The first thing you may notice about Nancy P’s Baking Co. is that it’s hard to notice.

With its contemporary rustic appeal, the shop is partially concealed behind tall grass and dormant fruit trees at the corner of Milwaukie Avenue and 11th Street, a half-block off Newport Avenue in northwest Bend.

Nancy P’s may be less than a restaurant, but it’s more than a bakery. There are plenty of baked goods, of course, but patrons also come for the soups, salads and sandwiches until 3 p.m. every day except Monday.

Its owners, Nancy Pfeiffer and her husband, Steve Morse, opened the bakery cafe in 2001 after moving to Bend from West Yellowstone, Mont. Their establishment seats about 30 at tightly packed tables that get a bit more elbow room in the warmer months when three patio tables are moved outside.

A well-trodden floor of refurbished fir beams, rough-side up, contributes to the woodsy ambience only to be offset by modern, artsy track lighting suspended above two large display cases, where Nancy P’s pastries, breads and other baked goods are displayed.

Breakfast, then soup

When I arrived for breakfast one day, I had a hard time deciding upon a bakery item to accompany my morning coffee.

I finally chose an almond croissant, and I was not disappointed. Layered with butter, rolled and folded several times in succession, it had a generous marzipan-like filling. It was topped with a handful of slivered almonds and a dash of powdered sugar.

I heard other patrons rave about Nancy P’s cupcakes as well as its cookies, made fresh each morning. Next time, perhaps. There’s a limit to how large a sugar rush I can handle each day.

But when I subsequently returned for a pair of lunches, I was equally pleased with my choices.

I did have a little surprise one day, after I stepped up to the counter and ordered the soup du jour. The server looked at the blackboard menu and assured me that it was rosemary-white bean soup. I paused at another table to chat with some friends, and when I turned around, a cup of soup that clearly was not white bean had been delivered to my table.

“I guess you discovered that we changed our soup of the day,” the server said with a smile. “I hope you like tomato Florentine.”

I did. Served with a fresh roll, the tomato bisque was rich with spinach, onion and minced fresh garlic, along with chunks of cooked tomato.

I think it would have been appropriate to be told what I was getting before it was delivered, in the event I had a tomato allergy, for instance. As it turns out, I actually prefer tomato soup over white-bean soup.

Lunchtime sandwiches

I have enjoyed two very different luncheon sandwiches at Nancy P’s, both served on bread freshly baked in-house.

A classic Reuben came on German farm bread, buttered and grilled. Four slices of pastrami were stacked with melted Swiss cheese and a modest amount of sauerkraut upon the bread, which was hearty but not overly so. House-made Russian dressing was spread sparingly on the bread — it wasn’t enough for my taste — but an additional cup of the same dressing was served on the side.

There was considerably more “zing” to Nancy P’s pre-made chipotle chicken sandwich. A single thick slice of chicken breast meat was presented on house-made sourdough bread, amply spread with tangy chipotle mayonnaise. The sandwich was dressed with mild green chiles, a big slice of tomato, leaf lettuce and a mild white cheese. I might have preferred this heated, but it was very good as it was.

Among the other sandwiches on Nancy P’s menu, priced between $6.75 and $7.50, are yellowfin tuna, turkey chutney, Angus roast beef, Black Forest ham, hummus veggie and a classic BLT. The roster of salads, priced $8.50 to $10.50, includes chicken Caesar, Greek, Cobb and a house mix with apples, onions, hazelnuts, cranberries and Gorgonzola cheese.

Once you discover Nancy P’s, you’ll have no problem finding it again.

SMALL BITES

The Phoenix opened for business Jan. 6 in the former Kayo’s Roadhouse on Bend’s east side. Chef-owner Curtis Whitticar’s restaurant offers lunches priced $9 to $16 and gourmet dinners $13 to $30. The renovated Phoenix seats 200, with a full bar adjoining. 11:30 a.m. to close Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to close Sunday. 594 N.E. Bellevue Way, Bend; 541-317-0727, www .phoenixcafe.biz.

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Nancy P’s Baking Co.

Location: 1054 N.W. Milwaukie Ave., Bend

Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday

Price range: Sandwiches $6.75 to $7.50, soups $2.95 to $4.95, salads $8.50 to $10.50

Credit cards: None accepted

Children’s menu: No

Vegetarian menu: Numerous options

Alcoholic beverages: No

Outdoor seating: Seasonal patio

Reservations: No

Contact: 541-322-8778 or www .nancypsbakingcompany.com

Scorecard

OVERALL: A-

Food: A-. Wonderful baked goods, misfiring only in some subtleties of sandwich-making.

Service: A-. My only complaint: Please don’t change my order without telling me.

Atmosphere: B. At once rustic and contemporary, it comes across as non-descript.

Value: A-. Reasonable prices for good food and friendly service.

Next week: Old Mill Bistro

Visit www.bendbulletin.com /restaurants for readers’ ratings of more than 150 Central Oregon restaurants.