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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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This adorable neighborhood café—one of the most outstanding brunch spots in town—serves fresh and delicious Scandinavian food with fun-to-pronounce names like friterade applen (apple fritter) and aebleskivers (Danish pancakes). All the food—the hashes, lefse potato crepes, the baked egg scrambles, the Swedish breakfast boards—is delicious, with the Swedish meatballs in sherry cream sauce and salmon fish cakes with caraway vinaigrette being especially tasty among the midday choices. There are additional locations in North Portland, Southwest Portland, and Hood River in the Columbia Gorge.
2508 S.E. Clinton St., Oregon, 97255, USA
Known For
- Light-filled dining room with rustic-modern furniture
- Often long waits for a table, especially for breakfast
- Impressive selection of aquavit
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No dinner
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$$$ | |
Home to the sunny neighborhood-oriented Market Cafe, which serves brunch daily, Coquine blossoms into a romantic, sophisticated French–Pacific Northwest bistro in the evening. Early in the day, feast on sourdough pancakes with huckleberry compote, or black cod–based fisherman's stew with garlic toast, while in the evening, you might encounter pappardelle noodles with pork ragu or roasted whole chicken with hand-cut fries. The unfussy storefront space is just steps from Mt. Tabor Park, making it a lovely spot for a meal before or after a leafy stroll.
6839 S.E. Belmont St., Oregon, 97215, USA
Known For
- Four- and seven-course tasting menus (with optional wine pairings)
- A dim sum–style candy tray offered during the dessert course
- Cheerful setting near Mt. Tabor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues.
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This humble, no-frills banh mi shop amid the many cheap and authentic Asian restaurants on S.E. 82nd stands out not just for its filling sandwiches (these crispy-bread creations come with fillings like spicy Chinese sausage, pork meat loaf, or sardines) but also for the daily featured soup, such as peppery pork-ball noodle soup on Wednesday and Vietnamese turmeric soup, with shrimp cake and sliced pork, on Sunday. There's also a diverse selection of thick milk shakes—top flavors include avocado, mango, and durian. The owners also operate Rose VL Deli nearby, which offers a more extensive soup menu.
2738 S.E. 82nd Ave., Oregon, 97266, USA
Known For
- Barbecue pork loin banh mi sandwiches
- Fun, welcoming atmosphere and fast service
- Selling out of soups so be there early
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner
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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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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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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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This pie-focused operation began as a stall at Portland's Saturday Farmers Market at PSU and is now a charming, homey, brick-and-mortar café along Division Street in Southeast. Though it's the delicious pies—with feathery-light crusts and delicious fillings like tart cherry, salted pecan, and chocolate-banana cream—that have made Lauretta Jean's a foodie icon in Portland, this cheerful eatery also serves exceptional brunch fare, including the LJ Classic, a fluffy biscuit topped with an over-easy egg, Jack cheese, bacon, and strawberry jam. In the evening, it's a popular spot for desserts and coffee, or even cocktails.
3402 S.E. Division St., Oregon, 97202, USA
Known For
- Salted-caramel apple pie
- Short but well-curated cocktail list
- Flavorful savory goods such as quiches
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Division/Clinton |
Set in an airy, high-ceilinged space on the ground floor of the architecturally noteworthy Clinton Condominiums building, this sleek operation serves delectable breakfast and lunch sandwiches and sweets that are nearly impossible to pass up, like the lemon-curd-and-currant scones and sea-salt chocolate brownies.
2600 S.E. Division St., Portland, Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Tantalizing pastries and sweets
- House-cured lox on spelt and other breakfast sandwiches
- Savory breads, including a delectable olive slab
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Described by baker-owner Kristen Murray as a "modern pastry luncheonette," this dainty West End café has just a handful of wooden booth and counter seats and a minimalist-inspired white-on-white aesthetic. The menu features exquisite French–Scandinavian pastries, cakes, and sandwiches, as well as a full gamut of drinks, including wine (interesting flights are offered), beer, cocktails, teas, and coffee.
921 S.W. Oak St., Oregon, 97205, USA
Known For
- Ever-changing, handwritten menu
- Assorted Swedish fika (snack) pastries
- Revelatory black-pepper cheesecake
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No dinner
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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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You'll find some of the tastiest sweets—including heavenly pistachio-rose croissants and blueberry-blackberry scones—in town at this cozy patisserie and café a few blocks south of Jamison Square. Be sure to check out the ever-changing selection of fluffy macarons.
404 N.W. 10th Ave., Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Double-chocolate flourless cookies
- Savory quiches and croissants
- Selling out of croissants early
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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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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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
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$$ | Downtown |
Established by the team behind the vaunted weekend dinner house, Han Oak, this cozy, casually minimalist spot in the trendy West End doles out inventive modern Korean bites, from savory bay shrimp pancakes with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce to Manila clams with miso butter and ginger sake. A highly popular brunch is served Friday–Sunday and is especially known for its twisted donuts in tantalizing flavors like milk tea and toasted coconut.
580 S.W. 12th Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97205, USA
Known For
- Korean fried chicken wings with a variety of sauce options
- Kimchi and pork belly buns at brunch
- Butter mochi cake for dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Thurs.
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This popular upscale Pearl District restaurant offers an inventive menu—a combination of traditional Peruvian and contemporary "Novoandina" cuisines—served in a large but nook-filled space that features live music most evenings. The extensive seafood offerings include several ceviches, grilled octopus, and a Peruvian-style paella that abounds with shellfish. A late-night bar offers sangria, small plates, and cocktails.
1314 N.W. Glisan St., Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Peruvian-style pisco sours
- Stylish yet casual lounge with great happy hour
- Ceviche with mixed fish and shellfish
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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The pies here—which have been lauded by Anthony Bourdain, Rachael Ray, and thousands of everyday pizza lovers—deserve the first-class reputation they enjoy. The greatness of the pies rests not in innovation or complexity, but in the simple quality of the ingredients, such as dough made by hand in small batches and baked to crispy-outside, tender-inside perfection and toppings—including basil, pecorino romano, and house-cured bacon—that are fresh and delicious. Although the decor is rather plain and you'll likely have to wait for a table, you'll forget all once you take your first bite and start basking in the glory of some of the best pizza in the city.
4741 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Oregon, 97215, USA
Known For
- Interesting beer list
- The bacon bianca pizza (white, with no sauce)
- Reservations are a good idea, even to sit at the bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Set beneath a soaring beamed ceiling, and with a welcoming mix of worn wooden seating, kitschy decor, bright fabrics, and intoxicating smells, this lively restaurant along Division Street's hoppin' restaurant row specializes in Indian street food. Order at the counter, and your food—perhaps vada pav (spicy potato dumplings with chutney), gobi Manchurian (Indo-Chinese fried cauliflower with lemon, curry leaves, and sweet-and-sour sauce), or Goan-style shrimp served with a full complement of chutneys, paratha bread, and dal—will be brought out to you. The smaller original location is in the Alberta Arts District.
3010 S.E. Division St., Oregon, 97202, USA
Known For
- Delicious breads and vegetable side dishes
- Small Indian gourmet market with spices and curries
- Mango lassi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$ | West End |
This often crowded and convivial ramen shop, at the entrance of the Union Alley shopping arcade across from the Ace Hotel, is tiny in size and menu, but popular for its quick-service soups, including spicy red miso with pork belly and egg, and shiitake mushroom shoyu. Seating is at a few small wooden tables and a short bar, so prepare for a wait at lunchtime or on weekend evenings. Boxer Ramen has four additional locations in the Alberta Arts District, Sellwood, Nob Hill, on East Burnside.
1025 S.W. Harvey Milk St., Portland, Oregon, 97205, USA
