Restaurants in Portland OR
Nob Hill has a high concentration of upmarket restaurants including Wildwood, which dishes up innovative Pacific Northwest cuisine using the freshest local ingredients. Hawthorne district also offers good choices, such as Northern Italian restaurant Genoa. You'll find ethnic eateries all across the city, offering everything from Italian to Mexican, Vietnamese and more. Reservations are recommended at the more popular high-end restaurants. Service is very rarely included on the bill – tips of 10%-15% are expected.
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- Modern Mexican
Alto Bajo
Yes, you can order guacamole and chips and it will be tasty. But the Mexican food here, whipped up by famed Oaxacan chef Iliana de la Vega and Chicago-import Chip Barnes (of the Windy City’s acclaimed Moto restaurant), rewards adventurous diners, those willing to try lesser-known…$$ - Peruvian
Andina
Peru’s cuisine is amazingly diverse and draws from the country’s many different food sources: the Pacific, the plains, the mountains, and the jungle. That's why Andina's menu is a mile long; and surprisingly, you could sample just about everything on it and not find a dud. But since…$$$Pearl District - Italian/Pacific Northwest
Ava Gene’s
Stumptown Coffee kingpin Duane Sorenson and local rock star chef Joshua McFadden combined forces to create one of the hottest eateries in town, on the city's burgeoning foodie street, SE Division. The "Roman-inspired" menu at Ava Gene's delves deep into the bounty of Northwest meats…$$Hawthorne District - Japanese/Sushi/Sashimi
Bamboo Sushi
I worry about the world’s declining fish populations, so a sushi place that only serves sustainably harvested fish from healthy populations is a no-brainer for me. And when the sushi is as fresh and delicious as it is at Bamboo Sushi, I can heartily recommend it to others as well…$Downtown - Pacific Northwest/French
Bar Avignon
The craft cocktails at this neighborhood restaurant are criminally delicious, and the wine list draws kudos, so you could just come here to drink. But better yet, come here to eat and drink (maybe during happy hour, Mon–Fri 5–6pm). I have friends who come just for the foraged…$$Southeast Portland - American
Beast
With a name like Beast, you shouldn't expect an abundance of vegetarian offerings. Instead, this prix-fixe, communal-seating restaurant in the Concordia neighborhood is a carnivore's delight, with dishes like sherry-glazed pork belly and foie gras bon bons prepared in front of you by…$$$Concordia - Pacific Northwest
Bijou Café
Back before there was a “restaurant scene” in Portland, there was the Bijou Café. It’s a good spot for breakfast and lunch (dinner is only served Fridays, but then its accompanied by live jazz). This downtown fixture has remained in business because of its fresh organic food, and…$Downtown - Japanese
Biwa
Head downstairs into this intimate izakaya (Japanese tavern) for a menu full of tasty, inexpensive dishes and a wealth of beer and sake choices to wash them down. Steaming bowls of homemade ramen and Korean bibimbap help ward off the Northwest chill. Other choices include skewered…$Buckman - Asian
Boke Bowl
This stylish ramen shop started as a monthly pop-up restaurant, but the signature soup bowls were such a hit that within a year the chefs had a permanent home in the industrial east side neighborhood near the river. Handmade noodles in slow-simmered broths—pork, seafood, or…$Southeast Portland - Italian
Caffe Mingo
Portland has countless new restaurants serving all kinds of “new” cuisine, but if you’re looking for a little and long-established neighborhood restaurant that serves fine and fairly simple Italian food, head for Caffe Mingo. You must arrive early or late, or be prepared to wait for…$$Northwest Portland - Coffee
Caffe Umbria
Started in Seattle by a family from Perugia, this cafe in the Pearl serves, in my opinion, the best lattes in the most sophisticated Italian cafe atmosphere in Portland. There are excellent panini and pastries as well, and wine in the evening. In September 2017 a new Caffee Umbria… - American
Castagna
A prix-fixe dinner at this "New Northwest" eatery in the Hawthorne/Belmont neighborhood is always an adventure, with über-fresh ingredients prepared using cutting-edge techniques without sacrificing the most essential element: taste. Dishes like roasted lamb sweetbreads…$$Hawthorne District - Seafood
Chart House
I don’t usually recommend chain restaurants, but I’m making an exception for the Chart House for those who want to dine at a Portland restaurant while feasting their eyes on a marvelous view—something that’s almost impossible to find elsewhere in Portland’s urban restaurant scene.…$$$Southwest Portland and Downtown - Southern
Country Cat
Head toward Mount Tabor in Southeast Portland to reach this family-friendly "craft eatery" that combines Northwest ingredients with soulful Southern comfort cooking. The buttermilk biscuits are outstanding, and the fried chicken with bacon-cooked collards may well…$$Southeast Portland - Vegetarian/Vegan
DC Vegetarian Food Cart
This downtown breakfast and lunch food cart offers a large variety of fresh vegetarian sandwiches that can also be made vegan.$Downtown - Pizza
Escape From New York Pizza
Sometimes, when I want to escape the new Portland of concept restaurants and high-tech babble, I head over for a simple slice at Escape from New York Pizza. This funky hole-in-the-hole in a storefront on NW 23rd is one of the last holdouts of what Portland used to be like: simple,…$ - American
Fire on the Mountain
Buffalo wings are served crispy and mouth-melting—assuming you can stand the heat—at this informal wing joint. Sample the sauces before you order; spicy peanut and bourbon chipotle are my favorites, while "El Jefe" should come with a fire extinguisher. (To counter the…$Northeast Portland - Asian
Frank's Noodle House
They're served in a humble house-turned-restaurant on NE Broadway, but local foodies know that Chef Frank Fong's noodles are, as he claims, the best in town. Fong and his wife, Ying Jun Gao, stretch out their housemade noodles every day. They serve the hand-pulled creations boiled…$Northeast Portland - Italian
Fratelli
I’ve eaten at Fratelli several times, and I’ve never had less than a delicious meal. The restaurant has been around since 1998, but it keeps a fairly low profile and only serves dinner (5 nights a week). The candlelit interior, with its long, thick curtains, concrete floor, and wood…$$Northwest Portland ( Including the Pearl District & Nob Hill) - Italian
Grassa
Part of the booming new dining scene that has turned dear old NW 23rd into a kind of Restaurant Row, Grassa is a trattoria known for its made-on-the-premises pasta. The homemade carbs are augmented with seasonally changing sauces made with fresh local ingredients. There are about…$Norwthwest Portland - Eastern European/Pacific Northwest
Imperial
Vitaly Paley, the force behind the long-running Paley’s Place ★★★in Northwest Portland, is the chef-owner of this newish downtown hotel restaurant. The name Imperial is a nod to next door Hotel Lućia’s ★★★ previous life as the Imperial Hotel and dining room. But imperial may also…$$$Downtown - Seafood
Jake’s Famous Crawfish
Some people say “craw” and some people say “cray,” but however you pronounce it, crawfish are what Jake’s is famous for. And not just any crawfish, but crawfish that come exclusively from Lake Billy Chinook in Oregon’s high desert country east of the Cascades. The crawfish season…$$$Downtown - Pizza
Ken’s Artisan Pizza
Here’s an idea for a healthy Portland meal: Rent a bike (some hotels offer them to their guests) and pedal over to Ken’s Artisan Pizza. It’s on one of the city’s busiest bike corridors, about a 15-minute ride from downtown, and offers parking for 24 bikes. Then sit back and enjoy the…$Southeast Portland - Thai
Khao San
Khao San used to be a food cart but business was so good they moved to a permanent location in the Pearl District. It’s very casual and the waitstaff can be a bit stretched at busy times (though always friendly), but the food is consistently tasty. Be aware of your spice-tolerance,…$ - French
Le Pigeon
Le Pigeon is small and cozy, and dining is at communal tables, which is not to everyone’s liking. Since I’m gregarious and never averse to jumping into a conversation, even with complete strangers, the communal table concept works for me. And the food works, too, which is why Le…$$$Northeast Portland - Vietnamese
Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen
This downtown hot spot—a large open room with inverted white umbrellas covering the ceiling—is loud and fun. You line up to place your order, you’re given a numbered marker, and then you wait to be called to a table. Drinks will be brought to you but you’re responsible for bringing…$Downtown - Italian
Nostrana
Rustic Italian home cooking gets the Portland treatment at this east-side restaurant that's somehow both spacious and cozy, equally welcoming to foodies with and without kids. Chef Cathy Whims, five-time James Beard Award nominee, focuses on simple, high-quality ingredients like…$$Hawthorne District - Charcuterie
Olympic Provisions
Set in a restored industrial building on the east side of the river, Olympic Provisions opened in 2009 as the first salumeria—salami specialty shop—in the city. Now it's the place to go for the best pancetta, chorizo, and fennel-pocked finocchiona in town. If those …$Southeast Portland - Argentinian
Ox
Portlanders travel to Buenos Aires at this Northwest version of an Argentine asadero, complete with a flaming hand-cranked grill behind the bar. Start with an empanada filled with spiced beef or roasted sweet potato, then move on to a maple-brined pork chop, some Hawaiian prawns, or…$$$Around Town - British
Pacific Pie
Here you’ll find those savory meat pies the Brits invented and the Aussies imported to their shores Down Under (you’ll notice a big mural of the Australian outback in the restaurant). Shepherd’s pie, lamb pie, steak pie, pork pie, fish pie are all on order—and the chicken pot pie…$Southeast - Northwest/French
Paley's Place
Vitaly Paley, winner of both Iron Chef America and a James Beard Award, was one of the first Portland chefs to capitalize on the wealth of fresh ingredients available in the Pacific Northwest. Paley's Place opened in an old Victorian home in Nob Hill in 1995, and the upscale bistro…$$$Northwest - Italian/Pacific Northwest
Pazzo
When a large restaurant can stay in business for almost a quarter of a century, it’s doing something right. The food at Pazzo is contemporary Italian, and it’s not trend-setting cuisine, but it is always good, making use of local and seasonal ingredients to boost the flavor palette.…$$Downtown Pearl Bakery
One of Portland’s first artisan bakeries, Pearl Bakery is famous for its breads and European-style pastries. The gibassier, a chewy sweet roll fragrant with anise and orange, is a must-try. The gleaming bakery/cafe is also good for sandwiches, such as a roasted eggplant and tomato…- Gluten-Free
Petunia's Pies and Pastries
Yummy gluten-free baked goods and a new savory menu draw GFers to Petunia’s. - Thai
Pok Pok
Like Ava Gene’s, Pok Pok is a destination restaurant on SE Division’s Restaurant Row, and definitely a place to try if you want a hit of Portland’s trendsetting food scene. Pok Pok helped start the foodie trend and it’s been hot (literally, given the spices used in the cooking) from…$$Hawthorne District - Mexican
Por Que No?
The name of this lively taqueria means "Why not?", and that's the question you'll be asking yourself when thinking about ordering another taco. The choices for fillings include carne asada and barbacoa as well as cornmeal-encrusted cod and calamari, and you should definitely…$Hawthorne District - Vegan
Rabbit's Cafe
Rabbit’s is popular with downtowners who come for its breakfasts, vegan bowls, scrambles, and fruit smoothies.Downtown - American/International
Red Star
This is a big downtown restaurant where you can enjoy comfort food in comfortable surroundings. Red Star is attached to the Hotel Monaco ★★ , and it has transformed itself from a chop house to a restaurant that offers a medley of internationally inspired small and large plates, all…$$Downtown ( Including the Skidmore Historic District & Chinatown) - Ice Cream
Salt & Straw
We are now in the post–Ben & Jerry’s and post-post–Baskin-Robbins world of ice cream, a time when people are willing to stand in line for half an hour and think nothing of plunking down $4 for a scoop of homemade ice cream in a flavor unheard of a few short years ago. Salt &…$Downtown - French
St. Honoré Boulangerie
Not only does this place turn out mouth-wateringly authentic French pastries and breads, it makes great coffee and offers a good simple lunch menu, too. They now have branches at 3333 SE Division ([tel] 971/279-4433) and downtown at 501 SW Broadway ([tel] 503/954-3049). - French
St. Jack
It’s always been puzzling to me that an upscale destination street like NW 23rd has so few fine-dining restaurants. With the 2014 opening of St. Jack, the situation definitely improved. When this tres bonne French bistro and bar moved from its southeast location to northwest, it…$$Downtown - Coffee
Stumptown
Many a Portlander swears by the strong, flavorful coffee at this big, bare downtown cafe with an art-school aesthetic. Whether you go for the French press, a latte, or a double shot of espresso, you’re sure to get a kick out of this brew. It’s so popular, in fact, that it’s become a… - Vegan
Sweet Pea
The 100 percent vegan bakery of your dreams with breakfast and lunch items, too. Tao of Tea
Not a coffee drinker? Try this funky teahouse, which specializes in traditional Chinese tea service and feels like it could be in some Kathmandu back alley.- Pacific Northwest
Tasty n Alder
This restaurant is now on everyone’s short list of places to try. It’s a bustling, unpretentious, shared-plates sort of place with good food and service. The interior is completely unadorned—so Portland—with exposed roof joists and mechanical ducts, and the food is fairly unadorned…$$Downtown - American
The Woodsman Tavern
Take equal parts upscale watering hole and Pacific Northwest roots restaurant that's heavy on the seafood, and you'll get something like the Woodsman, an eatery that gives American standards a uniquely Portland twist. (Think pancetta-wrapped monkfish and ham-and-cheese fritters with…$$Hawthorne District - Gluten-Free
Thrive
Thrive uses free-range and organic proteins and sustainable seafood in its gluten-free offerings. - Spanish
Toro Bravo
Whether it’s Voodoo Doughnuts ★★ or a hot restaurant, Portlanders are willing to wait in long lines to get their food fixes, and the lines become social gatherings where enthusiasms are aired and recommendations are shared. That’s usually the case at Toro Bravo, which doesn’t take…$$Northeast Portland - Vegetarian
Vita Cafe
- Doughnuts
Voodoo Doughnut
I’m not a fan of gooey doughnuts, but apparently everyone else in Portland is, because there is always a line here. Voodoo has become a tourist destination where new Portlanders bring their visiting parents and grandparents. Be forewarned that this corner hole-in-the-wall is not in…$
