Pat DiPrima LeConche has created a community institution in North Portland, and that's just what she intended.
LeConche and hubby Robin moved from New York to the Overlook neighborhood in 1993. Unlike New York, where delicious Italian baked goods are readily available, Portland was lacking. Non era buono! So, the second-generation Italian-American began to bake...and bake...and bake. She began testing recipes at home and then, after realizing she'd like to serve these delicious baked goods to her friends and neighbors, went to culinary school for a pastry program and bread training.
"I was at the point in life that I either went for it or forgot it," she remembers, "so I jumped in with both feet!"
On June 13, 2002, LeConche opened DiPrima Dolci (pronounced Dee-preema Dol-chee) Italian Bakery and Cafe just five short blocks from her home. She very intentionally created a neighborhood bakery where her neighbors could commune with each other, feeding their bodies—but most importantly, feeding their souls.
LeConche makes baking a full contact sport. She loves her customers and they love her right back. There's a whole lot of face pinching, hugging and laughing going on at this community institution.
LeConche explains:
Neighborhood has been a traditional value to Italians since Roman times. As you know, the idea of piazza and assembling in a neighborhood place is a specialty of many cultures, but Italians are well-known for it. I remember the Italian neighborhoods in New York and the importance of people being together. We had a big family, and we had to get together every Sunday, and often during the week a few times too. Neighborhood has become an extension of family to me, and has been that for many Italian immigrants to the US for many years. It's just natural that people of like mind would live together. We like food!
Oh yeah—food. If you're looking for a real Italian bakery in Portland, to quote a friend, "RUN, don't walk to DiPrima Dolci!" The bakery specializes in Italian traditions. They feature cannoli and other fine Italian pastries, traditional Italian bread baked daily, soup, and sandwiches served on their their fresh breads. DiPrima Dolci makes special pastries and breads for Christmas, Easter and other Italian holidays.
Everything is prepared and baked on the premises using "old-world" techniques.The bread is made without shaping machines, scaling machines, etc. and the pastries are made and decorated by hand.
LeConche even makes her own tomato sauce, just like her her mom and grandmother used to make.
On our first visit, we tried the Joey, an open-faced sandwich topped with goat cheese, red onion, roasted peppers and greens served warm on DiPrima Dolci's Ciabatta ($8.50). I've thought about this sandwich A LOT since our visit.
Yes, it was that good.
The Papa D Hero: Coppacolla, Genoa and Soppresatta salamis, Provolone, red onion, lettuce, roasted peppers and balsamic vinaigrette served warm on Ciabatta ($8.75).
The bakery case at DiPrima Dolci is simply unreal. It offers the most delicious and tantalizing array of sweets imagineable. Cannoli filled to order and other pastries and tarts, just for starters.
And then there's the selection of bread! You know you've got it going on when you need a bread schedule—pick one up when you visit the bakery. Again, the selection boggles the mind.
Wash it all down with Bacchellieri espresso and coffee, an Italian-style coffee from Longbottoms Coffee and Tea.
DiPrima Dolci's dining room is bright, cheerful and a great place to hang out. It's full of personal touches that make it homey. But, the best-kept secret of all is the amazing garden patio where LeConche grows parsley (Italian, of course), basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon, and edible flowers too. She even grows her own tomatoes.
The patio is a hidden treasure. It's tucked away from the outside world—a great place to enjoy a killer meal.
Obviously, the best part of all about DiPrima Dolci is Pat herself. Absolutely adorable. When you visit DiPrima Dolci, you get refueled with her positive energy and love of community—it's in every bite she serves.
When asked for her thoughts on North Portland, Pat had this to say:
North Portland is almost like a retreat from the rest of the city in some ways. It isn't a place that people go through to get to other places in the city, so if you're here, you mean it. I love it here because it is a little rough-around-the-edges, but well-mannered and surprisingly quiet.
Do you feel the love?
DiPrima Dolci
1936 North Killingsworth Street
Portland OR 97217
Special thanks to Roxanne for turning us on to DiPrima Dolci!
I agree it is a great place and the neighborhood there really needed it in 2002. Just make sure your first visit isn't the last Saturday morning of the month. We made that mistake. It was so crowded with people pushing and jockying for position for Zepolli, a once a month treat. Along with trying to just get coffee, we had to endure the dark side of people who wanted their confection. Also, throughout the wait, the back of the house staff was screaming "ZEPOLLI....ZEPOLLO" Honestly, left a bad taste in my mouth. But I should give it a second chance I guess.
Wow. Crowds aren't my thing either—especially when I'm hungry. Did you even stay to eat anything or did you run away as fast as you could?
Definitely go back on another day and try the cannoli, because then you'll leave with a good taste in your mouth!
They've needed a manager for quite some time. Extremely bad work flow, which results in poor customer service (despite how nice the staff can be).
Being a good baker does not make one a food service manager. Di Prima is a great example of this. I rarely go there, and I live just around the corner.
The reason the place is so crowded and crazy on that last Saturday of the month is because the ZEPPOLI are killer! Once you get that taste in your mouth, you would kill for another one, or kill someone else who got in your way. Definitely brought out my dark side! This bakery is the real deal. It is a one of a kind and we are very lucky to have this in Portland.