126 Best Restaurants in Portland, Oregon

Angular wood-cut wall mountings and soft overhead globe lamps impart a subtly chic vibe at this upbeat mod-Mediterranean restaurant that divides its menu into "from the grill" (fennel-crusted rib eye, Spanish octopus) and "roasted and fried" (chicken in a Calabrian-chili tomato sauce, Sicilian eggplant parmigiana). If you were hoping to avoid carbs, think again: the homemade pastas are divine, as is the focaccia, baked fresh daily by the in-house bakery.

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.

At this Bay Area import, the rambling old Hawthorne house setting feels a touch country-chic, and the friendly servers deliver platters of almost gorgeous, colorful Thai food—mounds of florid jasmine blue rice, spicy Esan-style tuna larb, wagyu beef lettuce rolls, and crispy pork belly with garden veggies. Locally sourced and often organic produce and meats are favored, and quite a few of the dishes pack serious heat (but can be tamed a bit on request). There's a second location Downtown.

"Welcome to your friendly neighborhood beneficial bacteria emporium" is the playful greeting slogan of this locavore-minded, vegan, kombucha taproom specializing in all things fermented, from smoked-beet Reuben sandwiches with cashew-chive cheese and ruby kraut to grilled vegetables with mojo verde and fermented jalapeños. Homemade kombucha and pear-apple water kefirs are among the beverage offerings, and there's also a good variety of beers, ciders, and natural wines.

An enticing go-to for a sweet treat, this inviting parlor doles out fun flavors of satisfyingly rich ice cream. Thai rice pudding with pandan, ancho chili-mango, and challah French toast with cinnamon and maple are among the standouts. There are additional locations on Burnside and 28th and in Slabtown.

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.

This chatter-filled breakfast and lunch spot on the edge of the Central East Side is a delightful spot for kicking off your day, with or without a splash of Campari in your glass (there's a fine selection of coffees and teas, too). The breakfast-brunch fare is superb, with chicken-and-waffles topped with hot-chili honey and Honduran baleadas (homemade flour tortillas rolled around refried beans, scrambled eggs, queso, avocado, and crema) leading the charge.

Bold colors play a central role in the look and culinary approach of this trendy restaurant, from the tropical-print wallpaper to the ornately ornamented tableware, and above all else in the consistently delicious Indonesian fare. Roti with coconut-cream corn, braised-beef rendang with kumquats, and Coca-Cola clams steamed with chilis and lemongrass reflect the kitchen's creative and sometimes surprising interpretation of a cuisine that gets very little play in Portland.

This festive tribute to the food of the Southwest has wooden booths and a long tile bar, along with turquoise Zia symbols and cow-skull wall sconces that speak to the restaurant's mix of New Mexican, Texas, and interior Mexican recipes. Fire-roasted green chilies from Hatch, New Mexico, are used in several dishes like the spicy smoked-chicken flautas and the hearty beef brisket tacos, and there's an extensive list of margaritas and local drafts to help cool your taste buds.

No minors allowed. Only 21+ are allowed.

This casual but inviting counter-service Mexican eatery decorated with leafy plants and green-and-white Talavera tiles specializes in hefty tortas stuffed generously with chicken pibil, braised beef, carnitas, and plenty of flavorful accoutrements like habanero slaw and pickled onions. If you'd rather go breadless, you can customize a bowl using most of the torta ingredients.

Clean lines, natural light, and angular, modern tables (some communal) define the Scandinavian aesthetic of this bi-level café in the mostly residential—and quite picturesque—Alameda neighborhood, close to Beaumont's commercial strip. Drop by to work or socialize over cappuccinos or "freelancer" cocktails (espresso and fernet), or dig into a bowl of porridge, a fried egg and avocado sandwich, or a salad of roasted beets with a dill-chive yogurt dressing. There's a second location inside Powell's Books in the Pearl District.

Inside this sleek Woodstock café, with additional locations Downtown and on East Burnside, patrons sip fine coffees sourced from Central America, South America, and Africa, and indulge in breakfast and lunch fare, such as savory and sweet porridges, granola, toasts, and salads. Finnish owner Wille Yli-Luoma brings a modern, minimalist aesthetic to this striking space with plenty of tables for working and socializing.

One of Portland's original farm-to-table restaurants, this classic eatery, opened in 1994 by renowned namesake chef Greg Higgins, has built its menu—and its reputation—on its dedication to local, seasonal, organic ingredients. Higgins' dishes display the diverse bounty of the Pacific Northwest, incorporating ingredients like heirloom tomatoes, forest mushrooms, mountain huckleberries, Pacific oysters, Oregon Dungeness crab, and locally raised pork.

Diners have been enjoying fresh Pacific Northwest seafood in Jake's warren of wood-paneled dining rooms for more than a century. The back bar came around Cape Horn during the 1880s, and the chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings date from 1881. The restaurant, now operated by the McCormick & Schmick's chain, gained a national reputation in 1920, when crawfish was added to the menu. White-coated waiters take your order from an almost endless sheet of daily seafood specials—which can include cedar-plank-roasted salmon, pecan-crusted catfish, Dungeness crab, and Bay shrimp cakes. If you're dining during crawfish season (May–September), sample the tasty crustacean in pie, cooked creole style, or in a Cajun-style stew over rice. The daily happy hour in the bar is one of the best deals in town, with handcrafted drinks, $4 cheeseburgers, $5 fish tacos, and other toothsome bargains.

Dessert isn't the only offering at this modish East-meets-West patisserie, but these opulent treats—matcha-yuzu mousse tarts, fig–and–red wine chocolates, passionfruit macarons—are unquestionably JinJu's raison d'etre. For a more substantial breakfast or lunch experience, tuck into a five-grain Korean bulgogi bowl or a curried-chicken panini.

Golden crusts are the trademark of Ken's rustic breads, croissants, tarts, and puff pastries, perfect for breakfast and lunch. Sandwiches, barbecue pulled pork, and croque monsieur are served on thick slabs of freshly baked bread, and local berries fill the flaky pastries. If the dozen tables inside the vibrant blue bakery are crammed (they usually are), you can sit outside at one of the sidewalk tables.

This New York-style kosher deli and bagel bakery evokes a 1950s diner. The thick sandwiches are made with fresh bread and lean, fresh-cooked meats, and the tender home-smoked salmon and pickled herring are simply mouthwatering.

Along quaintly hip Clinton Street, in a fanciful red-roof building, cozy La Moule serves a perfectly prepared rendition of the dish for which it's named, with a classic marinière sauce and crispy baguettes. But there are also steak frites, whole-roasted branzino with fennel ragout, and other French-Belgian specialties.

One of several spots around Portland that has become known for advancing the art of sandwich making, Lardo offers a steady roster of about a dozen wonderfully inventive variations, plus one or two weekly specials, along with no-less-impressive sides like chickory salad and apple hushpuppies. Sandwiches of particular note include the tender Korean-style braised pork shoulder with kimchi, chili mayo, cilantro, and lime, and grilled mortadella with provolone, marinated peppers, and mustard aioli. There's also a branch Downtown in the West End.

This tiny creperie just outside the hubbub of the Pearl District can serve as a romantic dinner-date spot or just a cozy place to enjoy a cocktail and a late-night snack. You can get sweet crepes with fruit, cheese, chocolate, and cream or savory ones with meats and cheeses; in addition, the dinner menu is rounded out with salads and steaks.

A veteran of TV's Top Chef Masters, co-owner Jenn Louis serves exemplary modern Pacific Northwest fare in this contemporary, conversation-filled spot along the increasingly trendy North Williams restaurant strip. The stew of clams, ocean steelhead, and Burgundy snails with shiso and Calabrian chilies is a winner, and there are always three or four fresh-made pastas on the menu, such as bucatini with an octopus Bolognese sauce and mint, plus locally sourced grills and inventive salads. Louis and her husband, David Welch, also run the more casual Sunshine Tavern on Division Street in 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.

This cozy and colorfully decorated corner space has a near-fanatical following for flavorful Filipino-fusion food prepared by the restaurant's renowned classically trained chef-owner. Expect creative, artfully prepared renditions of classics like squid-ink crab-fat noodles with peppers and corn, pork-skin cracklings with spiced coconut vinegar, and tender pork adobo.

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.

This unpretentious, counter-service restaurant along lively Belmont Street is a terrific option for complexly seasoned, meat-free Sri Lankan fare, including hearty and spicy jackfruit curry and pigeon-pea fritters with chilis. There's also a daily-changing selection of additional curries and sides that might include deviled potatoes or shredded kale with grated coconut. Beer and wine is available.

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.