Where & What to Eat in Portland, Oregon

Let me tell you something about my husband and I. One of our favorite things to do on vacation is eat. We went to Portland, Oregon on vacation, and I just have to share with you all of the food we ate and where we got it.

Portland is a total food town. There are so many places to check out, and what I loved the most is how each restaurant whether big or small had its own style, creativity and soul.

Consider this your personal guide to what to eat in Portland, Oregon and where to get it!

Pine State Biscuits: If you love biscuits and gravy this place is a must! They have classic sausage gravy or a rich mushroom gravy which is what I opted for. Everything on the menu sounds wonderful.

Biscuits and gravy remind me of my dad, my aunts and my nana. It’s a comfort food. It’s a memory. Go have them.

Sizzle Pie: We loved the thin crust by-the-slice pizza, and they had a cool variety of local beers. They have lots of vegan pizza options!

Boxer Ramen: To put it simply, Boxer Ramen had the best ramen we’ve ever had, anywhere. We loved it so much that we went twice during our trip, and that never happens.

Tommy had the classic pork ramen, and I had the spicy red miso ramen. They were nice enough to add my pork and egg onto his plate since I didn’t want that, and I asked for extra veggies. The broth is just beyond at this place. I am so sad I can’t have it on a weekly basis.

VooDoo Doughnut: Okay, so if you go to Portland you have to have doughnuts. There a few cool places to check out, but the iconic one has to be VooDoo.

Tommy hates doughnuts. Yes, I repeat, hates. He’s not a pastries lover like I am. What? Who did I marry? Basically I had no one to help me sample doughnuts so I just got one. I mean yes, it was magical, but I knew I wouldn’t eat more than that one. I chose a glazed doughnut with an obscene amount of crumbled Oreos on top. PS- I ate the other half of it for breakfast the next morning. No regrets.

I do have a quick rant about this place. A little more attention can be paid to the restroom situation, that’s all. It was B-A-D in there. That being said… the doughnuts are magical, just avoid the restroom.

The Parish: We loved the vibe in this place. If you want to have a nice date with pretty dim lighting at night, I recommend it highly. The service was wonderful, and the drinks made with care. Tommy enjoyed the fried chicken dinner. He reports that the fried chicken is truly outstanding. I had a salad and stole his biscuit.

Deschutes Brewery: We enjoyed a flight and a couple of pints here. The beer was good, and we shared a couple of small plates as well. The location is great, and it was nice to sample some Portland brews.

Ask for local brews at the restaurants where you have lunch or dinner. Most every place carries a selection of local beer.

Downtown Portland Food Carts: The food carts wrap around a whole beautifully tree lined block, and offer every food from pizza, to sushi, to fish & chips, to burritos, to curry. It is pretty cool to see them all. We tried falafel for the first time, and both really liked it. I liked the sauces on top especially.

Maya’s Taqueria: As a self-proclaimed nacho aficionado, I felt it was my duty to have nachos in the state of Oregon. We chose Maya’s because of the colorful exterior of the building, plus it’s in a great location downtown. (Across the street from Target too FYI!) We shared nachos with shredded chicken colorado on them. We ate every last one. Tommy had a chorizo taco and an al pastor taco, and said they were both delicious.

Sunrise Bagels: Find a local bagel shop for a quick and inexpensive breakfast that will keep you full until lunch. That is one tasty way to save money. We stopped at Sunrise Bagels outside of downtown. I had an everything cheese bagel with vegetable cream cheese, and it was perfect.

Coffee: I stayed VERY caffeinated while in Portland. From the moment we arrived at the airport to the morning of our flight back home, I got my coffee on. I feel it’s the Oregon way! Iced coffee was my preferred drink this trip, and my favorite places were Ava Rosteria and Stumptown Coffee.

Do you like my snapchat collage? I can’t help myself!

Grocery Store: Remember to stop a grocery store for basic snacks or drinks. It’s good to have these on hand when traveling. We got a nice little spread to take back to our room the first night of our trip.

Oh, yeah, I am also guilty of checking out cool grocery stores when I travel. I’m a food nerd, guys! If you see a Market of Choice, stop and check it out. They have an amazing beer and wine selection plus a gourmet deli.

Tillamook Factory: Some people like to go to bars while they are on vacation. I like to go to cheese factories. And my husband, my sweet guy, likes to take me to cheese factories.

The Tillamook Factory is a fun place! It seemed very family friendly. I have a lot to share about our visit, so I will make a separate post about the trip there. It’s about an hour and a half drive from Portland, and very close to the Oregon coast which makes it a great pit stop.

Other Recommendations for Dining: These are places that were highly recommended to us by friends or I found on Yelp, but we didn’t have time to check out.

• Mother’s Bistro (for breakfast)
• Screen Door
• The Waffle Window
• Blue Star Donuts
• Franks Noodle House

I fell in love with Oregon during our vacation. The food, the sights, the nature. I can’t wait to go back! Have you been? If you have any recommendations for me or anyone else reading please share them. I’d love to find out the places you like, and I hope this helps if you visit.