Oxford’s Bottletree Bakery
Tucked quietly on the outskirts of the Square on Van Buren Ave., Bottletree Bakery is an subtle gem in Oxford’s breakfast scene. People come for the specialty coffees and desserts but stay for the company and unique atmosphere.
The artwork that saturates the walls inside Bottletree is an eclectic and extensive mix of paintings, photographs, woodwork and caligraphy that makes this bakery rich in history and personality. On a nice day, you can choose to enjoy your meal sitting outsite under the brightly colored umbrellaed tables. The feel of Bottletree is traditional yet somehow completely contemporary, where the only thing better than the friendly and sunny staff is the food.
Six days a week, Bottletree opens its doors bright and early at 7 a.m. with hot brewing coffee and freshly baked European-style breads used as the canvas to build its one-of-a-kind sandwiches, pastries and bagels.
Without a doubt, the best cup of coffee you can get (and should get) at Bottletree is the Bowl of Soul. This enormous cup of coffee is exactly what you need to start your morning right and tastes just as soulful as its name suggests. The Bowl of Soul is a carefully crafted blend of medium roast coffee, expresso and steammed milk topped off with a chocolate syrup “soul” perfectly drizzled on top. The coffee is nutty, the expresso bold and the milk sweet. With each sip, you’ll experience a new layer of flavor that makes up this wildly popular cup of joe.
Chances are you’ll be sipping on this cup while you wait for your food to arrive, because just the delightful smell coming from the kitchen beside you is too inviting to pass up. Bagels are a staple breakfast food, and the selection at Bottletree is no joke. Options range from plain to to 3-seed to jalapeño cheddar and many in between, and the combination of toppings is endless. The best option, however, you won’t find on the menu starring up at you.
A secret “Midtown” bagel, while not listed on the Bottletree menu, is available upon request, and request it you should. This personal Bottletree favorite of mine takes the best parts from the menu’s most popular “Uptown” and “Downtown” bagels and merges them together to create a new bagel combo that is equally as tasty as it is visually appealing.
The “Midtown” consists of a bagel of your choice (I highly recommend the poppy seed — yum) covered with a vegetable medly cream cheese and topped with fresh tomato, red onions, capers. It is bright, light and each ingredient compliments another. The proportion is perfect for an early morning or afternoon, and you even knock out some of your veggies for the day too.
Bottletree Bakery
923 Van Buren Ave, Oxford, MS 38655
Tuesday — Friday 7 a.m to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday — Sunday 8 a.m to 2 p.m.
