In case you haven’t heard, Portland is one of the best food cities in America. This quirky city in Northwest Oregon has an incredibly diverse food scene and unique flavors everywhere. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to find the best places to eat in Portland, OR so I’ve compiled a list of 5 of my recommendations for anyone who visits!
Screen Door
This restaurant was perfect for breakfast or brunch (though they also have great dinner and dessert menus). They have two locations — one in the Pearl District and one on the East Side. I recommend making a reservation for either location, though if you arrive when they open you can likely get seated quickly.
My experience at the Pearl District location was amazing. With a variety of unique spins on classic dishes, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find something to love. For example, the braised pork shoulder benedict did not disappoint. Additionally, if you use the parking garage underneath, they’ll provide a voucher for free parking, which is kind of a big deal in a city like Portland.
¿Por Que No? Taqueria
If you’re looking for good tacos in Portland, ¿Por Que No? serves authentic food and has a cool atmosphere. They have one location on Mississippi Ave and one on Hawthorne Blvd, both with indoor and outdoor dining experiences. In addition to a variety of tacos, they have a brunch menu, a really good beans and rice bowl, and Oaxaca style tamales. I really enjoyed my experiences here and highly recommend giving it a try — because why not?
Deschutes Brewery
With great burgers and fantastic local brews, Deschutes quickly became a great experience for me. Originally established in Bend, Oregon and named after the Deschutes River, the brewery now sells beer in over 30 states, which is one reason why I was highly encouraged to go here. In addition to their brews, the pub also has a great food menu. Some of my favorite items from their menu include the IPA pretzel, pub burger, steak frites, and (if they still have them) the pork belly bites. If you don’t have time to visit Deschutes while you’re in town, you can grab a brew at the Portland International Airport before flying out.
Miss Delta’s
Brilliantly located on Mississippi Ave, just a couple blocks away from ¿Por Que No? is this great barbecue restaurant. I’ll be honest, finding good barbecue in the Pacific Northwest has not been easy. Miss Delta’s isn’t the best barbecue I’ve ever had, but it’s some of the best I’ve had in Oregon so far. The service was great, and even without a reservation on a Saturday night we were seated immediately. I especially loved the pulled pork, fried catfish, and burnt ends.
Prost!
Yet another restaurant located on Mississippi Ave, Prost! is a German bar and patio with food trucks. Portland has many food cart pods like this one, and a lot of the food I’ve had from such food carts is the same quality as my favorite restaurants — some is even better. While they have classic German brews and bites, they also have food trucks serving barbecue, tacos, Indian fusion, burgers, and Korean-inspired cuisine. As there is something for everyone, it’s a very popular place to eat at in Portland.
That concludes my list of 5 of the best places to eat in Portland, Oregon. This list does not even include a quarter of the unique cuisines you can find in this city. When visiting, I hope you will have an open mind and try new things. The diversity of the food scene in Portland is what makes it so amazing, so if you’re a picky eater you might not be impressed with everything, but I promise there is something for everyone.