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$$ | Pearl District |
A self-taught cook who grew up on the island of Crete, chef-owner Eleni Touhouliotis serves up flavorful Greek fare in this unassumingly romantic neighborhood bistro where lamb, rabbit, and shellfish figure prominently on the menu. Share a variety of the more than 40 tapas-size dishes, from traditional dips to refreshing salads to hearty pastas, and note the well-chosen selection of wines, including a number of Greek favorites.
112 N.W. 9th Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- The midweek $30 per person Eleni's choice tasting menu
- Kouneli stifatho (an earthy casserole of tender braised rabbit and baby onions)
- Saganaki cheese flambéed with cognac
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Woodlawn/Concordia |
Occupying a stately, redbrick, former firehouse, this inviting neighborhood spot in Woodlawn is warmed by a wood-fire oven, rustic redbrick-and-wood decor, and sunlight streaming through a glass garage door that's open in nice weather. Although justly well-known for the delicious thin-crust pizzas (try the one with chanterelles, garlic, mozzarella, and thyme), the restaurant receives deserved kudos for its appetizers, salads, and grills, from lightly battered and perfectly fried cauliflower with crème fraîche to meatballs with tomato, rosemary, and kale.
711 N.E. Dekum St., Portland, Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- Affordable three-course prix fixe that includes appetizer, salad, and pizza
- Well-curated list of after-dinner drinks
- Wood-fired pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$ | Southeast |
Run by the same creative team behind top-notch nearby eateries Angel Face and Navarre, this sunny corner storefront is both a casual neighborhood trattoria and a small Italian gourmet grocery stocking olive oils, vinegars, pastas, and sauces. The menu is well suited to sharing and focuses on rustic, hearty classics like minestrone, pappardelle pasta with rabbit, spaghetti with garlic, hot peppers, and clams, and hanger steak with garlic and rosemary. The quality of both the ingredients and the talent in the kitchen makes for a consistently terrific experience here. Save room for the flourless chocolate cake.
2140 E. Burnside St., Portland, Oregon, 97214, USA
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$$ | Northeast |
With a colorful purple-and-green color scheme, soaring ceilings with exposed air ducts, and lots of hanging plants, this modern mashup of Indian cuisine and comfort brunch fare isn't quite like anything even offbeat Portland has ever seen before. Dishes are both pretty and tasty, from the kitchari (savory rice dal with cabbage, herb salad, and bright-purple pickled eggs) to a rendition of shrimp and grits that showcases shrimp in a tikka mole sauce over coconut milk polenta. The owners also operate the popular DesiPDX food cart on North Mississippi Avenue.
5237 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- Masala Mary cocktails
- Friendly service
- Unusual flavor combinations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No dinner
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$$ | Downtown |
Slip off your shoes and step inside one of the tatami rooms or pull up a chair at the sushi bar at this unassuming but outstanding Downtown Japanese restaurant. So ordinary looking it barely stands out among the office towers near Keller Auditorium, the restaurant draws a crowd of locals and Japanese businesspeople who order from the wide-ranging but well-executed menu.
200 S.W. Market St., Portland, Oregon, 97201, USA
Known For
- Tempura
- Grilled salmon cheeks
- Sashimi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and no lunch Sat., Credit cards accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | |
A joint venture between James Beard Award–nominated chef Cathy Whims and renowned cocktail mixologist Ryan Magarian, this aptly named late-night spot specializes in creatively topped wood-fired pizzas and deftly crafted cocktails that rely heavily on local spirits and fresh juices. The salads and appetizers are also terrific, especially the radicchio version of a classic Caesar salad.
1134 N.W. Everett St., Oregon, 97209, USA
Known For
- Great early-evening and late-night pizza deals
- Homemade gelatos
- The Maple Pig pizza with apple butter, pork belly, smoked ham, maple mascarpone, and ricotta
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$$ | East Burnside/28th Ave. |
Painted in bright purples, pinks, and greens, this festive spot offers traditional Cuban fare: slow-roasted meats, tropical root vegetables, hearty stews, rice, and beans. The meat plates—featuring slow-roasted pork, oxtail, shredded beef, rubbed chicken, or giant prawns—with various rich and saucy accompaniments, are all tasty and best enjoyed with a side of fried plantains.
2811 N.E. Glisan St., Portland, Oregon, 97232, USA
Known For
- Sangria with fresh fruit
- Empanadas with several types of fillings
- Guava cheesecake
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | |
The red-checked tablecloths, Tiffany-style lamps, and simple decor of this pizza joint might not inspire high expectations, but just wait until you taste the blistered-crust East Coast–style pies and slices. You can build your own pizza selecting from a long list of ingredients, or choose one of the signature favorites, like the Clam Jam with clams, white wine, cream, garlic, pecorino, and chili flakes. There's a second location in Southeast.
5028 N.E. 42nd Ave., Oregon, 97218, USA
Known For
- Thin-crust and cast-iron deep-crust pizzas
- Adult "slushies"
- Soft-serve ice cream
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$$ | |
Firing up the smoker at 5 every morning, the pit crew at Podnah's spends the day slow cooking some of the best Texas- and Carolina-style barbecue in the Northwest, including melt-in-your-mouth, oak-smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork, chicken, whole trout, and lamb, all served up in a sassy vinegar-based sauce. Some sides rotate on and off the menu, but the collard greens, barbecue baked beans, and the iceberg wedge, topped with blue cheese and a punchy Thousand Island dressing, are excellent mainstays.
1625 N.E. Killingsworth St., Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- Green-chili mac and cheese (when available)
- Daily specials (fried catfish on Friday, smoked lamb on Thursday)
- Casual and lively vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$$ | North Mississippi Ave. |
A long, narrow storefront space on the lively North Mississippi strip, this convivial restaurant with exposed-brick walls, a long bar, and high timber ceilings is appreciated as a drinking hole and source of reasonably priced, well-crafted modern American fare. Sip an inventive cocktail and order a few of the shareable small plates, such as smoked-bluefish pâté or summer squash sweet corn risotto.
3951 N. Mississippi Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97227, USA
Known For
- Weekend brunch
- Impressive craft cocktail list
- Moules or steak frites
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$$ | Nob Hill |
Head to this boisterous, pink-tiled, modern restaurant in Slabtown for creative takes on Cambodian food, including an aromatic prawn stirfy with pineapple, bell peppers, and crispy garlic, and turmeric cod chowder in a hearty vermicelli noodle curry with fresh cabbage slaw. Chef-owner Diane Lam changes the menu regularly, depending on what's fresh and in season.
2175 N.W. Raleigh St., Portland, Oregon, 97210, USA
Known For
- Lush covered patio
- Lime-pepper chicken wings
- Mango sticky rice sundaes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.–Thurs.
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$$ | Downtown |
College students, local workers, tourists, and fans of authentic Chinese food pile into this brightly lighted, unfussy restaurant to indulge in heaping platters of hot-and-spicy crawfish, cumin lamb, crispy chicken with hot garlic sauce, and braised beef brisket noodle soup. Although the menu draws on all different regions of China, the Sichuan fare is especially good.
624 S.W. Hall St., Portland, Oregon, 97201, USA
Known For
- Extensive selection of soups and starters
- Very spicy food (on request)
- Mammoth portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$ | |
This busy, informal restaurant on Alberta Street is known for its hearty breakfasts—namely, its biscuits and gravy, shredded-potato cakes, egg and tofu scrambles—but the lunch menu offers plenty of creative choices as well, like a creamy artichoke sandwich and a mac and cheese of the day. With a large stone fireplace and chimney, the covered, comfortable outdoor area doubles as a beer garden on warm spring and summer days, and the adjacent garden rounds off the property with a peaceful sitting area.
1438 N.E. Alberta St., Oregon, 97211, USA
Known For
- Dog-friendly patio (and special menu)
- Cozy atmosphere
- Breakfast burritos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted, No dinner
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$$ | Montavilla/82nd Ave. |
Portland's top neighborhood for Asian fare is S.E. 82nd Avenue (and the blocks near it), and this Cantonese seafood restaurant with an expansive dining room that looks a bit like a hotel banquet hall is one of the area's most authentic venues. The lengthy menu of delicious fare includes a number of fresh seafood specialties like braised abalone in oyster sauce and tamarind-stir-fried Dungeness crab.
8733 S.E. Division St., Portland, Oregon, 97266, USA
Known For
- Daily dim sum
- Cantonese seafood
- A good variety of pork, beef, veggie, and other non-seafood items