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Acclaimed Japanese ramen chain Afuri decided to open an outpost in the United States in 2016, choosing this modern, high-ceilinged dining room in food-obsessed Portland in part because the exacting culinary team appreciated the city's pristine, glacially fed water supply, which plays a significant part in the steaming, savory portions of yuzu shio (with chicken broth, yuzu citrus, shimeji mushrooms, seasoned egg, chashu, endive, and nori), one of a half dozen deeply satisfying ramen bowls. The kitchen also turns out flavorful skewers of shishito peppers and chicken thighs, pork dumplings, sushi, and other izakaya-style fare, all of it consistently exceptional.
923 S.E. 7th Ave., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Authentic Japanese ramen
- Meat and veggie skewers
- Flights of premium sake
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$$ | Southeast |
Verdant plants hang from the timber beams and high, pitched ceiling of this outstanding West African restaurant founded by chef-owner Fatou Ouattara, who grew up in Cote D'Ivoire and learned to cook using clay ovens and wood fires from her grandmother. Akadi's menu draws on traditional recipes like street-style grilled goat with a mustard sauce and plantains, and palm butter stew with shrimp, gambas, crab, fish, and spices. There's a full bar.
1001 S.E. Division St., Portland, Oregon, 97202, USA
Known For
- Nice selection of mostly South African wines
- Boldly flavored West African stews and grills
- Several vegan options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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Operated by the acclaimed chef behind Langbaan and Eem, this cozy and casual counter-service eatery takes its name from a small Thai city near the Malaysian border and its concept from that region's spicy and delicious fried chicken with sticky rice and rich Malayu-style curries with panfried roti bread. Other treats here uncommon to Thai restaurant culture in the States include fiery turmeric curry with mussels and heady oxtail soup with lemongrass. There's a second location on Belmont Street in Southeast.
1605 N.E. Killingsworth St., Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- The roti dessert with condensed milk
- Perfectly crunchy free-range fried chicken
- Good selection of Asian beers
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A laid-back North Mississippi gastropub with an L-shaped indoor bar and a bi-level back patio with lush landscaping and a shaded pergola, Interurban is both a convivial drinkery and a fine spot for affordable, well-crafted American fare served from late afternoon until 2 am. The kitchen creates consistently good and creative food, such as risotto with seasonal vegetables and smoked-trout BLT sandwiches, and there's an extensive selection of cocktails and microbrews.
4057 N. Mississippi Ave., Oregon, 97227, USA
Known For
- Terrific afternoon and late-night happy hour menu
- Well-curated beer and cocktail list
- Top-notch staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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This Central East Side establishment decorated to resemble a dacha (a Russian country/vacation house) turns out wonderfully creative and often quite light Russian fare, including plenty of shareable small plates, like crispy beef tongue with sweet onion sauce, orange, and pomegranate; panfried sour-cherry vareniki (Ukrainian dumplings), and—of course—caviar with blini and all the usual accompaniments. Another crowd-pleaser on the menu is the classic chicken Kiev, prepared the old-fashioned way, oozing with butter. The owners also run Lavka, a market and deli above the restaurant.
960 S.E. 11th Ave., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Extensive craft vodka list
- The cold "zakuski" assorted appetizer experience ($30 per person)
- Hearty Ukrainian dumplings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Southeast |
Top Chef celebrity Gregory Gourdet looked to his heritage (he was raised in New York City by parents who had immigrated from Haiti) in developing this beautifully designed restaurant that, thanks to a tidal wave of critical acclaim, is now one of the most sought-after reservations on the West Coast. Everything that comes out of Kann's kitchen bursts with flavor and color—think lightly seared butterfish with lemongrass, mint, and green-apple shaved ice, and cane syrup–glazed breast and leg of duck with pineapple and tamarind. Reservations are a must, and it's advisable to book at least a couple of months in advance.
548 S.E. Ash St., Portland, Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Outstanding, friendly service
- Intimate Sousòl cocktail bar in the basement
- The spicy chocolate–peanut butter–habanero tart
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
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Douglas-fir beams, old wine barrels, and hungry crowds surround the glowing, beehive-shaped wood oven in the open kitchen of this thin-crust pizza joint. Ken Forkish, also of Ken's Artisan Bakery, uses fresh, organic ingredients for the dough, sauces, and toppings of his pies, which include a Margherita with arugula, a hand-pressed fennel sausage with onion, and a soppressata with basil.
304 S.E. 28th Ave., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Terrific salads and vegetable sides
- Unique topping combos such as leek and potato
- Solid wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations not accepted
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Guests reach this tiny 24-seat spot with an open kitchen by walking through the Phuket Cafe, which is itself a wonderful option for flavorful Asian cuisine. The restaurant serves the most interesting and consistently delicious Southeast Asian food in Portland via a weekly changing 10-course tasting menu that features unusual dishes like pickled mackerel with melon, sumac, and Thai chilies, and oxtail with bone marrow, chanterelle mushrooms, lentils, and tendon chips.
1818 N.W. 23rd Pl., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Some of the most inventive Thai food in the country
- A carefully curated wine list
- Wonderfully creative and flavorful desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Thurs. No lunch, Reservations essential
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Specializing in adventurous Northwest-influenced French dishes of extraordinary quality, this cozy and unassuming restaurant consistently ranks among the city's most acclaimed dining venues. James Beard award–winning chef Gabriel Rucker presents a five-course tasting menu ($135), with a vegetarian option available as well, and although the lineup changes nightly, dishes like Iberico pork jowl and tenderloin and gnocchi with lobster and black truffle are typical.
738 E. Burnside St., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Open kitchen in which diners at the counter can interact with chefs
- Lavish, leisurely five-course meals
- Less expensive à la carte next door at Canard
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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This unpretentious and airy neighborhood spot with wooden booths and whimsical fire-engine-red chairs is really two delicious dining options in one: the dining room serves inventively topped, crisp, wood-fired pizzas, and a small takeout counter dispenses homemade hard and soft-serve organic ice cream with flavors like hazelnut toffee and candied kumquat. Pizza toppings change seasonally and might include homemade fennel sausage with lacinato kale, or rainbow chard with fermented tomatoes and chilis.
4039 N. Mississippi Ave., Oregon, 97217, USA
Known For
- Beautiful seasonal salads with local greens
- Warm-and-friendly servers
- Unique pizza toppings like peaches and pancetta
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$ | Nob Hill |
At this high-ceilinged, mod-industrial space in Slabtown, it's all about the free-range, pineapple-brined, wood-fired chicken, which you can order as a quarter, half, of whole bird paired with your choice of sauces—favorites include smoked-garlic miso and Thai fish sauce. Make it a true feast by ordering a couple of the enticing sides, maybe cornbread with whipped-honey chili butter, grilled Brussels sprouts with grilled lemon–Calabrian chili oil and confit or garlic puree.
2145 N.W. Raleigh St., Portland, Oregon, 97210, USA
Known For
- The whole meals are a great deal for a family or group of a few friends
- Nice variety of local beers on tap
- Brownie sundaes with miso caramel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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This vegetarian-friendly tribute to Mediterranean cuisine occupies a handsome former warehouse on historic 13th Avenue in the Pearl. MEC (for short) is an energy-filled, open space with a mix of communal and individual tables (the food is served family-style)—it's surprisingly affordable considering the extraordinary quality and generous portions.
333 N.W. 13th Ave., Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Greek lamb chops
- Middle East–inspired cocktails
- Warm honey cake with whipped feta, candied apples, and honeycomb
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Beloved chef and cookbook author Lisa Schroeder dedicates her home-style, made-with-love approach to food to the comforting foods prepared by mothers everywhere. Clearly the theme resonates, as evidenced by the long waits on weekends, and even some weekday mornings for breakfast, which is arguably the best time of the day to sample Schroeder's hearty cooking; try the wild salmon hash with leeks or the French toast with a crunchy cornflake crust. Reservations are recommended on weekends.
121 S.W. 3rd Ave., Oregon, 97204, USA
Known For
- Down-home American comfort fare
- Fantastic breakfasts
- Seasonal fruit crisps and cobblers
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This narrow, bi-level space with exposed-brick walls, rustic chandeliers, and tall windows overlooking a busy Downtown space ranks among the more sophisticated and romantic dinner spots in the city. Charming chef-owner and Roman expat Simone Savaiano prepares complex modern Italian dishes using mostly local and organic produce and meats, in everything from the selection of cured meats to Dungeness crab salad with endive, arugula, apple, marcona almonds, and champagne vinaigrette. Handmade pastas, including an outstanding maltagliati with rabbit, olives, and pine nuts, are another strength.
1022 S.W. Morrison St., Oregon, 97205, USA
Known For
- Five- and eight-course tasting menus
- Slow-roasted pork shoulder with wild mushrooms and crispy polenta
- One of Oregon's most extensive wine lists
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch
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The flagship restaurant of one of the country's leading sources of artisanal charcuterie, such as smoked chorizo, pepper-coated capicola, and pork-pistachio pâté, Olympia Provisions serves gorgeous platters of meats and cheeses along with more eclectic seasonal Mediterranean-influenced fare like eggplant à la plancha with pine nuts and lemon vinaigrette, and pan-roasted black cod with stewed chickpeas. The setting is a smartly designed warehouse space and features a glowing "Meat" sign which quite simply says it all. There's also a pub and a Spanish-inspired tavern, Bar Casa Vale, which are both also in Southeast.
107 S.E. Washington St., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Lively happy hours
- Deeply flavorful charcuterie
- Interesting cocktail selection
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$$ | Southeast |
Colorful lights, floral-print tablecloths, and lush plants provide a bit of tropical flair to this festive culinary homage to the hawker foods of Singapore and Malaysia, such as corn fritters with sweet-chili peanut sauce, charred-pineapple salad with chili-shrimp sauce, and sour-tamarind baby-back ribs with fish sauce. Save room for a Fruity Pebble rice crispy treat.
3131 S.E. Division St., Portland, Oregon, 97202, USA
Known For
- Amusingly named but seriously tasty cocktails
- Lunch on weekends
- Whole charcoal-roasted game hen with coconut sambal
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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Specializing in "Argentine-inspired Portland food," Ox is all about prime cuts of meat—along with flavorful garden-fresh side dishes—prepared to perfection. In a dimly lit dining room with hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, and a bar against the front window, the flannel-shirt-and-white-apron-clad waitstaff serves beef, lamb, pork, and fish dishes cooked over flames in a large, hand-cranked grill.
2225 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd., Oregon, 97212, USA
Known For
- The asado Argentino platter (lots of amazing meaty grills)
- Creative side dishes, a few of which could make a full meal
- Vanilla tres leches cake dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$$$ | Pearl District |
The flagship restaurant of a fast-growing, nationally acclaimed group of sensational Latin American–inspired bars and eateries that include Lilia Comedor, Comala, and several others, this high-ceilinged, unpretentiously elegant spot serves prix-fixe tasting menus of gorgeously plated dishes that often utilize Pacific Northwest ingredients. The nightly offers change according to what's in season but might feature venison with Oaxacan chiles, king trumpet mushrooms, pears, and walnuts, or albacore with avocado and chile de agua.
100 N.W. 10th Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Charming setting in the historic EcoTrust Building
- Always inventive desserts
- Outstanding mezcal selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch
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The line that forms outside this Southern-cooking restaurant during weekend brunch and dinner is as epic as the food itself, but you can more easily score a table if you come for weekday brunch, and it's easier to find seating at the newer Pearl District location. A large, packed dining room with canned pickles and peppers along the walls, this Portland hot spot does justice to authentic Southern cooking, especially when it comes to the crispy buttermilk-battered fried chicken with creamy mashed potatoes and collard greens cooked in bacon fat. Or choose the Screen Door plate with your choice of four sides (consider the mac and cheese, creamy grits, and most any of the salads on the rotating seasonal menu).
2337 E. Burnside St., Oregon, 97214, USA
Known For
- Fried chicken (with waffles at breakfast or brunch)
- Seasonal side dishes, from praline bacon to spiced zucchini fritters
- Banoffee pie with shortbread-pecan crust
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Though the cooks at this lively counter-service restaurant are adept at preparing tamales—both the Oaxacan style wrapped in banana leaves and the more conventional style wrapped in corn husks (try the version filled with roasted pasilla peppers, onions, corn kernels, and queso fresco)—the kitchen also turns out fabulous seafood burritos and grilled-corn esquites. Be sure to check out the colorful murals that decorate the space and don't miss the chance to dine on the spacious side patio. There's an additional location on North Russell Street.
1764 N.E. Dekum St., Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- El Diablo margarita with roasted-habanero-infused tequila and mango puree
- Rotating seasonal dishes, like pozole verde and tacos de camaron
- Children's menu