Portland, Oregon - Food
How to navigate this guide:
Due to my lack of super advanced website creation, you’ll just have to ctrl+f to take yourself to one of the following sections: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Coffee
Breakfast
Jam
Neighborhood: SE (some outdoor seating)
Good for: The whole family!
Tips: It’s on Hawthorne St., which is a great area to walk around in. I suggest getting brunch (on the earlier side - there can be a line) and then walking east to explore the shops between 30th-40th streets
Websites: Yelp, Jam website
Screen Door
Neighborhood: East (on E Burnside)
Good for: Southern food and waiting a long time
Tips: Never been there, but everybody else in the city has, so it can’t be that bad.
Websites: Yelp, Screen Door website
The Heathman*
Neighborhood: SW
Good for: fancier brunch. Great for parents, v classy
Tips: You can make a reservation! Also, this is the place I get high tea (now Russian tea) with my family ever New Years Day. Very old school, beautiful hotel. Make sure to poke around the back dining room/upstairs, if you can. Close to the Park Blocks and Pioneer Square, as well as the downtown Nordstrom aka where I used to work!
Websites: Yelp, Heathman website
Pine State Biscuits
Neighborhood: N Portland (Alberta St., outdoor seating)
Good for: Gut bombs
Tips: Again, line. Portlanders love brunch. Order at the counter, may be hard to find a seat kind of place. Good for fat biscuit breakfast sandwiches.
Websites: Yelp, Pine State Biscuits website
Pip’s Original Doughnuts
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: DOUGHNUTS.
Tips: Better than Voodoo. Don’t go to Voodoo.
Websites: Yelp, Pip’s website
Broder
Neighborhood: 2 locations: NE & SE
Good for: Scandinavian brunch options
Tips: Guess what? There will be a line. Again, not your average diner fare. Delicious, and usually you get these free pancake things.
Websites: Yelp (for Broder Cafe, check Yelp for other location pages) , Broder website
Lunch
Bunk*
Neighborhood: SE
Good for: Sandwiches. You must go, this is my favorite place ever (I have a tshirt). Quick lunch.
Tips: Pork Belly Cubano wins awards, but I had my parents drive me straight to Bunk from the airport after a year of living abroad for the Pulled Pork Sandwich. Not your typical BBQ (it has an apple salad slaw, don’t tell Joe) but is incredible. As I’ve aged, I’ve moved slowly to the Cubano with a heavy dousing of Aardvark hot sauce. Any of the veggie or seasonal options are solid bets too. Don’t go Italian Meats or Meatball sub - good, but basic. Close to the East Side Esplanade, which is nice to walk along.
Website: Bunk website
Lardo
Neighborhood: SE, NW
Good for: Sandwiches
Tips: In Portland, you’re either a Lardo fan or a Bunk follower. I’m putting this on here because it gets talked about a lot. Their Pork Belly Cubano is Bunk’s ugly younger brother. You’ll be happy if you go (and will probably be tempted to Instagram their giant, lit “PIG OUT” sign). Their pork banh mi will put a smile on your face.
Websites: Yelp (SE location), Lardo website
Little Big Burger
Neighborhood: NW, Mississippi (N Portland)
Good for: Cheap pit stop
Tips: Truffle fries. Burgers are yummy, but really, just get the truffle fries.
Websites: Yelp, Little Big Burger website
Bollywood Theater
Neighborhood: SE (Division St.) and NE (Alberta St.) Some outdoor seating.
Good for: Bougie Indian food
Tips: If you’re in the mood for some different tastes, go here. There’s nothing that I’ve had that’s not delicious. The sides of beets and cauliflower are both incredible. Is next to Salt & Straw, Bunk, and in the same building as my old company!
Websites: Yelp, Bollywood Theater website
Por Qué No*
Neighborhood: N Mississippi, SE Hawthorne
Good for: Bougie Mexican food
Tips: Bougie, but delicious. Also very popular, and very, very yummy. Can’t go wrong with any of the tacos or the Bryan’s (yes, with a y) Bowl. Margs also, get one!
Websites: Yelp, Por Qué No website
Meat Cheese Bread
Neighborhood: SE
Good for: Meat, cheese, and bread
Tips: Great sandwiches! Has three of my favorite words in the name. Not much space to eat there, more of an order at the counter/take away place.
Websites: Yelp, Meat Cheese Bread website
Luc Lac
Neighborhood: SW
Good for: Thai food! It’s also open until really late, so perfect for a post bar snack.
Tips: Has funky hours on the weekends, make sure to Yelp before you go. Popular work week lunch spot, so to avoid lines go at off hours. Very close to a gigantic Nordstrom Rack. If you see an adorable Rack employee named Chris, ask him why he’s still working there. If he has a good enough answer, give him my number.
Websites: Yelp, Luc Lac website
Nong’s Khao Man Gai*
Neighborhood: SW (original food cart location), SE (brick and mortar)
Good for: Chicken and rice. But THE BEST chicken and rice. Addicting sauce.
Tips: This is some famous a$$ food. Nong was on Chopped at one point, has won a bunch of competitions, and is considered one of the founding mothers of the Portland food cart movement. She has a cult following and is also a boss.
Websites: Yelp, Nong’s website
American Dream*
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: BREADSTICKS AND RANCH. GO GET BREADSTICKS AND RANCH.
Tips: See above.
Websites: Yelp, American Dream website
Devil’s Dill*
Neighborhood: SE (Hawthorne)
Good for: Quick bite, call ahead and pick up. Late night.
Tips: Only open after 3 or 4pm, so again, I’d suggest double checking Yelp before going. Definitely worth the drive if you want to pick up and eat in Mt. Tabor park or something. No real tables. Go to Bunk and then go to Devil’s Dill, then send me a picture. The turkey sandwich is everything that is holy. I dream about it.
Websites: Yelp, Devil’s Dill website
Yumm Bowl*
Neighborhood: SW
Good for: Quick bite, cheap eats, Nordstrom Rack shopping break if the line at Luc Lac is too long.
Tips: Just make sure you get something with the classic Yumm sauce. I used to buy vats of that stuff and put it on everything you can think of. Most people are fine with a small bowl, I usually go for a medium because duh.
Websites: Yelp, Cafe Yumm website
Güero*
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: casual order-at-counter lunch, happy hour
Tips: You can’t go wrong here - this place opened up a few years ago and has been insanely popular (for good reason) ever since. The tortas and bowls are both delicious, and they make a pretty stellar marg if you want to indulge. During COVID, they created an outside patio area so if it’s still there/the weather is nice, it’s a great place to sit.
Websites: Yelp, Güero website
Taco Bell
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: crunchwraps.
Tips: IYKYK
Dinner
Higgins
Neighborhood: SW
Good for: Classic Oregon, upscale dinner
Tips: This is an ESTABLISHMENT. One of the first restaurants in Portland to change its menu seasonally and use local ingredients. Some of my favorite meals ever. If you don’t feel like doing it big in the dining room, the bar next door is also phenomenal and has a great HH. Make reservations.
Websites: Yelp, Higgins website
Andina
Neighborhood: NW (Pearl District)
Good for: Fancy dinner, cocktails
Tips: Delicious Peruvian food. Beautiful interior, and great neighborhood to walk around in after dinner. From what I can remember, the chicken skewer tapa was meh but the octopus was wowza.
Websites: Yelp, Andina website
Ava Gene’s (TEMP CLOSED as of March 2022)
Neighborhood: SE
Good for: Fancy dinner, saying you’ve been there
Tips: Veggies are where it’s at. Beautiful restaurant. Pastas were good but pale in comparison to the starters/sides. It’s won award after award and is usually in the top five best restaurants in town on any list you will ever find.
Websites: Yelp, Ava Gene’s website
Podnah’s*
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: The meat sweats
Tips: The best BBQ I’ve ever had - I make audible noises when eating their ribs. Skip the pulled pork, get some sides. Cornbread is polarizing, some people love it some people hate it. Lots of sauce, a pretty decent Moscow Mule washes down your cow/pig dish of choice. Next door is La Taq, great for HH. Next to La Taq is Prospect Bottle Shop & Bar, which is owned by my old co-worker!
Websites: Yelp, Podnah’s website
Ox*
Neighborhood: NE (MLK Jr. Ave.)
Good for: Putting the meat sweats you got from Podnah’s to shame
Tips: Expensive, delicious Argentinian style meat dishes. The kind of place where you’ll have to wait outside but can grab a cocktail and some oysters from some unknown (but perfectly clean) place next door. They’ll give you free nibbles, like a starter cup of soup, because this place is classy.
Websites: Yelp, Ox website
Tusk*
Neighborhood: E Burnside
Good for: Instagrammable decor, delicious Mediterranean shared plates
Tips: Very good food, also very good for cute photos! In a nice area with lots of other bars or dessert spots. Does usually fill up relatively quickly, so good to grab a res beforehand. Pita is to die for. Steak is also quite good.
Websites: Yelp, Tusk website
Yakuza (TEMP CLOSED as of March 2022)
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: Sushi but actually their burger
Tips: Second best burger I’ve ever had. If you’re choosing between this and Toro Bravo, go to Toro Bravo, but I can also show you photos of both if that would help make the decision easier. This one has thin, crispy potato fries on the top of it.
Websites: Yelp, Yakuza website
Le Pigeon
Neighborhood: E Burnside
Good for: Upscale dinner at communal tables
Tips: Make a reservation if you can, it’s a small space. Also, it’s pronounced “pigeon” in an American accent. Try asking somebody about “Leeeh Peeoojion” and you will get a bike helmet thrown at you.
Websites: Yelp, Le Pigeon website
Olympia Provisions*
Neighborhood: SE
Good for: Sausage and wine
Tips: Affordable but again, a proudly Portland place. In a very industrial part of SE, and also very close to Bunk Bar (as you can tell, most of my Portland geography is based off of each Bunk location).
Websites: Yelp, Olympia Provisions website
Apizza Scholls
Neighborhood: SE (Hawthorne)
Good for: Fancy pizza
Tips: LINE. Get there early. I’ve been there twice: once was amazing, once was underwhelming. They’re only open until the pizza dough runs out, because they’re very popular and need you to know it. It’s famous, gets on TV a lot, and is next to a chocolate place called Jaciva’s where I would buy a lot of Beanie Babies in elementary school.
Websites: Yelp, Apizza Scholls website
Luce
Neighborhood: E Burnside
Good for: Clean, simple, great Italian food
Tips: When I say simple and clean, I mean it. I ordered fish and my plate came to me with a full fish on it - not much by way of sides. But it was cooked to perfection, so I wasn’t mad. Very cute place. Head to Pix Patisserie across the street afterwards for dessert.
Websites: Yelp, Luce website
Dove Vivi
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: Cornmeal crusted pizza
Tips: Different from your normal pizza, and it’s amazing. If there’s something with arugula and corn on it, get that. Also, one time in a hostel at 4am in Portugal I met an Englishman who interned at Dove Vivi and then opened up a pizza restaurant in Notting Hill in London based on the cornmeal crust. True story - I have his email in my phone somewhere.
Websites: Yelp, Dove Vivi website
Pambiche*
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: Cuban food, colorful decor, eating outside
Tips: Ropa vieja, plantains, and tres leche cake. This place is unreal - I’ve had almost everything on their menu. One time I had a cold and couldn’t taste anything and STILL ordered the tres leche cake because I needed to eat it and be able to imagine the flavors.
Websites: Yelp, Pambiche website
Dessert
Papa Haydns*
Neighborhood: NW (23rd St)
Good for: Dessert
Tips: Skip dinner, head there between 8-10pm and order dessert from the magnificent dessert display case. Portions are very generous, but I never share. Boccone dolce is my go to every time.
Websites: Yelp, Papa Haydns website
Ruby Jewel
Neighborhood: N Mississippi, SW
Good for: Ice cream
Tips: My mom swears by their salted caramel soft serve - she likes to eat it in lieu of a real lunch and then email me about it. Their ice cream sandwiches are pretty baller too.
Websites: Yelp, Ruby Jewel
Salt & Straw
Neighborhood: NW, NE (next to Bunk!)
Good for: Weird ice cream flavors
Tips: Be prepared to wait. Or pick out a pint and go straight to the front and eat it somewhere with a spoon! Make sure to try some of the rotational flavors, they’ll be some bangers in there. My favorite flavor of all time was a goat cheese/huckleberry/jalapeno combo. Don’t know how it worked, but it did.
Websites: Yelp, Salt and Straw website
Rimsky-Korsakoffee, Pied Cow
Neighborhood: SE (both)
Good for: late night tea/coffee/desserts/hookah
Tips: Very well known dessert spots, famous for their eclectic decor inside old Portland homes. They’re very similar, although Pied Cow has hookah/outdoor tables (as long as you don’t mind the smell), but Rimsky’s has tables that slowly change heights. Think your grandmother’s version of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride but with really good cake options.
Websites: Yelp - Rimksy's, Yelp - Pied Cow,
Coffee
Barista
Neighborhood: SW, NW, NE
Good for: A real big dose of hipster Portland stereotypes. And also really good coffee.
Tips: The SW and SE locations are both very cute but with minimal seating. The NE Alberta location has a few nice outdoor seats right next to a bunch of cayute shops.
Websites: Yelp, Barista website
Case Study Coffee
Neighborhood: NE, SW
Good for: Coffee is 100 but both locations also have large square footage so make fabulous places to bring a book or your computer and hang for a bit. Also have low key delicious hot chocolate if you’re around in the winter months or just like hot beverages in the perfect NW summer weather.
Tips: Both locations are spacious, which can be hard to find. These are the types of spots that are perfect for taking a longer break to enjoy your beverage.
Websites: Case Study Coffee website
Heart Coffee
Neighborhood: SW, SE, NE
Good for: Minimalist decor, a barista with a handlebar mustache, small batch coffee.
Tips: I’ll be honest: this isn’t my go-to, but they do have some convenient locations and coffee lovers seem to enjoy it.
Websites: Yelp, Heart website
St. Simon Coffee
Neighborhood: NE
Good for: Quick, local, delicious coffees while you’re perusing the beautiful neighborhood of Irvington.
Tips: You’ll be happy with any coffee beverage. Also don’t miss out on their small but mighty collection of pastries. Not much seating, be warned. They also have some very cute merch!
Websites: Yelp, St. Simon website
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