Foley’s Cakes

I recently got a cake from them and would certainly go back. The cake was delicious. The buttercream was light and creamy without being too sweet and over powering. The cake itself was decorated nicely with attention to detail. I got so many compliments on the cake from the people at my party. Thanks Foleys! Great job.

I have no idea why this place is rated so high. Go there frequently for office desserts and cakes because it’s nearby, but it’s incredibly bland. Have had vanilla pound cake, chocolate, lemon with raspberry, the cookies, éclairs, turnovers, and all of it has been completely underwhelming. (I do, however, like the lemon bars.) The cakes have NO flavor, and the frosting is incredibly boring and tasteless. The people are very friendly there, but that’s not enough. I want to like this place, but unfortunately after finding Scratch in SoPo, Standard, Katie Made… it just doesn’t compare. I am always disappointed by what we get there. Convenience isn’t everything, I suppose.

Great bakery for cakes and top quality pastries. Entire baking area viewable from service counter. While Standard Bakery is more of a bread bakery, Foley’s is more of a cake bakery, but their pastries are of similar.quality.
We visit Maine once a year and always stop in.

So disappointed both in service and the taste/​quality of what we’ve purchased here.
The folks are friendly, but the prices just feel like a gouge, especially compared to the sub-​par baked goods you’re taking home. A pear flan and a buche de Noël (Yule log cake) comes to over $ 60. What we received was a flat, scorched-​sided custard concoction with some canned pears on top and a thick, sticky, gelatinous glaze, and a small cake dressed like a Yule log, but short, stubby, without any adornments to speak of aside from a meringue mushroom. The icing was as bland and tasted like a combination of foamy shortening and sweetened low quality butter.
Another item purchased here was a strawberry mousse cake. Again, a gelatinous sticky «strawberry» top with stale cream boarders around the top and bottom which were dried and cracked. An unremarkable mousse-​style filling in between with a thin layer of sponge cake.
This shop classifies itself a ‘European bakery’ yet nothing seems very European in style, taste or appearance when I’ve visited. Asking if they made crêpe cakes late this last fall got two different employees scampering to figure out what that was before the owner said she doesn’t make such a thing (crêpe cakes are pretty common, particularly in upscale pastry and bake shops, not just in Europe but throughout the U.S.)
Nothing against the good people here, but this has been my experience. For the price and taste, it simply isn’t worth it and you’re likely to get a bit more attention, taste and fare deal at another local bakeshop, with quality that matches or exceeds what you’ll likely get here, at least according to my experience. I’d like to try them one final time but I’m sure it will be a while before I attempt to do so.

We have been fans of Foley’s since their days next to City Hall. We were thrilled when Ed and Molly reopened in Monument Square. Recently the bakery changed ownership. Is it still as amazing?
Yes.
The new owners have lots of baking experience and trained with Ed. They are using his recipes. Although not exactly as they were on some things, they are close.
The Mousse Bombs and Crème Horns are favorites. The Cream Puffs are amazing.

The first time I ever came here was with my mom. We were walking around the Wednesday Farmers’ Market and she was like, «Ooh, what’s that place?! LETSGOIN!» Foley’s Cakes, if we’re being honest, never enticed me before. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they’re tucked away in a location that’s easy to walk by and never think about twice (it doesn’t help that their exterior façade is a bit unmemorable).
We went in and my mom made it VERY clear to the young woman behind the counter that we would NOT be buying anything, we just wanted to look. The girl smiled genuinely and said, «That’s totally okay… would you like me to tell you’re eating with your eyes at least?» Clever. So she went through every delicious item in the case one by one as if we were the only customers in the store (we were not). My mom and I left completely impressed with the level of customer service, the cleanliness, the fantastic ability to watch the pastry chefs create everything, and the European-​esque feeling it had about it without even trying.
I returned recently with the intent of buying something. When I walked in a young man, Cody, greeted me. Just like the last time I was in, he volunteered to explain everything in the case — he did so with precision, speed, and descriptions enough to make me want to buy everything. When I asked him what his favorite thing was, without hesitation he responded: «the cream horns!» I appreciated this, because when an employee tells you what they personally like eating/​drinking at the establishment in which they work, to me, it makes them seem more human, honest, and trustworthy.
What I ate…
In the end I got a cinnamon roll and a croissant filled with spinach topped with poppy seeds. The cinnamon roll was fine — it was very sweet. Actually, it almost tasted candied, if that makes sense. Still — it’s one of the better ones I’ve had in town. Next time I get it, I would microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds to soften it up a bit. The savory croissant I got, though? You know those times that something tastes SO good that you eat it SO fast you can’t remember where it went? Yup. That’s these croissants. I’ve never had a savory croissant before, and am now wondering I’ve gone through life all these years without? It was JUST spinachy enough, JUST buttery/​flakey enough, just melt-​in-​your-​mouth enough… it was just enough. I wonder if they make different savory croissant flavors or if it’s always spinach? I wouldn’t mind one that had roasted red peppers and goat cheese (if that’s something you can put in a croissant, that is)!
Now, I’m put off by places that aren’t forthright with their prices. That makes me nervous. So to not see any prices on anything here? Egads! I was excepting serious damage to my wallet — but my total was around $ 4.80. They are places in town where just ONE of those items would be that price. So… don’t worry about how much things cost here. Or just ask. They really, really aren’t trying to hide anything.
The ONLY thing I wish they would do here, though (and maybe they do and I just missed it entirely)? Samples. I wish they would put out a tray of samples of something so when you’re cashing out you can be like, «Mmm, what’s this? Nom nom nom. This is delicious. Throw one of these into my order, too!» I think the reason why I like free samples so much is that I know they work. People are hesitant about buying something they can’t «try on» — and food, unlike pants or cars, is something you ALWAYS have to risk. So, little treats here, I think would not only just be nice for customers, but once people tried things they’d be even more eager to spend their cash!

Whenever I’m near Monument Square, Foley’s Cakes is my treat place. I’ve been paid to bake breads and desserts, and the classic goodies here are some of the best I’ve ever had. The spinach-​filled croissant topped with poppy seeds is my favorite savory snack. Of the sweets I’ve tried, my favorites are the lemon squares (rich, bright lemon gel on a buttery base), the chocolate eclairs (the pâte à choux is perfect, filled with a nice thick pastry cream), and the marble mousse cake (two heavenly layers, one of white chocolate and one of dark). I enjoyed the brownies less, but I’m not really a brownie person. Nothing is labeled – the glistening display is tempting enough – but the delightful lady behind the counter is ready with ingredient lists for each baked good. Most people get their baked goods to go, but I like to sit at the tables and watch the foot traffic on Monument Square. There’s no better place to treat yourself.

This place had an excellent vibe and tons of sweets ready on a Saturday morning. Their cakes looked amazing, but I had a cream cheese brownie and my girlfriend got a chocolate chip cookie.
The staff was very nice, informative and laid back.
Will go back.

I went to Foley’s for my wedding cake because my mother-​in-​law had gone for her wedding and raved about how delicious her cake was. Since I live in Maryland, I gave them a call to see what the process was. I spoke with Molly and she gave me all the information I could possibly need — when to reserve the date, when to provide flavor choices/​design, how many tiers to get for the number of guests attending, etc. My then-​fiancé and I went up to Maine for the Fourth of July about a year and half before our wedding, so we called ahead and ordered a tasting cake from Foley’s to try while we were there. It was the best cake I’d ever had. We ended up choosing a 3-​tiered cake: Vanilla cake with almond frosting and raspberry filling for the bottom tier and chocolate cake with hazelnut frosting and raspberry filling for the middle and top tiers. I e-​mailed a picture of how I wanted the cake to look a few months prior to the wedding and called a few times to ask questions (such as how to coordinate with the florist for the topper). Each time, I spoke with Molly and she was so personable, friendly, and informative. I was never worried about anything. When I saw the cake at the wedding, it was like I was looking at the picture I had sent — it was gorgeous and exactly what we wanted. Unfortunately, the only piece of it my husband and I had was when we cut the cake. But all of our guests told us that it was delicious! Foley’s is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for a great tasting/​looking wedding cake and for professional, friendly owners!

Tasty and pleasant. I would not say exceptionally mind blowing in the grand scheme of things, but very delicious. Came in to find something for my birthday cake. Did a tasting of 3 items by the slice because we’re over indulgent like that: Lemon white chocolate mousse, marjoline, and marble mousse.
The winner was the lemon white chocolate because it was light, buttery and not too sweet. Though I wish it was more of a lemony flavor, it was still the favorite. Marjoline has hazelnut and a slew of other things and textures– enjoyable but would be far too heavy to eat more than a small slice every few days. And the marble mousse cake was too sweet for my taste– but it was oh so light and fluffy. I wish I had a sweeter tooth because it was a visual masterpiece.
The ladies working were extremely friendly, the atmosphere is lovely and relaxing. Like another review said– it was a bit odd that there are no names, and prices for the items on display. But I think that is fine because the ladies were more than friendly enough to explain them to you– though I did find it a bit challenging only because it is a lot to process when they go into the different butter creams/​mousses, layers, jams etc etc. But I guess that is a marketing ploy– it engaged us to do 3 tastings before making a final purchase.
I want to return to check out the pastries– its so hard to find a good croissant and theirs looked amazing.

The best shortbread cookies on the planet! Everything else is good, too!

The most underrated bakery in southern Maine! Right across from monument square, unique and quality baked goods, and incredibly friendly owners. The cakes are better than Whole Foods, and their bars — lemon, peanut butter&chocolate, brownies, and more — are delicious and fairly priced!

Foley’s is a very special place. Owned by the sweetest couple, this bakery has everything from scones and savory croissants to specialty cakes and delicious cookies. There are no labels next to the baked goods so you get to hear a mouth-​watering description of each one from the counter staff. Try the spinach-​mushroom croissant and coconut macaroons. They have great coffee too so if you have a minute, it’s a cheery place to relax and watch the baking happen right behind the counter!

Foley’s Cakes is a great place to get a sweet treat, right in Monument Square. The staff can explain any pastry in the case! And sometimes it’s really hard to decide. Everything I’ve had is delicious. I recommend the cookies, scones, and lemon squares. On Wednesday’s only, the chef makes amazing Strawberry Cream Puffs. Highly recommended!

Lovely baked goods, and a nice variety. However, no labels for either price or item means that my first experience here was awkward and disappointing. What I ended up with was tasty but unremarkable. I hope that my next interaction will be better.

Foley’s Cakes (or Foley’s Bakery) used to be on Congress street back in the day, but recently opened up its new location in Monument Square in Portland — the space is fantastic and the range of delicious treats is unbelievable. I was eagerly looking forward to visiting Foley’s for some birthday treats and did not leave disappointed. They make what I consider to be one of the best French cream horns I’ve ever had — huge, not too sweet and utterly crispy. Crazy amazing! The lemon curd squares were absolutely full of tart lemon flavor and the consistency was perfect. The savory croissants (I had the ham and cheese) were divine, with lots of chunky ham (none of that sliced sandwich meat grade ham, this was the real deal) and delicious cheese. Crispy and flavorful! There was also a pecan berry bar that just melted in the mouth — so very good. I can’t wait to go back to Foley’s and try more of the treats — a few of those cakes keep calling my name, I highly recommend you pay Foley’s a visit when you’re next in Portland Maine!