Flying Elephants at Fox Tower Reviews

This is my favorite place for work lunches but it's a good place also to pick up a quick dinner before an event at the performing arts Center.

Pro - convenient and fast. Lots of ready-made sandwiches and other options. I like the tuna sandwich, as well as the pastrami and ham and cheese sandwiches. Con - expensive for what you get (a sandwich is like $8).

Great baked good, prepared, sandwiches and salads as well as hot entrees. Several small tables to eat-in and Director Park across the street to savor your delicacies.

Ran over for a quick lunch between sessions of a conference at the Hilton around the corner. Awesome mac & cheese. In and out in 90 seconds. So good I came back a second time a few days later and grabbed a sandwich from their PDX location for the flight home. Do yourself a favor and try it.

Family of four had some great breakfast burritos here. Staff very friendly and helpful. Clean, well organized store with lots of wonderful food options.

Was on my own, and feeling a little cold, tired and run down. This place was perfect to get some absolutely delicious soup. Was delighted to see that they also have a place at the airport. Picked up some cookies to take home!

We ate a quick bite here before attending a movie next door in the Fox tower. Our tuna sandwich was tasty and fresh as was a side salad. We ate indoors due to rain and it was a bit chilly inside the deli. They offer a wide array of pastry, sandwiches pre prepared, some made to order sandwiches, soups, and hot buffet items.

No matter what you are craving these people have it. Sandwiches, salad, beverages, sweets and other hot foods. Soups are good, the pulled pork sandwich is super yum. They also have a few little quirky things like greeting cards the likes of which I had never seen, they are just a little off...just like me.

Great food. Great variety. Sandwiches, salads, soups, gilled items. Great breads and cookies too. I go here every time I am downtown and need something to eat. Very consistently excellent.

Awesome place to have a great breakfast. Soups, sandwiches, pastries and lots of more. Definitely will be back

We were trying to find something different to eat after a week of food trucks (loved those too), especially something that I could buy only the portion I could eat at one sitting instead of trying to store and eat leftovers. We both loved their enchilada dish; it had peppers which I usually notice and dislike, but I didn't notice it this time. My co-worker doesn't tolerate overly spicy foods, and she loved the enchilada. The premade sandwiches look fresh and delicious; I couldn't decide between sandwiches, chicken pot pie, or other items. Very limited seating, and there were a lot of customers, many looked to be local regulars. If it was some time other than the noon hour, we probably could have found a seat across the seat at Director's Park; as it, we snagged the last tiny table in the deli. It was a little frustrating to navigate the cashiering process, especially since they have a lot of impulse items along the line, hidden cashiers, and a number of folks impatient because you can't see the cashiers, especially when perusing the impulse items! (I could not step aside to let others by while looking due to the limited aisle space.) I can't comment a lot on the price as it felt somewhat expensive to me, but perhaps reasonable. If they catered our conference cocktail hour, the food was fabulous with a great deal of variety. I cannot even narrow it down! I'm not sure if they were the caterers, but we were in the same building, and they provided the water.

Wonderful, made from scratch deli food. There are boxed sandwiches and salads as well as a grill for made to order sandwiches. Soup is fantastic! The restaurant is small and a bit crowded. Popular stop for tourists as well as locals.

On the recommendation of a hotel concierge, I walked a couple of blocks to grab lunch at Flying Elephants at Fox Tower. A delicious cup of an unusual soup and a sandwich had me coming back three more times during a four-day visit to Portland. With tables inside or outside, this little deli is authentic, original, and creative. To grab a quick bite of lunch to go, or to sit at the edge of Director's Park and enjoy the downtown ambiance, Flying Elephants is a great little watering hole in the middle of downtown.

When I visit a city, I prefer to grab a quick but healthy breakfast that gives me a good start for a full day of walking. Flying Elephants fits the bill perfectly. They have fruit cups, yogurts, even oatmeal along with many pre-made sandwiches. Their yogurt parfait looked a bit odd as the strawberry yogurt was a bright artificial pink, but otherwise the food all looked good and fresh. I would return here for breakfast. Can't compete with Dahlia's in Seattle, but has what's needed.

After a few days of going to Starbucks, I found this place. Friendlier, better drinks, much better pastry and just as convenient.

The concierge at out hotel recommended this as a good place for carry out lunch. It was so good, I went back twice! The sandwiches are pre-made (I got an overstuffed egg salad on wheat both times), some lovely soups and mac/cheese, along with lots of other offerings like salads, desserts, and hot entrees. One day I had a spicy chicken soup, and the next a great tomato orange soup - great flavors. Crowded, but lines move quickly. It appears to be a small local chain.

Stopped in for lunch and had many options. There is something for EVERYONE here. We each picked out a sandwich, shared a cup of soup and a sweet treat. Lots of choices. It can be a little overwhelming but worth it!

Stumbled into Flying Elephants for a brunch bite before we went sightseeing and loved this place. We had so many choice ... great soups and coffee, desserts, sandwiches, etc. It is a deli and more. Limited seating. If you can't find something here ... it is on you.

I ate here on a Saturday night around 7:00. Got a grilled panini ($6.95), a soda and some cookies. The panini was prewrapped and flopped on a George Foreman for 4 minutes. Three stars because the sandwich had some pretty good mozzarella. The cookies tasted like they were cooked last week. The dining area floor (about 20 sq. ft. with 8 tables crammed together) looked as if it gets cleaned once a month. This was my first and probably last visit. Too many other options in Portland.

The Flying Elephants at Fox Tower is a couple minutes away from our hotel, so we decided to get a few to-go items. It’s primarily a take out place, but they do have a limited number of chairs and tables if you want to eat there. They have a display of pre-wrapped sandwiches and salads, a hot food/soup area, a huge assortment of unique bottled or canned drinks and many baked goods. We bought a cup of Mama Leone’s soup and Tomato Orange, and an egg salad sandwich. Both soups were very good! The Mama Leone is a chicken tarragon soup and has a very nice rich flavor. The Tomato Orange has a great smooth tomato taste and texture. The undertones of the orange complimented the tomato. The egg salad sandwich was tasty. The bread was soft and not overly moist or dry. The prices were reasonable. We would definitely stop by again to sample their other items.

There are a few table with seats crammed at the front of this relatively small location. Often times when I go in to see if there's seating (and it is raining outside), I find every table filled. The food isn't cheap, and the tomato orange soup is tasty and warming on a winter night, but don't count on finding a place to eat. As someone else noted, during the warm summer months, there's a outside plaza or gathering area with a fountain and such with plenty of seating, so that's always an option. Last month, I was looking for place to have tea and a treat, came in ... looked at their desserts, and since there was no seating available (and it was chilly outside), I left without buying anything.

even though the Flying Elephant doesn't have the same variety of cheeses and breakfast items as the larger Elephant's Deli, they did offer the same salads and hot or cold sandwiches and drink selection. at the airport, they are a low price point option for good food and they have great beers for $2.50 per bottle. love it!

that darn tomato orange soup is incredible. Wish this place was in my town.

This deli was very crowded, so we decided to stop in for coffee/latte and pastries. Unlike most shops in Portland, the coffee here was disappointing--bland and not very tasty. We have very good coffee almost everywhere else.

All Elephants are good but this one is Great! Best for lunch or Coffee and a Cookie. This is one of the many Elephant outlets but in my opinion is second only to the NW Flagship.

I recently visited Portland for the first time with friends and stayed in AirBnB condo that ended up being kitty-corner from the Flying Elephants. It was a great place to grab a quick, pre-made (but fresh!) breakfast or lunch. Their hot options were quite tasty (try the frittata!) and there is a great selection of salads, sandwiches, desserts, even mini-antipasto plates that you can grab and go with. They also have some great pastry and a nice selection of wines and spirits, juices, etc. That, plus fresh coffee (PS, I don't drink coffee, so can't speak to the quality) - what more could you ask for? Go here instead of Starbucks!

I was looking for a light meal to keep me going and after reading other reviews I let the app "point" me in the direction of Flying Elephants Delicatessen. Lovely Parisian decor and expansive selection of ready made sandwiches, salads, juices, coffees, sodas, beer and even wine by the glass...make your way to the center back of the store for hot entrees and hot made to order sandwiches. I had the Mac n Cheese (half order half off due to time of day? 6:30 pm) and a cup of the Tomato Orange soup with a lovely dry vanilla bean soda..all for less than $7...PERFECT!

I like how they did this place. I have never been to the big deli just this smaller one and I love how you can walk in and there's a wall of stuff to choose from all of which is fresh and then in the back they have their weekly hot specials to choose from all of which is also fresh. I love their pecan bars (maybe a little too much). They also have a large selection of drinks as you make it around to the other wall. Just walk in and go to the left and at full circle you'll be at the cash register with friendly workers.

I was amazed at the variety of food in the cabinets and even freshly prepared. It was a convenient place before or after downtown Portland events for snacks especially.

Elephants is a portland staple. Flying elephants, while smaller and limited seating, has all their great staples. Perfect spot for a quick bite while shopping or to get a picnic and go to the fountain park across street.

It was my first experience going to Flying Elephant. We went for breakfast and it was just right. The Marion berry scones are really good as is the breakfast parfait of homemade granola and yogurt. The coffee is delicious! Is there bad coffee in Portland? Nope! They also had delicious looking soups and sandwiches that I saw people order on their way to work. It's got just the right mix of things to grab on the go and still eat a very healthy meal. We were glad to see they had a branch in the airport on the way out of town. I got to try one of those sandwiches then.Yummy and really fresh even though the airport version is prepackaged!

grab a sandwich and some soup-- best lunch in town

Local's favorite. Signature soup Mama Leone's was the best. I ate here three times. Breakfast choices were large portions of vegetarian and meat frittatas, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, true NY style bagels, plenty of pastries. Fresh fresh fresh salads (I got hooked on the chop chop salad). Wine and beer selections with a happy hour. Great coffee and tea. Very friendly staff at both downtown and airport locations. Coffee house family vibe.

We frequently stop at this deli for a quick dinner before catching a movie at the Regal Fox Theater, 2 doors down. Love their unusual and healthy soups, especially the tomato bisque. My favorite salad is their Willamette Valley because it has hazelnuts, and blue cheese and apples and grapes on top of mixed greens - the best. When in a vegan mood, I've bought their Quinoa and Black Bean "salad" and had the deli person warm it up in the microwave. Oh, and many varieties of bottled beer for $2.50 each - better price than at the movies! It is a small deli, so seats can be at a premium!

This little deli has great food for take out or eating there at Director's Park. The must haves: blueberry scones or cherry chocolate chip scones are outstanding; their homemade cookies are fantastic too. Make sure to th

A Small place with several things to choice from soups, salads and a special chicken enchilda. I decided to try the special and delicious plus with vegetables and a small Caesar salad Wow" The servers are friendly and patient with newcomers so many decisions to choice from! get there early to avoid the crowd around 11ish is good.

After a late lunch and not feeling up for a big fancy dinner, we were looking for a quick and casual place to grab a lite dinner near our hotel (The Heathman) in downtown. We strolled by The Flying Elephant, and the hip and colorful displays inside caught our attention. Seeing a decent crowd, we also figured it must be good. They offered a wide variety of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, snacks and desserts, as well as hot soups and made-to-order hot sandwiches. A large selection of local beers and wines topped it off. My wife and I had a great meal and enjoyed the casual and friendly atmosphere. This is the perfect place if you're looking for a quick and inexpensive meal with excellent food.

Once we discovered Flying Elephants we found lots of excuses to go there. We stayed at the Paramount which is just steps away. Director's Square is right there. Lots of things, like public transportation are right there, but the main thing that's right there is AMAZING food. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, whatever, you can find something wonderful to eat all the time.

A quaint deli, hip and cheerful inside. The grill counter has a very small menu, be prepared to only have a few hot items available. Not too many seats available inside. A good place to get basic, yet high quality, fare and take it into the park to eat.

Elephants has been a fave of mine since childhood - love the downtown option as a break from shopping, activities, etc. Perfect to grab a sack lunch and let the kids run around in the fountain at Director's Park, across the street. And they make a good latte too!

We stopped in for a quick lunch. They have a huge selection of great looking sandwiches and salads. They also offer hot soups and grilled sandwiches. I had the tomato and orange soup with a grilled cheese. It was a perfect combo for a rainy Portland day. I also had the peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate cookie. Very tasty!

Stop in at the deli, get great food, and then walk across the street and enjoy the fountains! The food is amazing, it's cute little deli, and the cost if very reasonable. Get the Mac and cheese with bread crumbs on top!

We stopped in here on a rainy Saturday because all the nearby food trucks were closed. We were happy to find a warm, cozy eatery that offered hot soup and grilled sandwiches. Service was a little slow that day, but our options appeared rather limited. Just glad we weren't in too much of a hurry. Lots of food choices in here.

This is a great place to go for a wonderful variety of good eats. From bagels to sandwiches, soups and salads. They have most of what you think you want to enjoy. Love their variety and quality.

Tasty, fresh, eco-conscious take out food with hundreds of bottled drinks to chose from. Their soups are magnificent.

Good place for a cup of soup. It is not a good place to shop for things to take away, as advertised. If you want a quick lunch of soup or a coffee, go for it. Otherwise, no so much.

This self-serve is well located in downtown Portland across from Director Park--perfect to pick up a lunch and eat in the park. There is also seating inside the deli. Hot and cold items are available breakfast through dinner with fast service. There are usually four soups and several entrees available at the hot table, the refrigerator sections has interesting salads and great sandwiches. The baked goods are outstanding. The quality of the food is top-notch and is a handy place for a quick meal before going to the Fox movie theatre, shopping downtown, etc.

Centre of town bistro style with a vast range of freshly-made products. Not much room inside but on a warmer day there is plenty of plaza space on the doorstep. Not too expensive and with a good selection of vegetarian options.

Flying Elephants may be small but it is mighty. Salads, amazing soups, sandwiches,desserts, a wide selection of beverages.All ingredients were fresh and items were attractively displayed in refrigerated cases. They also have gifts and cards. They also do event tastings, catering and lunch delivery.And they serve breakfast! Vegetarian, vegan, diary-free and wheat-free items are on the menu. The staff was very nice and helpful. It is a great place to go for a lunch downtown. If the weather is nice take your lunch outside to the tables around the fountain.

We were hotel guests around the corner in search of a fast but GOOD breakfast--not necessarily the Egg McMuffin from the Golden Arches. The staff at the front desk of our hotel recommended the Flying Elephant, and I'm really glad they did. We both had the chipotle breakfast burrito. It was advertised as spicy and the server even warned me, but frankly I didn't think it had enough heat. It is a VERY large burrito, and in hindsight we would've been fine ordering one and splitting it. It is warmed through and then grilled (but not flattened) in a panini press. The salsa definitely tasted homemade. There are many fresh-made choices there for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While I waited, the young lady behind the counter offered me (unsolicited) a taste of the soup she said they're famous for--and I can now see why. It was a delightful roasted tomato bisque with orange juice. It was probably the best tomato soup I've ever tasted. We vowed to make it back there for lunch during our vacation, but we simply ran out of time. There are LOTS of delicious looking sandwiches ready to go, and an impressive wine and beer selection.

An open deli style with many varieties of food. Very popular place in Portland. Pretty well anything you want for a quick lunch or for a takeout.

A good place to have a quick lunch or breakfast. Many vegan choices. The coffee was good but not outstanding, and though the selection of baked pastries is good, they were over-priced.

I just love this place. The food is excellent, it's so visually oriented, the people are super friendly and it's fast. Try mixing the Mama Leone's soup with the tomato orange...it is to die for!

I was wondering what restaurant I might wander into for lunch when I spotted Flying Elephants. I loved the deli shopping atmosphere and found a great deal of variety from salads to sandwiches to very fresh cut fruit. I tried all of those plus added in a cookie for dessert. I walked out with my little grocery bag full, found a wonderful spot in the sun and had a great lunch. Everything was really, really good.

On a rainy afternoon, this tiny deli was packed with people enjoying lunch or a snack. They had a variety of packaged sandwiches, salads, desserts along with a selection of hot items - soups, grilled sandwiches, potatoes and vegetables. Along with a wide assortment of baked items, the deli offers a lot of beverages, hot and cold. There isn't a lot of seating so be prepared to take your food with you if you cannot find a seat. It's located near shopping and other attractions. A great place for breakfast or lunch.

Organic homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, coffee, tea and sweets. Only a few tables, but it's great to get food to go and eat it right outside in Pioneer Square. Tomato orange soup was absolutely AMAZING!!!!

Breakfast, Lunch, Supper... doesn't matter. The food is really good and priced well. End of day 50% off hot entrees.

They have huge packed corned beef sandwiches. They have a hot bar with beautiful choices. They have the world's best soup--Mama Leone's--perfect for a rainy day. Beautiful pastry. Fabulous coffee. Comfortable seating. Great downtown shopping location. I wished I could take it with me on my trip.

My husband and I were directed here by someone at the Portland Art Museum and were not disappointed. I had a great croque monsieur, and he had one of the specials of the day, a rueben sandwich. The only drawback of this deli is that seating was limited, especially on a busy Saturday afternoon.

While planning a small brunch for my son's graduation, Flying Elephant Deli was mentioned because they also cater. I first sampled the deli and then was thrilled with the catering service. They had everything for a fabulous brunch, while making sure I didn't order too much food. The cinnamon rolls and scones are some of the best I have ever had. I am very appreciative of all the help and the great food.

This review is of the Flying Elephant branch in the Portland Airport, visited twice in one week -- we went back not only because of the great food, service, and value; several places offer that. But the Flying Elephant staff is uniformly happy to work there, friendly beyond the standard "hi, how are you" phrase, and knowledgeable about their product and willing to express an intelligent opinion about the food. I even overheard the dishwasher happily commenting to a colleague how many dishes he had washed that shift. The soups are home-made and well-flavored, and the 3 beers on tap are fresh and delicious microbrews (I sampled two of them). It's a deli, not a full-service restaurant; but this is worth a visit.

Imagine if you will an accident where two foodie businesses struck each other head-on and there were no injuries. The surviving entity has the best of a DIners breakfast and lunch counter combined with the variety and richness of a neighbourhood Delicatessen.

Fresh made food every day. Great soups, macaroni & cheese, just about everything. A little expensive, but worth the price!

You can be in and out of this restaurant in no time. I rated them 4 out of 5 stars just because there is somewhat of a limited menu.

Loved the quick grab & go atmosphere of this healthy food joint. Veggie fritatta was so good I had it twice, coffee is a much better choice than the Starbucks across the street. Yummy European candy and quirky cold drink options.

I had no complaints about either the food or the coffee here. My only complaint was about the packaging. Firstly, because we ordered an 8oz (small) coffee, they used 2 cups per coffee because the cardboard sleeves didn't fit the small cups. This is extremely wasteful, and the cups are not recyclable. They also package their salads and other to-go food in plastic wrapping, which again, is not recyclable.

Lots of pre-packed meals, a decent variety of hot daily specials, and even beers and several other drinks. Located right off the MAX line and directly across from Director Park which is a nice place to eat if the cafe is really packed.

We were in Portland and did a little sight seeing. The 'Pink Trolly' driver recommended this deli. Were we delighted. Fresh from scratch food, reasonable prices, varied menu, very helpful and friendly staff, easy to find. We had a 'French Dip' sandwich which is the absolute best I have ever had. Toasted thin baguette, swiss cheese, blue cheese, horseradish, onion. The dip had onions in it and tasted like french onion soup. I also had a veggie soup cup and it was excellent. Go, go hungary and be prepared to be stuffed and delighted. Lots to choose from including vegetarian items.

Only stopped by here a few times. They also have location in PDX airport. I usually get their grilled cheese and tomato-orange soup though sometimes I treat myself to pastry when it's half off in the evenings. Nice when you want to spend afternoon in Director's Park.

When I am in a rush, I buy lunch here. Excellent sandwiches and soups and salads. Very good desserts as well.

Great place to grab some quick food to go or dine in. Had some amazing meat loaf and mac and cheese, though there are many other options (salads, sandwiches, treats). They have beer and wine for purchase, and a coffee bar. Seating is fairly limited, but you can grab and go sit on the adjacent plaza or nearby park.

nice little lunch place in downtown portland, fairly crowded with the business lunch crowd, lines flowed smoothly though.selections of hot soups, sandwiches, salads, coffees and teas, yummy baked treats, pre made sandwiches etc.seating is tight and crowded with few seats available, and the prices are a bit high, but there is really nothing else healthy wise to eat in the downtown area that I saw, and I would go back again as my lunch was delicious.had tomato orange soup and ratatouille.

Needed lunch and had time to waste and came upon this deli-restaurant. It was noon and very busy and not knowing what we wanted made us hurry thru the menu. . It was a chilly November day and something warm sounded good. Had a fantastic grilled cheese and bowl of "Elephants Cure" soup. Saw a yummy looking chicken and dumplings, would like to have gone again at a non-busy time to see what all they had to offer. A great experience all around!

Great spot for a quick bite that is really good. Please see my blog at http://talesfromtheroad-mwalno.blogspot.com/ I arrived just after noon, waited 3-4 minutes, ordered at the grill and got some soup. They actually forgot to make my grilled cheese, and when they realized it they were SO EMBARRASSED, and gave me a card for a free meal next time..... The Tomato Orange soup was AWESOME and the grilled cheese was solid....did not like the Steel Head root beer......... Quick, good and inexpensive. A WINNER!!! 1 Tomato Orange 2.90 (-.29 soup and sand) 1 Grilled Cheese 3.75 (-.37 soup and sand) 1 kettle chip 1.50 (-.15 soup and sand) 1 Steelhead RB 2.00 (-.19 soup and sand) Total - 9.15

We split a sandwich and soup between the two of us from their varied selections and it was all fresh and tasted great. We moved to the Portland area about a year ago and this was our second visit and we look forward to many more lunches.

Saw the sign, and since my wife loves elephants, we had to try it. Very good food. we had two of the soups--the sweet potato and the Mama Leones and split an order of lasagna. All were good. The place was clean and service was good. I'd recommend this location,

Unacceptably bad food, even for a casual establishment. Stopped in for a quick breakfast and we really regretted it. We should have just turned around and left because the place didn't seem particularly clean. I had oatmeal which was not even warm - it would have been ok if it had been warm. Husband had ham scrambled eggs which were dry and flavorless and barely warm and a bagel which was ok. The coffee was below average as well. The tables, if you plan to eat in, were dirty.

Good cup of coffee, high quality and tasty salads and sandwiches, a few hot entrees, wide choice of non- and alcoholic beverages, and some nice sweet treats to grab and go. Bright and clean.

This is a take out place with a good selection. There is a small hot table. The pre-made sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese with bacon were good. The chop salad had a lot of lettuce with some of it being brownish. Service was friendly

This place has everything - breakfast, snacks, lunch, drinks, and it's all delicious, fresh and reasonably priced. Great for when you are on the run or don't want to spend a lot for a quick bite. Plus, you can eat outside where the view is lovely.

Lots of veg and vegan options to be found. Nice stop for lunch. Outdoor seating in front of restaurant and across the street as well. Vegan ratatouille and chili are both VERY good.

A great little deli just across from the public square where entertainment is there many times throughout the year. A great stop for business people who want a quick deli bite and a good stop for those going to Fox Theater next door. Good food and drinks.

I had Grilled Cubano Sandwich (8) and Latte Soya (4.25) this morning. It is located next to Director Park. You could either to-go your food and have a picnic at Director Park or dine-in. They opened at 6:30am Mondays / weekdays and 11am Sundays. They offer quite a variety of food and drinks to-go and dine-in. Seats are limited. Great service and good food I had. The serving is huge!

Stopped in for a quick bite to eat. Ended up taking longer than we thought as the selection available meant wandering through the restaurant twice, once to see what all the options were and once to go back and pick something. Fresh sandwiches, unique combinations of salads and a wide variety of things to drink contributed to a great lunch experience that we could enjoy as we continued touring the city.

Elephants is our favorite quick lunch place. Their inside sitting is limited and can't sit outside on a rainy day but their food is very good. Their soups and salads are the best. They also have good baked goods.

Three sandwiches, two salads and a little mac and cheese. $43. It was good though. I would probably go back if I didn't have my family with me for lunch

Tomato orange soup. WHAT? is what I said. Now I'm 3,000 m away in S FL and crave it every visit. The daily hot deli subs are the best bargains. Picnic in the park right outside in nice weather. Close to anything downtown. Morning start? THE place for muffins muffin muffins.

The sandwiches are good, but not good enough to justify the cost.

I stumbled upon this deli one Saturday afternoon and it was crowded at 2PM. After surveying the many options I can see why. I chose a ready made tempeh-quinoa wrap that was superb. It was fresh and flavorful and very reasonably priced. There were so many choices that I'm looking forward sampling several more before I leave.

Yes, it was convenient because it was a stones-throw away from my hotel....but it was over-priced (because they claim organic-products), lack,.. or I should say, very little amount of protein (turkey, ham, tuna, egg) in their sandwiches (another cost-cutting technique). This company is an imitation of Pret A Mange....which originated in London back in the 80's. Pret has infiltrated America and it has degraded as a result. It WAS great back in the 80's...but Flying Elephants is just a copy of Pret how it is today...not a good thing! In Portland, you are better off going to Safeway and purchase better ready-to-eat foods and other groceries, at a better price point. The food from Flying Ele was tasty, but not worth the price and lack of proteins in their sandwiches and salads.

They had a good selection of picnic food and hot entrees. I was impressed by the fact that they discarded or discounted some of the items when they had approached their 'sell-by' date. Only thing I would wish is that they had longer hours.

If you're looking for something quick to take back to work or your hotel room, come to the Flying Elephant. They have a nice selection of sandwiches, salads, soups and hot entrees. They also have vegan selections. There was a nice array of desserts to choose from as well. Located in the heart of the shopping and business area, it was a nice find. There is a small seating area if you don't want to eat back at your office or hotel room. They close at 8pm. Near closing, some items (at least on a Friday night) are 50% off, making for a real bargain

I love a place you can get reasonable priced good food, made from scratch and have a beer while you wait. Had the pulled pork sandwich, it was pretty large and tasty, not amazing pulled pork but pretty good. The menu is not large but adequate with a good selection. Some seating, (very few) available inside while there is a large outdoor eating area.

The Flying Elephant offers wrapped sandwiches and salads along with a decent-range drink selection and a hot food bar. My wife ate here on more than one occasion, my only order was a scoop of the hot lasagna. Surprisingly, the lasagna was very cheesy and quite good. The Elephant is easy to miss if you're not walking next to it, but its location close to several hotels and the movie theatre is still enviable.

The soups, salads and sandwiches were delicious. The soup comes with crusty French bread. There's free wi-fi as well. This is the place to go for a quick bite that's healthy and scrumptious.

Part of the Epicurean walking tour and was very impressed with local and fresh ingredients used for their soups, sandwiches and frittatas. We returned twice and loved everything we tried but the tomato orange soup is the best

We had visited this on a food tour and found ourselves hungry after a morning at the Japanese Tea Garden and the Rose Gardens. We picked up salads, sandwiches and a cool drink as well as a fresh baked dessert. All very good and priced appropriately.

A terrific take out destination in the heart of downtown. Food is very good.,made each day with high quality ingredients.

Perfect for stopping in and grabbing a good lunch to take to the park. Huge variety and really good take out food. all the makings for a perfect picnic!

This is a great spot to go for a grab and grow that is made with great ingredients and fresh. It is a staple of mine when I go to Portland.

Close to our hotel (Paramount) fair prices with good food.

I have one word for you - soup.

Lots of excellent choices. Fresh sandwiches and salads. Convenient location - in the heart of downtown.

Very convenient as it is across the street from the hotel with a good selection of food, drinks and beer.

First question...where is the menu??! Ha! It's those sheet there near the register! A little sad that you cannot easily find it. It also creates some confusion in front of the register! Ok, we know what we want... order it to the relatively nice person... I say relatively, because she was polite but I could feel she was not really happy to be there. But still she gave a good service and everybody is allowed a bad day! Food was a little long to get served... but it also means it was fresh (and tastes fresh also) So is you are looking for a really quick snack, this might be a little long for you, but if you are just walking around and can afford a few extra minute, it's worth the wait.

While some may think this place is pricey, you can pick and choose what you want to pay for when you feel it's worth it. For me, I was visiting Portland and had a really bad head cold, so I was craving soup and something more along the lines of 'healthy' comfort food. The menu at Flying Elephants definitely fit the bill! It was just what I needed to ward off some of the stuffiness and get some food in my belly, without weighing me down.

Flying Elephant has delicious soups every day, along with tasty sandwich, salads and wraps. There's something for everyone, they have meat/fish selections, vegetarian and vegan. I stayed a week in Portland and ate there several times.

We had breakfast here three times during our stay in Portland. Once we dined outside at the little table; the others took back to our hotel room. Scrambled eggs with chorizo, eggs with vegetables, fresh salsa, croque madame were standouts. Quick and fresh

Great homemade soup, wraps and unique drinks. Want to eat healthly and enjoy it. This is the place.

We were staying at a hotel near by, and this darling deli/mart was perfect for our daily needs. We got beverages and snacks for our room. Ate breakfast here one day, and it was excellent. The staff is super friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend if you need a quick yummy meal or snack.

THey have these little chocolates called salty dogs there...wow! So good, must try! The salads and sandwiches were ok too, nothing really special, but good.

Our hotel restaurant got slammed at breakfast, so we searched for something else nearby. They had a hot breakfast with several casseroles, as well as pastries and breads, coffee, tea. We went back later for pie! Also a good place to pick up water, wine, and snacks.

Good selection right by our hotel. Soups, sandwiches, packaged salads, baked goods. You can eat in or take it all to go.

Our hotel concierge recommended this place and we liked it very much. It was great for stocking up on food to take with us on our 8 hour train trip home. It certainly was a lot better than the food offered on the train. We also ate there once. There is a tremendous selection of salads, soups, sandwiches and desserts. All delicious and very fresh. Apparently if you go in the late afternoon, just before closing (check for exact times), you can buy their items half price. Would recommend for food to take with you on a sightseeing trip, or just to eat there, although there is limited seating.

Fortunate to have found this place, just walking by and decided to stop in for a quick lunch. We returned a week later and equally impressed. They offer pre-made sandwiches and salads but we decided on hot selection, several soup selections and hot entrees and hot sandwiches. Our first visit we had tuna melt and my wife lentil soup with bread. The second visit mac 'n cheese and excellent Jamaican coconut curry soup. All of the items were very good and moderately priced for Portland. They also offer a large variety of cookies and pastries, drinks, etc. Very impressed.

If you are walking around the city and want a snack or small bite to eat this is the place. They have a lot to offer in their deli. THe cookies are tasty and of course shape of elephants. they have a lot drink options and candy too.

This is an amazing little place, chock full of various treats, from hot entrees to baked goods to sandwiches. We discovered it by accident, and were so glad we did. The French macarons were an amazing, delicious, bargain.

While in Portland I stopped in here for an early lunch (around 11 am). I ordered the Northern which is a veggie sandwich consisting of fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil. The sandwich is served toasted. I love the idea of a toasted sandwich but they must toast the bread separately and then put in the cheese and tomato. What I received was a very very rubbery piece of cheese inbetween two slices of bread.

grilled caprese and grilled cubano were delicious. The choices were many. I wanted the soup but could not eat that much! Great recommendation from the concierge at the Heathman!

Whether shopping downtown, attending an event, or volunteering for Portland 5 theatres, it's a joy to visit Flying Elephants at Fox Tower. The orange tomato soup so many have mentioned is a the keystone soup offered everyday along with other hot options. The soup is delicious! Of the many times I have visited this deli, I have had tomato soup every visit but one. Flying Elephants offers a variety of salads, sandwiches, tasty cookie and dessert treats as well. Grab a regular beverage or treat yourself to an adult beverage. All so yummy. It's worth a repeated visit. :-)

I can't say enough good things! This little elephants is in the perfect place and has all the light snacking and lunch needs! Same flawless quality as all the rest. Amazing!!

The best chicken soup in the WORLD I had my second visit today. The first time was 9 years ago when they just opened. The amazing taste is the same.

just a regular sandwich shop, you can pick cold or hot sandwiches. lots of selection on sandwiches, soups and salads.

Love this little place. The food selections are excellent you can get a ready made sandwich or salad or go to their fresh sation with a nice selection of soups and freshly made foods. They will give you a taste if you're unsure. Very good quality, prices, and choices. Why go for a Mc....burger when you can eat fresh!!

This restaurant is an extremely busy place at lunchtime. Line moves fast and food, though most prepared beforehand, is fresh and GOOD. There is some hot food available but I tried a turkey and cheddar sandwich with a salad. Sandwich would have been plenty. Great park just across the street. I recommend this for lunch in the city.

A great variety of sandwiches, soups and salads. You can grab a cookie or pastry, too. Always fresh and tasty but a bit high priced for lunch.

This is my favorite place during the week to go for a work lunch. It's also a wonderful place to get an early dinner before seeing a show at the Schnitzer or the performing arts Center.

Elephants is always a good place to pick up a last-minute salad or sandwich, fruit, cookies and snack, conveniently packaged and ready for you to pick up. They also have a hot food bar where you can get soup and other hot items. I don't give them a Very Good rating because too often I've gotten a slightly wilted salad or somewhat soggy sandwich, but their food is more often good than average and they have a very wide selection of items to choose from. The line can be a little long sometimes. They have limited indoor & outdoor seating but there is an outside plaza with plenty of outdoor seating right next to them.

While waiting to see a movie next door, bip into this delicious deli for a tasty treat...My favorite is the prepared Stumpotown iced coffee and gourmet chocolate covered ding dong. Wow!

good lunch spot..

It is so nice to eat the pork burger under the sun in the park, with people around. It's, you know, relaxing! I definitely suggest the place, people are kind and the food is good!

Excellent european style food presented with panache. Quality produce and tasty. A small area set aside for tables - very adequate for eating soup and sandwiches. Staff pleasant and enthusiastic.

Excellent place for lunch but you better get there early or wait until lunch crowd disperses. Fab food

Great take-away.

If you are looking for a good alternative to mundane airport food, stop in at the Flying Elephant Deli at the Portland airport. For breakfast there are many choices, frittatas etc, oatmeal, pastries and the like. The lunch soups are good and prices seemed reasonable. For the health conscious there are also many foods available. Other locations throughout Portland area.

After a long exhausting day the concierge at our hotel told us there was a deli 3 blocks away. Sounded great. We arrived to find them packing up the food to close. The selection was not large, but the remaining hot foods were on sale. We got a pulled pork to go with local sodas and some other foods I don't remember. Even if the food had been full price it would have been a good value, it tasted good and the service was great. We returned for breakfast the next day on our way out of town. There was a large selection of quick foods that made it a perfect choice. I loved the oatmeal. It isn't fast food priced, but the healthy and more interesting choices suited my tastes well.

Flying Elephants is a well-stocked deli with ready-made as well as made to order sandwiches and interesting prepared foods—no chicken noodle soup here. I've been in a few times on trips to Portland (and only to this downtown location at lunchtime, although there are several others). The food is good. It is convenient for a bite if you're a Nordstrom shopper (around the corner) or an Art Museum visitor (a few blocks away) or the Schnitzer Concert Hall (also around the corner), or the Oregon Historical Society, or Columbia Sportwear's Flagship Store, or ..... There isn't much seating in the deli, but if it's one of Portland's three sunny days, you can sit outside, or on a bench in the Park Blocks across the street. (JK. Portland has only 300 cloudy days per year, but why should I kvetch—I live in Seattle, Rain City.) You may share your space in the Park Blocks with a number of people, young and old, who seem to have a good deal more free time than you do, in an aromatic haze. Nothing in the least threatening, however.

We were really hungry and we were trying to figure out where to go to for lunch after our downtown Portland walking tour which ended @ 12:30 pm. Our tour guide John was providing lunch ideas to other visitors who were in our tour group so we asked him as well. What better individual to ask about dining options than a tour guide who can quickly promote their restaurant favorites along with providing perfect directions to get to that venue. John quickly said that The Flying Elephants Delicatessen at Fox Tower@ 812 SW Park Avenue would be a great place for lunch and when he told us that it was only a few blocks away from the waterfront where our tour ended we were set. He said that The Flying Elephants Delicatessen served a wonderful tomato orange soup which we must try in addition to grilled sandwich options. Based on John’s very enthusiastic response we decided to walk to this lunch destination with much interest. The Flying Elephants Delicatessen was what I would call a very local restaurant and this is what we were looking for. The storefront stands out with a center doorway and large windows to the street on either side which is very inviting. When you enter this venue you are basically walking by many scattered tables on both sides of the entryway with dining patrons happily consuming their food selections. As you continue into the venue on the left you see an enormous open chilled case with a large variety of grab-and-go prepared sandwiches (tuna salad to peanut butter and jelly) that were wrapped and clearly labeled as well as chilled salads and sides were also available. As you continue toward the back of the delicatessen you encounter a hotline or steam table with a “Menu of the Day” on the ledge that identifies the hot entrées, sides, and four soup selections and pricing. That was when we saw the infamous tomato orange soup John had mentioned. At this time of the day Flying Elephants was getting a bit busy, so instead of taking time to decide what we wanted for lunch we opted each for the tomato orange soup @ $3.50, and three grilled sandwiches: one grilled cheese adult size @ $7.00, one grilled cheese kids size @ $4.00, and one northern Italian @ $7.00. The prices were really reasonable and the portion sizes as expected. We noticed that the two individuals behind the hotline worked well together to keep the line going. The first team member took care of grilling sandwiches and assembling the hot-line requests. When we ordered our sandwiches, this team member took the ready-made wrapped sandwich prepared for grilling out of cooler under the line which shows that they are prepared for those days when business is very busy and when clients have limited time. The second team member behind the line was busy filling the requests for soup which seemed to be what this delicatessen is known for. Our simple lunch order of grilled sandwiches and soup were in our hands in literally two minutes or less. After you pass the hotline you naturally continue along to the other side of this venue which takes you to another enormous chilled case with an incredible selection of beverage options including wines. We grabbed our beverages and then got in line which seemed to naturally develop as individuals grabbed or were given their food orders. The full center of Flying Elephants is basically a framed glass case where patrons can view additional food options such as pastries and cookies while getting ready to cash out via one of four cashiers. I was amazed at how quickly our meal transaction took place from entering this venue to cashing out. This definitely showed us that there was careful consideration about designing the layout of this front-of-the house dining attraction to promote client access and service speed. In fact, we were told that this was a rather quite day for business and we thought it was really busy. We decided to grab an open table that was close to the really large windows that looked out onto the sidewalk foot traffic and city-park like area across the street. I also got a chance to look at the interesting, eclectic painted walls, industrial high ceilings and cabinetry that were painted white that gave a homey bright feeling. In addition, the restroom toward the back past some high top seating along the walls was easily accessible, clean and also interestingly decorated. We were really happy that we dined at the Flying Elephants Delicatessen – the food was delicious and reasonably priced, and the service was quick, and the atmosphere was totally Portland!

High quality bakery (e.g. marionberry turnovers,) oatmeal, hot breakfast items, excellent coffee. What else do you want at breakfast? Lunch has excellent sandwiches, soups, and other hot dishes. There are a few tables inside and on the sidewalk. Good for grab-and-go. Caution: the Elephant opens at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, but not until 10 a.m. on Saturdays. Have breakfast at the HEathman (pricey but good) or the farmer's market at the University. The Elephant also has a store at the airport before you go through security. It opens blessedly early. There is no excuse to have bad food on the plane.

We were looking for a quick and tasty breakfast place and Ed, the concierge at the Paramount Hotel across the street, made another great recommendation in Flying Elephants. It's a great concept: tons of prepared to-go foods in refrigerated cases (TONS of salads, sandwiches, etc), plus a plethora of delicious baked goods, great local coffee (Stumptown), and hot egg-oriented breakfast foods served at the back (frittatas, etc.). A few small bistro-style tables at the front allow you to eat-in rather than taking your food to go and French bistro-style murals adorn the walls. I love this place!!!!

This place is a breathe of fresh air and I would love to have this concept on the eastern seaboard. But I certainly enjoyed everything we tried. We went for breakfast and early lunch. They have wonderful soups, sandwiches, sweets with local jams in them (Marionberry or Huckleberry) and of course the coffee. They even have a location at the PDX airport, so you can eat healthy flying home or to the area. Sorry to say they aren't anywhere else, but it is great to know that fast food can have great taste. Try it.

I walked in and felt like I had transported to Paris. Adorable place with large selection including yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, pastries, soups, sandwhiches and even alcohlic beverages. We had a plain butter criossant which was the real deal, not just bread shaped like a criossant. And my husband had the croque madame which made my mouth water and I wasn't even hungry. I don't remember the prices, but it was good food, fast. And there are about 8 tables inside if you want to eat in. Highly recommended as a convenient place downtown.

Couldn't stay away from this wonderful deli while staying in downtown Portland. The menu is varied, from savory hot dishes to delectable dessert and multiple scrumptious bakery offerings as well as an amazing array of liquid delights, the choices were endless. Be it breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner, the choices make this a great spot for dining before taking in a movie 2 doors down or enjoying the spacious outdoor pavilion (with fountain) literally 10 steps from their front door. The chocolate mousse, huge chocolate chip cookies, mac and cheese and the yukon mashed potatoes were our favorite picks.