Woodsman Pastry Chef Nancye Benson Opening Milk Glass Market on North Killingsworth

The former Moxie Rx food-cart chef plans cafe and market for the end of September

At least one person won't be back around when the Woodsman Market re-opens with its new concept at the end of the year. Nancye Benson, pastry chef at the Woodsman Tavern and former head of the food program at the Woodsman Market, is opening a 28-seat cafe and market called Milk Glass Market at 2150 N. Killingsworth Street with partner William Macklin.

Benson and Macklin used to own Moxie Rx, a food cart on Mississippi Avenue, serving breakfast fare and a wild array of smoothies, before shutting it down in 2010. Benson says she plans to bring back the cart's popular cheddar biscuit, and will serve fried egg sandwiches and house granola, among other offerings, but will not focus as much on smoothies.

The spot is planned to be open until 9 or 10 pm, and will switch over to small plates and salads in the afternoons and evenings, alongside cocktails. On the market side, Benson plans to offer some of the same things she ordered into the Woodsman Market, but also to sell items she is using to make her food. "If I get apricots from Viridian Farms," she says, "I'll also sell them at the market."

The location was formerly home to Atomic Pizza, which recently moved two blocks down to 1936 N. Killingsworth. "We've lived in the neighborhood for 11 years," says Benson. "We were excited when a place became available in our neighborhood."

Benson and Mackin are currently remodeling the old pizza spot to a decor Benson describes as "art deco meets the '70s."

Anticipated opening is late September. 

WWeek 2015

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.