When you fancy eating out someplace a bit completely different, Portland has loads of genuinely glorious stand-out locations to select from.
I’ve spent many evenings scouting out a number of the most unusual and stand-out locations so whether you’re in search of fashionable Center Japanese fare, a hip Asian fusion, or a enjoyable spot serving up American dishes with an upscale twist, listed here are my private favorites…
1. Tusk – finest for Center Japanese
I really like this significantly fashionable and stylish spot. Tusk is a Center Japanese restaurant situated within the Buckman District and this place is fashionable for a purpose.
Select from numerous mezze dishes, together with a mezze platter, mezze with rooster, and another choice with falafel. There may be even a mezze and salad choice or I’d advocate the mezze household meal for bigger teams.
For dessert, be sure you attempt an unique Moroccan pancake which is simply scrumptious. It contains kewra grapefruit confit, rose-apple preserves, candied kumquat, and ricotta.
On Valentine’s Day, they’ve dinner-for-two specials to pick an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert at a reduced worth.
2. Mucca Osteria – finest for Italian
Downtown Portland’s Mucca Osteria presents natural Italian meals in a Gothic-themed restaurant setting. Select from an extended record of half bottles, glowing, white, purple, and Piemonte Barolo.
For meals, select from antipasti, primi piatti, dolci (do-it-yourself desserts). Most are pasta dishes with greens and herbs, for instance, Tortellini ai Funghi. It options do-it-yourself mushroom and ricotta-filled tortellini, almonds, Brussels sprouts, and glazed shallots submerged in a white wine cream sauce.
3. Departure Lounge – finest for Pan Asian
I’m an enormous fan of contemporary inside design and the Departure Lounge is one other glorious and weird restaurant on the Nines luxurious lodge in Downtown Portland. Right here you’ll be able to style Asian fusion in an elegant restaurant as you benefit from the native Downtown views.
Pan-Asian delicacies contains Northwest Oysters, candy shrimp spring rolls, pork stomach, steamed buns, rooster tenderloin and kushiyaki eggplant.
If in case you have a personal occasion arising, request Departure Lounge to offer you indoor or outside house and catering. They’ll host a personal occasion for as few as 12 folks, with a most of 125 accommodated.
4. Melting Pot – finest for fondue
Downtown Portland’s Melting Pot is an American restaurant specializing in fondue and I really like this distinctive spot! There are at all times salads and meat-based entrees, after which hearty mains!
Select from four-course dinner menus for 2 or an a la carte menu for dinner. You begin your meal with an appetizer, a cheese fondue with meals for dipping, akin to fruits, greens, and artisan bread.
Fondues embrace traditional alpine, Wisconsin cheddar, fiesta, spinach artichoke, Wisconsin trio, and Quattro Formaggio.
5. Lechon – finest for South American Meals
Lechon is a South American restaurant specializing in tapas and internet hosting glorious worth, scrumptious glad hour specials.
Tapas choices embrace pastel de choclo, pork stomach burritos, pork anticucho, lomo saltado, and smoked bone marrow.
Joyful hour meals begin as little as $56and go as excessive as $13. Their $6 cornmeal fried olives are vegan, whereas their $6 small farmers’ inexperienced salad is vegan and gluten-free.
6. Han Oak Restaurant – finest for Korean
Strive the funky Han Oak Restaurant within the Kerns District for Korean meals. The restaurant hosts dumplings and noodle nights for patrons who love such fashionable Korean dishes.
Two eating choices can be found. You will get shaved meats to dip in broth and luxuriate in with their hand-pulled noodles and do-it-yourself dumplings. That is $76 per particular person.
A 5-course Mexican-inspired menu is yours for $55 per particular person. This menu contains dry-aged fish tostadas, purple rice croquettes, charcoal-grilled pork loin tacos, masa colada, bay leaf, and Canelo churro ice cream for dessert.
7. The Observatory – finest for American classics
Swing by the Montavilla District to attempt The Observatory. You’ll be able to depend on American classics and distinctive cocktails if you go to this restaurant. You’ll be able to have an entree salad akin to apple, beet, and rooster salad with crispy bacon for a lighter meal.
Strive the Capricorn, Lavender Gin Lemon Drop, Pink Cloud, Blood Orange Negroni, the spicy Tom Kah, and lots of different choices to indulge of their signature cocktails.
In case you are in a distinct alcoholic temper, attempt one in all their white or purple wines or draft beers.
8. Arden Restaurant – finest for upscale
Pearl District’s upscale Arden Restaurant is situated within the Gregory Lofts. This wine bar serves Pacific Northwest delicacies and presents upscale appetizers, and entrees along with your favourite wines.
In case you are a celebration of 4, take into account the Chef’s Prix Fixe, which is $65 per particular person and in addition contains wine pairings for an additional price.
Pattern fancy dishes akin to truffled potato leek pierogi with chive creme fraiche or the Dungeness crab tagliatelle with crab butter and preserved lemon.
9. Punch Bowl Social – finest for enjoyable
Punch Bowl Social is a enjoyable gastropub located in Downtown Portland inside Pioneer Place. It’s often known as essentially the most distinguished Punch Bowl Social location.
Take pleasure in numerous punch bowls and fashionable American eats whereas enjoying enjoyable video games. Select from karaoke, desk video games, and bowling.
Throughout their Joyful Hour, attempt sriracha, peanut fries, chips, guacamole, or a pulled pork sandwich in between your video games. Sip on a margarita, whiskey bitter, or beer to clean all of it down.
10. G-Love New American Kitchen – finest for very distinctive
Northwest District’s G-Love New American Kitchen is contained in the Carson Residences car parking zone. This New American restaurant has a really distinctive idea and fabricates its dishes utilizing regionally grown produce, and it’s often known as the nation’s first reverse steakhouse.
Which means that fruit and veggies are the central a part of the dish as meat is a supplementary element fairly than the opposite method round with regular American meals. Strive their Crunchmaster Crisp, Chirashi Bowl, charred hanger steak, or fried rooster with avocado rank.
11. Mediterranean Exploration Firm – finest for fashionable decor
The Pearl District’s Mediterranean Exploration Firm is a Center Japanese restaurant and I’m an enormous fan of the fabulous fashionable decor they’ve right here.
They serve up home favorites akin to radicchio salad, roasted eggplant dip, Turkish delight, Hummus Abu Hassan, and falafel, all throughout their Joyful Hour for $12.
Take pleasure in these costs Monday by means of Friday from 4 pm to five pm. Alcoholic beverage picks embrace American whiskey, worldwide whiskey, agave and vodka.
12. Clarklewis Restaurant – finest for a date night time
The Clarklewis Restaurant is stationed on the Eastbank Commerce Middle within the Buckman District. Their Italian dishes are solely farm-to-table made with native components.
What’s distinctive about Clarklewis is that their menu choices change day by day, contingent upon the chef’s discretion. It’s served up in a industrial-chic warehouse which has unbelievable fashionable vibe, which I feel it good for a date night time!
Most dishes say the place the components have been, akin to Carlton Farms pork sausage, Montecucco Farms beets, and Topaz Farms carrots. The wood-burning of their institution fashions scrumptious pizza choices, together with the Siri and Sons Honeynut Squash pizza.
13. Noble Rot – finest for views
Noble Rot is an American restaurant and wine bar situated on the 4th flooring of a constructing to take pleasure in metropolis views whereas consuming.
Take pleasure in common American favorites akin to hamburgers or take pleasure in one in all their upscale dishes. Strive their soup of the day or pasta of the day for a shock dish.
Distinctive dishes embrace Idaho Rainbow Trout, Stuffed Squash, Burrata, and the vegan Tuscan Kale Salad.
14. Palomar – finest for Cuban meals
Palomar is a Cuban restaurant situated within the Hosford-Abernethy District. Style their signature cocktails such because the Americano, Moscow Mule, twentieth Century, French 75 or the aromatic Violet Fizz.
The Harina Con Camarones embrace Creole spiced shrimp, squash polenta, pepitas, and carrot sofrito.
The Frita Cubana consists of a beef and pork chorizo patty, garnished with onion and julienne potatoes and topped with cheese. Select from 4 appetizers, two kinds of sandwiches, and 5 entrees for lunch and dinner.
15. Broder Soder – finest for Scandinavian meals
Broder Soder is a Scandinavian restaurant within the household of Broder Cafe and Broder Nord all through the native space.
They serve essentially the most in depth choice of West Coast aquavits, akin to Krogstad Festlig from Portland, Krogstad Gamle from Portland, and Holen from Astoria.
Strive Danish pancakes, smoked trout eggs benedict, Swedish hash, ortasteget a scrumptious style of Scandinavian fare. Their Swedish meatballs are available a tasty sherry cream accompanied by a lingonberry jam, pickles, potato pancake, and levian toast.
16. Blossoming Lotus – Greatest For Vegan Eating
In case you are a vegan, you’ll recognize the vegan fusion at Blossoming Lotus I in case you are a vegan within the Irvington District. They use solely the perfect regionally sourced plant-based components and have natural components when doable from their suppliers.
Whereas Blossoming Lotus on NE fifteenth Avenue is a full-service restaurant, their Portland/Slabtown location is a restaurant and juice bar.
Strive the full-service Chickpea and Kale Salad, Pesto Pasta, Yakisoba Noodles, Cheeseburger, Bibimbap, Tempeh Bacon Sandwich, and lots of different plant-based dishes.
17. Tope – Greatest For Hipsters
Housed within the very hip Hoxton Lodge it is a fashionable spot! Tope presents scrumptious Mexican snacks and tacos together with mezcal-inspired drinks.
Positioned at Hoxton within the Previous City District, take pleasure in rooftop bar views as you pattern Oregon Bay shrimp ceviche, pozole Rojo, carnitas tacos, pollo pibil tacos, and pollo con mole.
Their signature cocktails embrace the High Margarita (Blanco tequila, lime, and agave), the Michelada, the Both/Or with Dickle Rye, and different home favorites. Wines, beers, mocktails, and smooth drinks are additionally out there to refresh you after your meal.
18. Pine Road Market – Greatest For Meals Corridor
I really like this fabulous Meals Corridor! Previous City District’s Pine Road Market contains eating places below one roof headed by 9 well-known Portland cooks. Strive the Pine Road Taproom or the Pleasure Burger.
Solely the Pine Road Taproom has a hyperlink to its web site, whereas the opposite out there eating places don’t have a hyperlink from the Pine Road Market web site.
Get an thought of the general nature of the opposite eating places in Pine Road Market by visiting the Pine Road Taproom hyperlink on the house web site.
19. Oma’s Hideaway – Greatest For Quirky Design
Oma’s Hideaway was once often known as Oma’s Takeaway. Positioned within the Richmond District, you’ll be able to take pleasure in meals and cocktails as a dine-in buyer or order takeaway as their previous title suggests.
When you order supply, it would come from a motorcycle courier affiliated with Cascade Courier Collective. I really like that the decor right here is deliciously quirky with vibrant wallpaper and retro-style furnishings!
Choose from coconut rice, the Oma-Zing Burger, Coulotte Tartare, candy potato dumplings, and different distinctive dishes. There are many tasty vegan choices out there too.
