A Perfect (Food!) Day in Portland
It’s time for us to give Seattle a little air and, instead, do some rambling on-and-on about our second favorite city. Portland, Oregon.
We used to live there, so this bit of Portland love is long overdue.
Recently, we planted ourselves in our old hometown for a couple days of catching up with family and friends. Aside from getting up to speed with everyone and their dog (literally, in some cases), the highlight for us was the food. Surprise, surprise.
Consider these cheap eats in Portland if you see a visit in your future. As a bonus, hitting all of these little gems gets you to several different parts of the city that you’ll want to check out anyhow.
Assuming you’re staying in/near the core of the city, you’ll want to make the Pearl District’s Nuvrei Patisserie and Cafe your first stop. Since we usually work out and then work and have oatmeal in the room, we didn’t need breakfast on this day. Rather, by the time we got the heck out of our room, we were ready for a mid-morning jump start. We got just that in the form of a shared serving of wild berry brioche. Goodness gracious – the interplay of sweet and tart was spectacular.
Want to make Nuvrei your breakfast stop? No problem. They also offer heartier fare that, I have no doubt, will leave you satisfied.
One more thing before we move on. Nuvrei is where you should make the budget saving move of picking up your dessert for back in the room at the end of the day. Without any hesitation, order as many of the gluten free double chocolate cookies as you think you’ll be able to handle. After a long day exploring Portland, you’ll dive into them and, before drifting off to sleep, promptly head to Yelp to add your “Best. Cookie. Ever. I can’t believe they are flour-less” review.
Moving on. After working up an appetite strolling around the Pearl, ignore all the eateries that are calling to you and head directly to Mi Mero Mole. It’s across the river, in SE Portland.
I don’t even know where to begin. I know you understand, because I know that you know all about our (often ill conceived) attempts to get Mexican food where ever we are. Suffice it to say, we have found our official stop for Mexican grub in Portland.
Aiming to offer up Mexico City street food, MMM succeeds brilliantly. First rule = let the person behind the counter tell you what to order. We ate every last bite of our squash blossom quesadilla and guisados plate – packed with two stews, rice, beans and tortillas. Our vegetarian stews – rajas con crema and tinga de calabacitas y elote – were well composed with interesting seasoning and an ideal consistency for loading into tortillas.
A quartet of sauces and a refreshing aqua fresca rounded the meal out perfectly.
While you’re over in Southeast, be sure to check out a SE neighborhood. Hawthorne and Belmont are wonderful places to meander and people watch.
Before heading back to your hotel for a late afternoon rest break (and to drop off your cookies from Nuvrei), we heartily believe that downtown and the Pearl District deserve more of your attention. Portland is about the most walkable city that exists. So start walking and – no joke – try to get lost. The city’s footprint is small and manageable enough that you can’t go too far without a quick look at the map getting you back on track.
If your random wandering happens to drop you at Cool Moon Ice Cream for an afternoon snack, well lucky you. No need to even think about what flavor to choose. Go for the wallet-friendly Geological Dig and let it all be a mystery. Sitting at the park across the street (hint, hint), we found mint chip, banana and coffee chip in our pint.
And then it was time for that power nap.
A little later, revived and ready to head into the night, we knew right where we wanted to start things off – NW Portland’s Melt Bistro and Bar. Why Melt? They offer a 100% laid back vibe and one of Portland’s best happy hour options (which supported our budget eats goal). Most days, happy hour runs from 2:00 PM until close. So you can make a meal out of it, as we did, or use it as a snack stop before eating elsewhere in NW.
We found the menu to be a bit too all-over-the-board, but we lucked out with a couple of manhattans and their delicious feta stack salad. Afterwards, we walked all around 21st and 23rd streets (as you should!) and played “remember how much fun we had there” as we ambled past old haunts.
After an uncharacteristically late night out, we were exhausted but not too tired to pass up those double chocolate cookies waiting on the nightstand.
Is Portland on your travel wish list? Have you been to Portland, and do you have a cheap eats place to recommend? Let us know in the comments so that we can hit it on a future visit.
I loved all my food in Portland except one thing – maple bacon donuts at Voodoo Donut – what a let down! I have never eaten at Dunkin Donuts but I would assume they are pretty much the same.
Oh snap!
We haven’t been to Voodoo in a couple of years but have always viewed it as a place to check out (people watch / donut watch) as opposed to a place to go for outstanding donuts.
Yum! I have been hearing so many great things about Portland lately and haven’t been since I was a kid. This is only adding to my list of reasons I need to make it back there.
It’s probably changed a lot since you were a kid. Heck, it seems to change a lot between our visits.
Having lots of options is always good, but getting tips is also important. Thanks.
We always take as many tips as we can get our hands on.
Will be there later this year, will definitely check some of these out!
If you’re a food guy, you’ll definitely love Portland. Let us know if you have questions. We’ll make sure you leave at least 5 pound heavier.
That feta snack salad looks INCREDIBLE – as does the selection at Nuvrei! Portland is up there on my “must-go” list for when I hit up the west coast (along with San Francisco) whenever that may be. Thanks for sharing guys. You’ve got my tummy rumbling and I’ve not had breakfast yet!
Your “Food Porn” series will explode when you get up here to the Pacific Northwest. Let us help facilitate that
Apizza Scholls on Hawthorne Blvd was amazing (and we are NYers who usually do not eat pizza on trips!)
Also, while not in PDX, Red Hills Market in Dundee has my ‘best thing I ever ate’ award for the roast beef, blue cheese, & caramelized onions sandwich!
Wookay… You are blowing my mind with those suggestions. Just checked out Apizza’s website and am drooling. That sandwich in Dundee sounds terrific. We need an excuse to make another trip down very soon.
Thanks for the tips!
I have never been and only know what I have been told about it. I like the idea of a walkable American city. We just made some new friends that live in Portland this past week. It sounds like a nice place to be.
Portland is both incredibly interesting and incredibly easy. Again, it’s so manageable that you never feel overwhelmed (well, maybe by the food choices).
What….no food carts? Happy Hour at Urban Farmer is my new favorite place to go…try it next time you are in town!
Ryan…look me up when you get to town, I’d be happy to show you around if I am in town. I’ll be in Portugal for most of October, but will be around the rest of the year. I’m a fan of cheap eats in Portland…and know where some great happy hours are.
Heather… we must meet
Ya, food carts – that’s an entirely separate post. Looks like Urban Farmer has a great happy hour. We’ll hit it next time.
Looks good! I’ve heard such good things about Portland that I really want to visit. One of my best friends lives in Seattle, so maybe Andy and I can go to Seattle long enough to take a side trip next time we’re up there. The food looks delicious!
Thanks, Ali. Yes… do a Seattle / Portland combo. It’s a quick trip. Trust us – we do it so much that I think we both have the highway memorized.
Portland is one of my top US destinations. Will definitely come back to this post when I finally get to plan that trip.
Just be sure you include Seattle in that trip.
Definitely… and would want to throw in Vancouver too if I had the time.
Can you believe not only have I never been to Seattle, but I’ve never been to Portland? I really need to do this…
Seriously, don’t even get me started on what we think of you not having been up here. Make it happen.
You have totally sold us on Portland! We’ve been wanting to go there for a long time, but now we are dying to go!!
And I second Tom – the feta snack salad looks delicious!
No doubt you’ll LOVE it. And, yes, that salad was delicious – especially since it was hotter than hell that day. Side tip = Portland (and Seattle) do not do well in extreme heat.
It seems like there are many perfect food days you can have in Portland, I have a whole list of places I want to go to on my next trip. And wine too, tons of wineries outside of town. Great spot for foodies!
It is, Andi. AND many of the places we enjoyed when we lived there are still around. Nice to see that.
Go ahead and make me all homesick and hungry, why don’t you?!
As much as I love, love, love traveling – I equally love the idea of returning home to Portland and heading out for a massive eat-our-way-around-the-city reunion with friends
Fun write up, guys. Happy travels xx
Thanks, Bethany. I’m not crying too hard for you because you were in the foodgasm (thanks for that word, Kirsten) empire, Bologna, not long ago. Can’t wait until we can meet up with you when you return to Portland.
I misssssssss mexican food! That looks so good. I don’t know if I miss Mexican food as much as I just miss HOT SAUCE!
But since you made me jealous, I am going to make you guys jealous. There are a lot of fabulous cheeses out here. 
I am actually eating cheese because I can see the goats it is coming from.
Ok…fine your mexican food wins!
You know we feel your pain, Meg – because you know all about our irrational attempts to find Mexican food where ever we go.
Having said that… how dare you attempt to make us jealous with your talk of incredible cheese. We will seek revenge. Somehow, some day.
Squash blossom quesadilla? I want to eat that right now! We’ve been to Portland a few times but haven’t really had a lot of opportunity to wander around and sample food. We have heard about Voodoo’s maple bacon donut, though… and to be honest, I doubt I’d enjoy that.
Three LOUD cheers for squash blossom quesadillas. We feel in love with them in Oaxaca.
I don’t remember any of the food I ate in Portland, except for an awful fish taco that was basically a lumpy fish stick in the bottom of a shell. Next time, I’ll have to put more effort into finding some exciting meals.
Well that doesn’t sound very memorable. Yes, a do-over is in order.
Yes, exploring a town for delicious food is one of the joys of travelling. I would love to sample anything that is Pure Vegetarian!!
Wish you guys a good day:)
There is no shortage of good vegetarian (and vegan) food in Portland.
Then I am all game:)
Glad you enjoyed Portland! We’ve been back to work for 3 months now in Portland and even though I walk 3 miles round trip to work, walk at lunch & walk the dog at night I am still gaining weight! So many suggestions I could make but one place I keep returning to is Briskets Food Cart at the Quimby Pod. Salt & Straw is a good ice cream joint on 23rd – had the Pear & Blue Cheese ice cream just the other day & loved it. Oh, a great happy hour joint in Pearl is Henry’s – love the block of ice to keep your beer cold while you nosh on great upscale bar food.
Hey, thanks! We have not heard of Briskets, but we’ve read a lot about Salt and Straw (have not been though). We HAVE been to Henry’s.
Now I’ll be thinking of pear and blue cheese ice cream all day. Thanks.
As a current Portlander I endorse this post.
Only thing I would add is to take a lunch on the “low brow” side and try some food carts at 9th and Alder, especially New Taste of India.
Hi, Ryan. I think food carts deserve an entirely separate post.
I’m going to Portland mid-August, so this post has me excited. I know I’m going to have way too many options to choose from there and talking to Ayngelina, she tells me that the food scene there is amazing. Would love to hear more recs if you have them but being budget conscious is probably a good thing and fairly easy to do in Portland! Did you guys tour the coast at all?
We used to live there (and now use Seattle as a home base) so have been to the coast a lot. Shoot off an e-mail with any questions.
Portland feels so close and yet so far away. Scott and I have been saying that we need to make it there soon. I’m sure the food is delicious and interesting, especially that feta stack salad. Were you guys at WDS?
We were there over that weekend (but didn’t attend).
Can you guys please take me with you next time. PLEASE??
Imagine the shenanigans!
These places look amazing! I’m coming to you if I ever make it to Portland. It happens to be that one city in the US that I’ve always wanted to go to but keeps alluding me… Someday soon!
Hold up, sister. You betta make it to Seattle first.
SVV was born in Portland! Though sadly the two of us have never been there together (though, er, the two boyfriends I dated before him were also from Portland–and I’ve never even lived in the NW either!–so I have been there before).
First off, I don’t like thinking there was anyone before SVV. It just seems wrong.
You two need to do a run around the PNW.
I loved the food in Portland when I went there in 2004! I only spent about 3 days there but I put on a kilo! That is how much I ate.
Ah, ’04 before things totally exploded.
We’ve got your post bookmarked! Was recently in Portland and ran out of ideas of where to go for good food. Your recos sound delish!
Be sure to report back (and take your usual outstanding photos!).
And I STILL have yet to get to Portland.
Requirement = swing by Seattle when you do.
Great to meet you at the BBQ last weekend. We ended up at Nouvrei and loved it – thanks for the recommendation!
Hey, good to see you here. Great to meet you two as well! Glad you liked Nuvrei. Let us know what you had
Yum! I love Portland. I’m big on craft beer and street food, so Portland and me get along just fine!
When was the last time you visited?
Feta Stack = winner.
For me.
It was a winner. Now we want to recreate it at home.
Yup, we’re going to be making a trip back to Portland REAL soon. Have you tried Big Ass Sandwiches before? Adam Richman raved about them at the New York Times Travel Show and we’ve been meaning to head down to sample them for ourselves. I think we should ALL make a trip down to Portland soon. It’d be great to explore with some past locals.
Have not been to Big Ass Sandwiches. We’re convinced we need to go.
i LOVE eating my way through Portland! my favorite place to grab a cheap eat was the Nong’s chicken & Rice cart!! that was life alteringly good.
Added to the list!