their cranberry turnovers and pastries are to die for. The location is quaint but cute with lots of twinkle lights and nautical designs, it's on the outskirts of the old port but it's kinda nice and parking is much easier. The service historically is not very friendly but it's cafe style ordering with minimal interaction so it still ranks highly in my book. read more

So - my office is opening a new building sometime on the Portland waterfront. And this cute little cafe is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Since I had some time to kill today before an apt and hadn't eaten yet - I thought I'd check it out. The menu had a mix of breakfast, sandwiches and salads - perfect work day items. On special today - they had a Chinese Chicken Salad and a Lobster Roll combo. Both were tempting, but I was t that hungry. I went with Avocado Toast (added bacon), a chocolate chip cookie, and a rose. All hit the spot perfectly! The service was friendly and quick. And that patio - on a hot, breezy day was perfection! Looking forward to coming back to try some of this sandwiches and salads. read more

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I'm so glad that the Portland Food Fight brought me here for the best sandwich competition. Out of the two choices I was able to pick from, I went with The Stern (turkey, Gouda, caramelized onion, apple and chipotle mayo) and I'm so glad I did! I've only made a few stops on the coupon map and I already know this place is a contender for 1st place. The bread was super fresh and all the texturizes and flavors of the ingredients complimented each other beautifully. The girl at the counter was absolutely delightful. The looks space looks like it's freshly built, clean as a whistle, with a beautiful counter tops filled with fresh baked breads, cookies and pastries. I'm so excited to discover they sell my "go-to" adult canned beverages by Maine Craft Distillery. I've yet to visit any other bars that carry the Blueshine Lemonade. Yay for locals supporting other locals! read more

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Good quick service. Chai latte and a cinnamon role for me and a latte and toast with peanut butter and bananas for my wife.

Okay, this place is a sleeper. The staff are super friendly and the lobster + clam chowder combo is an amazing deal for a good meal with lots of lobster. Good vibes too! read more

The food is excellent and the cafe is right by the water with good outdoor seating on a nice day, and it is located next to a bunch of major hotels. However, the cashier was unpleasant, crabby, and offputting. There was no greeting. She stared me down instead, so I let her know I'm here to pick up an order. She goes "NAME?!" I give her my name, she grabs the bag, and then proceeds to shove the bag towards me. She seemed incredibly annoyed and bothered to have to turn around to grab the bag. I still say thank you. No response, except to yell "NEXT." You will need to decide whether you want a side of attitude with your meal. We are born and raised in NYC, where there is a lot of attitude, but this still topped the list of rude experiences. read more

Staff was nice but sandwich was meh ($15 for regular cold cuts on toast) with no chipotle aioli and fat chunks of red onion. Coffee options to do yourself were literally just milk and domino sugar... the only great thing about this place was the location near the water. Not for me for $23. read more

Navis Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Portland, Maine

Apparently, you can't order the breakfast burrito but everything else before and after 11 AM. That's OK I'll go to Beckys Diner and get what I want when I want it. read more

In town for a business meeting, nine of us in total. Came by Navis Café for lunch one day and breakfast the next. Great food, fantastic service. We highly recommend this establishment. read more

The blt is a lot of bread and sauce. Nothing special and not well grilled Breakfast sandwich English muffin, bread not grilled. Good big slice of tomato The bow sandwich was really good. read more

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Stopped in at Navis the other day for lunch. Navis is in a great walking location downtown, with big glass windows in the front and seating both inside and outside. They have excellent coffee, a breakfast and lunch menu, and lots of great looking baked goods on the counter. They also serve wine and beer. My husband ordered a chicken, mozzarella and pesto grilled sandwich which he really liked I chose a bowl of chowder, which was excellent and then added a toasted everything bagel with dill cream cheese Server was friendly and helpful and checked in on customers, even as the place got really crowded! The reason(s) I am giving Navis 5 stars though, is because they are a local breakfast/lunch/coffee/wine and beer cafe that is open until 7pm and there is no other place like this, that is not a chain, in Portland ME staying open this late. THANK YOU NAVIS!!!! There have been multiple times that I have needed to meet with a colleague after work somewhere that is not a bar, for coffee/snacks to talk through something and have been hard pressed to find a local place to go! They also serve breakfast all day, another bonus! read more

I loved Navis Cobb salad and The Bow sandwich. I ordered some breakfast from Navis Cafe twice. And I will continue order :) read more

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For all the quality stuff that's here in Portland, I definitely did not expect a five star here. Navis is mediocre and for its price point verges on disappointing. It's kind of isolated, which would explain why it has lines out the door, but the wait is not worth it. Their egg sandwich was something I could get at any little coffee cafe at roughly twice the price. When I've got sandwiches here it's been reasonable, but nothing that would bring me back. The lines around lunch are also kind of absurd. But they're nice even during the rush, so can't complain too much. read more

Bagels tasted like bread. Not a bagel. Wouldn't last a day in NYC . The lox was excellent. We are the toppings and left the bagel.

This is a GREAT stop if walking Commercial St and Eastern Prom. Second visit here and just as impressed as my first visit! Quite a few gluten free options, $2 extra, but delicious!! read more

Navis Cafe - Great about GF options! - Sandwiches Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Came in for lunch with my pup and 2 rambunctious kids. Before we even had time to place our order they already had a bowl of fresh water and treats for our dog. They came out and pre-bussed our table when we were finished our lunch. Excellent fresh food and super awesome friendly service! We most definitely will be back. read more

As a local I'm not sure I would go out of my way to come here again; I'm not sure they're doing anything particularly noteworthy. I do appreciate that - as of writing this anyway - they're an all day café open 7am to 6pm every day of the week. It's nice to have an option for late afternoon coffee meetings (so many places in Portland close before 4pm!) and in such a brightly lit, clean space. Because of its location on Thames St, there's also an abundance of on street parking. I also get the feeling that this is a favorite spot for people who work nearby - there was a steady stream of folks stopping in to pick-up online orders when I was there. I don't know how much is made in-house, because I got: 1) A large black coffee. I believe it was made by La Colombe in Philadelphia - why aren't they using a local roaster? 2) The avocado toast. It's not vegan as you may automatically assume: they grill the bread with butter. The person running the counter - who was smashing it, by the way; kudos to them for being essentially a one person show! - was very knowledgeable about the ingredients they used and forewarned me (albeit it only after I asked if it was vegan). Also, it's not the avocado toast you're imagining either - at least for me it wasn't! I was picturing, y'know, someone scooping out avocado from the skin, smashing it into a chunky texture on some thick bread, maybe a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of seasoning. But this was kind of an "Instagram" vs "Reality" moment: the bread was thinner (and not very toasted), the avocado is actually a very sparse spread (the very sour flavor and pureed consistency seemed like the stuff you find in those little plastic containers at the grocery store), and there was SO MUCH SALT in the everything bagel seasoning. Definitely not for me. 3) Some vegan and gluten-free cookies (a box of four raspberry thumbprints and a box of four chocolate orange ones) made by Hootin' in Damariscotta. These were the best thing I had here, and Hootin' actually delivers to all sorts of local places up and down the coast (Bath Natural Market, 1912 in Freeport, Bow Street Market in Freeport, Royal River Natural Foods in Yarmouth, etc.) so I'm not sure I'd need to come specifically to Navis to buy them. It's great that there's more options for folks who work within walking distance and for all the cruise ship traffic (they can get their lobster roll rightaway now!), but this for me is a skip. read more

Finding gluten free and vegan friendly foods around lunchtime has been a bit of a challenge for my wife and I on our trip but we discovered Navis Cafe by chance in our way back from a sailing trip and we're glad we stopped by. This hole in the wall sandwich and soup shop offers that and more - lots of sandwiches, soups, drinks, treats and chips. I chose the grain bowl for my main entree. The staff took my gluten free request seriously and I took the chance with their potato leek soup and one of their bowls which was delightful and filling. Good location away from the tourist traffic, friendly staff, and tasty bites. Wait times were pretty quick. Perfect for a small lunchtime meal. Yum! read more

Disappointed with this place! First off, for Portland, they had limited options for vegetarian, most places have more veg or meatless meat options at this point, we don't love when you have to get a breakfast sandwich that typically comes with meat on it, opt out of that and then pay the same price. But that aside we ordered the egg white breakfast sandwich with spinach, tomato and cheddar cheese on an everything bagel, it was pretty wet, flavor was ok, but the bagel was lacking, in size and flavor, very dense and missed the mark. We also got the lox bagel, and it was almost inedible for how hard the bagel was! The salmon was the best part of it very good and flavorful but the bagel was like a rock, we definitely will not be back. I would skip this one! read more

Navis Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Starving for lunch, we ducked-in for a quick 'n' lite bite. Delicious, fresh food. And I could tell the 'hood supports the place. Prolly gets mobbed during weekday lunches. Even today (Sunday) their to-go biz was brisk. I had the Lox of Love sammy. The bagel was toasted and fresh as a daisy; easy to eat...didn't break into a million pieces on first bite. The Hub had the Downeast Wrap with a falafel-sweet potato fill and crunchy veggies. Tasty. The wheat tortilla was so fresh you could powder your face it. And THEN! -- there was the coffee. Killer diller. Mild. Dang near dessert with real live half and half and sugar. Under the heading of "Please Me, Don't Tease Me" spring for the 16-ounce cuppa as the 12-ounce only serves to whet the brain for mo' caffeine, mo' caffeine. Impressive place. Check it out. read more

Navis is mediocre. It is more like a 3.5 star than 3 or 4. The pros: It is very clean inside and they have a nice selection of wine and beer. The environment is relaxing. The cons: The food is underwhelming and under seasoned. There is also no area to grab salt and pepper or hot sauce or anything to add to your sandwich. The breakfast sandwiches taste like they didn't use any salt or pepper. I give the food a 3/5 at best. read more

Wonderful indoor or outdoor seating overlooking the water. Breakfast and Lunch items with beer and wine. A serious nod to healthy and vegan options. The food was delicious and just the right portion. You can even bring the pup. read more

Great food and service. Sandwiches are to die for as well as the chowder! Lobster + Clam Chowder

Delicious coffee and a lot of unique options compared to other coffee shops. Went with the black and tan coffee.

We got takeout. The breakfast burritos were badly assembled, and the potatoes were inedible. I can only assume this breakfast was made by someone who hates other humans and wants to exact revenge. read more

Only place in Maine (that I've found thus far) that brews La Columbe coffee! Awesome lunch lobster roll & chowdah special as well. This is a great spot to come on a warm sunny day, walk the trail, the grab a bite to eat afterwards. A def MUST when in Portland! read more

Love this place. I'm a local and I stop here almost every morning. Great food, wonderful team, always reliable, neat as a pin. Family run. Really nice addition to Portland. read more

We came to Navis Cafe twice in one day. We needed a quick breakfast and their sandwiches, oatmeal and draft latte hit the spot! Then we needed to grab a quick sandwich on our way to a boat charter. I need gluten free free bread and their sandwiches were delicious. The perfect warm day lunch while eating outside all other a breeze. They are kind and quick at Navis Cafe. read more

My group and I arrived during a snow storm and the owner was so welcoming! He was very personable and asking us about our time in Portland and giving us tips while we are here. Everything we had was absolutely delicious. The cookies were fresh out of the oven, and the cinnamon bun was a fan favorite- hands down best one we have ever had! We also got draft lattes which were delicious as well. Very cute family business! read more

Navis Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Portland, Maine

In town for the weekend, we decided to try Navis Cafe for breakfast. Quick and friendly service with a delicious breakfast sandwich and latte. Would definitely go back when back in town. read more

Great stop to grab a snack and drink. They serve La Colombe off the tap which is not easy to find.