Top 30 Portland restaurants

In Portland for the weekend or a week, you are going to need to do some serious eating or tapas hopping as I usually do. Portland is a big foodie city and everyone has their recommendations. We love to eat and we don’t mind waiting in line for it, because it’s just that good. You don’t always have to wait but brunch is kind of a big deal and that’s where the majority of the lines will be. As they say, “young people come here to retire.” They like to sleep in and eat brunch. Brunch is not just breakfast but also lunch. Then the next meal turns into happy hour. Sounds pretty great unless you are like me and love to eat more than two meals a day. Portland also offers a lot of options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten intolerant folks. Everyone can find something to eat in Portland. Plus if you are trying to get points for a dining miles program we have several options to choose from. Some areas, you can do two without going more than 20 feet.

Here’s a guide of my top 30 + (since I’m always adding to the list, I can’t stop…eating!)

Brunch:

Screen Door — excellent southern style cuisine but you will be waiting in line for awhile. Bring your coffee cup! It’s my favorite breakfast spot but they are only open for it on the weekends.

Son of a biscuit — For brunch or dinner, this place has the best fried chicken in town (or at least of places I’ve tried). The perfect juicy meat with crisp outside. Plus, they make it spicy and you get a biscuit to cool the fire burring in your mouth. Or you can just get the biscuit pudding. Melt in your mouth delicious. Pretty cool name too.

Jam on Hawthorne — great people watching on this street at any time they are open. Another spot that you will wait in line if you go on the weekends. But you can have coffee while you wait. The food is great and they have some good drink specials.

Gravy — it’s not just for dinner. Gravy offers gravy for the meat and vegetarian eaters. They also offer non-gravy food options.

Miss Delta — there has never been a wait here for breakfast and I’d say it’s almost as good as the places where you have to wait for an hour or more.

Genie’s Cafe — they have some of the best Eggs Benedict around. It’s not just one way, but several. They also have a bar as do most other brunch places but worth the mention as it’s separate from the breakfast area so you can wait in there and have a drink.

Tasty n Alder or Tasty n Sons — they have some great eats. Try the cumin, maple glazed yams. To die for!

Harlow — my favorite for gluten free and vegetarian options. Nice for people watching as well. They have great community tables if you want to get to know some folks in the neighborhood as well.

Happy hour bites and drinks:

Swift Lounge — this place is Portlandia at its best. A great local hang out. At any given time, you can usually see beards, mustaches, flannel, tattoos, skinny jeans and heels. They also serve their drinks in mason jars. Happy hour isn’t just an hour either!

Toro Bravo — great higher end spot for drinks and tapas for happy hour or dinner. Bacon wrapped dates are a highlight.

Cruz Room — this place has great tacos and infused liquors. They also host a fun trivia night.

Circa 33 — when the light is on this place is even better! What does the light mean? Blue means no and red means the Speakeasy is open for business…if you can find out how to get in. Great food and drinks. They even have a covered patio.

The Station — this place is literally an old power station. You can still see the history of the building on the walls. Good food and drink specials too.

East Burn — they have happy hour, crayons, swings and skee ball. Need I say more.

Departure — amazing views of Portland from the 15th floor in downtown. Great happy hour specials on food and drinks. You can also ask for the vegan and gluten free menus. Very accommodating.

Closed indefinitely… Produce Row — they are really well known for their bourbon. In fact they were selected for one of the top 55 places in the U.S.. Try a bourbon and beer pairing. I also highly recommend the fried cauliflower and sriracha sauce. Great, large patio space in the back that’s covered for year round enjoyment.

Drinks:

Sapphire Hotel — this place used to be a brothel. Rich in history and drink names. Great for a romantic evening or a get together with friends.

Secret Society — if you ask for a chalice, they’ll give you one…well sort of. Another great, unique, candlelight space with an excellent bar if you can find where they are. After all, it is a secret, right?

Pope House — they have one of the biggest bourbon collection I know of. Plus, if you try 50, you get a horseshoe on the wall. Not my favorite food menu but it’s pretty decent if you like carbs. Best Bourbon lounge on the west coast!

Multnomah Whisk{e}y Library — if you can get in or have VIP status this is the place to go for whiskey, whisky, rye and bourbon. I think they have everything you can think of. The menu is a book, literally. Also, you can write it off as studying, right? I mean they have the old fashioned green table lamps and desks. Plus, if you order a cocktail they come out and mix it right in front of you on a cart.

Ethnic:

Samurai Blue — they have a sushi roll with mango and coconut. I’ve never seen this anywhere else and it’s amazing. Plus they have happy hour and outdoor seating.

Sushi Mazi — they have grasshopper sushi. Apparently it’s one of those foods you have to try before you die. It’s actually pretty good. The rest of the sushi rolls are good too.

Chiang Mai — I’ve been seeking the best Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) and so far they are on the top of my list.

Nicholas — the naan is almost the size of the table. The sauces and the food are amazing as well.

Mi Mero Mole — great Mexican food without the line at Por Que No. Great happy hour too. Vegan and vegetarian friendly as well as satisfying the meat lovers.

Las Primas — great for lunch or dinner. They have little bites or full plates of delicious food from Peru.

Xico — they have a corn grinder in back so they make all their corn products from scratch. Amazing Mexican food and drinks!

Pok-Pok — world famous for excellent Thai street food and drinking vinegars. Yum! When you are waiting in line you can head over to their sister bar Whiskey Soda Lounge. Great drinks and bites there too.

Food carts:

PB&J’s Grilled — I’m not a huge bread fan but I make an exception for this place. It’s the PB&J for grown ups. Not the stuff you had as a kid. It’s better!

Cultured Caveman — if you are Paleo this is the cart for you. Great meat and side options without meat. Plus, they now have a brick and mortar location.

Pizza Box — great wood fired pizza from a cart. It might even be my favorite pizza within city limits!

Dessert:

Ruby Jewel — if you want to skip the line at Salt and Straw try this place. It’s just as good, if not better. Interesting and fun flavors to satisfy your tastebuds.

Lauretta Jeans — fruit pie with booze in it. What more could you ask for? Ok, they have cream pies too, coffee and a bar.

Cupcake Jones — best german chocolate cupcake. That’s my favorite anyway. They offer many other flavors and I’m sure they are all wonderful!

My favorite restaurant of all time is home. I love my husbands cooking more than anything else but I do enjoy all my Portland food adventures out and about. I’m salivating just thinking of all the places on this list.