Bistros, trattorias and the everyday rooms where Portland actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Portland actually eats.
Nong Poonsukwattana's Thai chicken-and-rice counter in southeast Portland, started as a 2009 food cart and now the canonical khao man gai in town.
Signature: Khao man gai, Pandan chicken
Order: Khao man gai with the house ginger-soy sauce
Tip: Two locations: SE Ankeny is the original cart-turned-shop. SW 13th Ave is the downtown counter.
Earl Ninsom and Alan Akwai's Southern Thai chicken shop in NE Portland, with rice-flour-battered free-range chicken and sweet-spicy chili sauce.
Signature: Fried chicken, Roti and curry
Order: The three-piece fried chicken plate with curry roti
Tip: Two outposts (Killingsworth, Belmont) and a stall at Eem Pod. Killingsworth is the original room.
The Belmont outpost of Earl Ninsom's Southern Thai chicken concept in Portland, with rice-flour fried chicken, khao soi and walk-in counter seating.
Signature: Fried chicken, Khao soi
Order: Khao soi with the half chicken
Tip: Counter ordering, table service. Open daily 11:30 to 21:00. No reservations.
The Belmont biscuit counter that put Portland on the breakfast map in 2008, with fried chicken, gravy and the Reggie sandwich Diners Drive-Ins made famous.
Signature: The Reggie sandwich, Country breakfast
Order: The Reggie: fried chicken, bacon, cheese and gravy on a biscuit
Tip: Open daily 07:00 to 14:00. Cash and card. Order at the counter; expect a 15-minute wait on weekends.
The LGBTQ-, women- and veteran-owned brunch garden on NE Alberta in Portland, with topping-layered potato cakes, vegan tofu bowls and pineapple mimosas.
Signature: Biscuits and bacon gravy, Vegan tofu bowl
Order: The biscuits and bacon gravy with potato cakes
Tip: Dog-friendly with a doggie menu. The covered patio is the seat to ask for in summer.
Brian and Kim Spangler's 18-inch sourdough pies on SE Hawthorne in Portland, in business since 2004 and still the canonical Portland Neapolitan pizza.
Signature: Pizza margherita, Calzone
Order: The classic Margherita with house mozzarella
Tip: Phone orders open at 16:00. Dough sells out on weekends; arrive by 17:30 or risk no pie.
The Smith family's whole-grain sourdough pizza and house-churned ice cream room on N Mississippi in Portland, all foraged toppings and seasonal flavours.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, House-made ice cream
Order: The pie with chanterelles and fontina, in season
Tip: Walk-in only with a handful of booths. The ice cream rotates weekly with foraged flavours.
Ken Forkish's wood-fired pizza room on SE 28th in Portland, the pizza arm of his bakery empire with naturally leavened dough and seasonal toppings.
Signature: Wood-fired margherita, Monday-night meatballs
Order: The margherita with house-cured pepperoni
Tip: Reservations on Tock for the dining room. Monday-night meatballs sell out by 19:00.
The world's first certified sustainable sushi room, born in Portland in 2008. The SE 28th flagship runs nigiri, rolls and the wagyu burger.
Signature: Nigiri sustainable platter, Wagyu burger
Order: The chef's choice nigiri platter
Tip: Four Portland locations. The SE 28th room is the original, with the longest sake list.
Rick Gencarelli's chef-driven sandwich shop on SE Hawthorne in Portland, founded as a 2010 food cart and four-time Willamette Week Best Sandwich winner.
Signature: Pork meatball banh mi, Dirty fries
Order: The dirty fries: cut fries with pork scraps and marinated peppers
Tip: Counter order. The chefwich rotates monthly and is a collaboration with a guest chef.
The Clinton Street seafood and oyster room in Portland that moved to a bigger SE 25th and Clinton space in November 2024. Oysters, crab, cocktails.
Signature: Oysters on the half-shell, Dungeness crab roll
Order: A half-dozen Pacific oysters and a martini
Tip: Oyster happy hour from 16:00 to 17:30 weekdays. The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on Resy.
Peak food season in Portland is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Portland rewards trust.