There are so many fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon because Portland is just…well…fun. It’s a trendy town with a hipster vibe full of people who care about the environment and what they put in their bodies. If you’ve seen that chicken episode of Portlandia, you know what I’m talking about: people in PDX give a damn about where their food comes from.
This obsession with sustainability and quality means Portland is an incredible food city. You’ll find any cuisine you can imagine here and, because of progressive small business laws, there are a ton of cheap eats from food carts dotting the city.
If you’re ready to experience Portland like a local through its food, here are my favorite fun places to eat in Portland. They’re sure to leave a lasting impression that’ll have you plotting your next visit before you even leave!
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Fun Places to Eat in Portland
Here is my running list of fun places to eat in Portland. I’ll update this as I make my frequent trips back to the city, so save this to Pinterest for later!
Overwhelmed trying to fit in all these eats?
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Ready to dive in and map out your eats on your own? Here you go! Happy eating!
Tusk
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Middle Eastern | dinner only
Tusk is one of my absolute favorite places to eat in Portland, Oregon. It has a cool, Palm Spring aesthetic yet serves some of the best modern Middle Eastern food I’ve had in the US. You’ll find the creamiest hummus, a lot of perfectly-cooked vegetables, and great cocktails.
Since Tusk is one of the most fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon, it can get crowded so make a reservation, especially if you want to sit under their covered outdoor patio.
Ava Gene’s
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Richmond, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Italian | dinner only
Ava Gene’s is another one of my favorite restaurants in PDX. It’s actually part of the Submarine Hospitality group that also owns Tusk, so it’s no wonder I love it here. Once helmed by cookbook author Joshua McFadden, this spot married Italian cuisine with a Pacific Northwest obsession with farming to create hyper-seasonal dishes. The result was some of the most tasty salads and handmade pastas in the city.
However, they closed for about 3 years during the pandemic. During that time, the Submarine Hospitality Group was purchased by Portland restaurant group Sortis Holdings and went through a complete restructuring. With Ava Gene’s reopening, McFadden won’t be leading the kitchen anymore. However, a few of the previous chef’s that worked with him will take over.
Only time will tell of the restaurant is the same as the one I knew and loved, but they say there are no plans to change the spirit of Ava Gene’s.
Langbaan
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Kerns/Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Thai | dinner only
Langbaan is another fun place to eat in PDX. It’s a Thai restaurant that offers a tasting menu with fancy, creative dishes that honor traditional Thai flavors. I’ve never had Thai food elevated like this in all of the Pacific Northwest, so if this place was in Seattle it’d definitely make it to the top of my list of the best Thai restaurants in Seattle.
Reservations can be tricky to come by. They only do two seatings a night and get booked quickly. Reservations are released on the 15th of each month at noon for the following month. So for example, reservations for the month of October become available on September 15th.
It costs ~$125 per person for about 12 courses, so be ready to splurge. But trust me, it’s worth the experience (and James Beard agrees, they’ve been nominated for this prestigious foodie award).
Mediterranean Exploration Company
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Pearl District, NW Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Mediterranean | dinner only
Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC) is one of my favorite, more recent discoveries of the Portland dining scene. After our meal I admitted I might like them more than Tusk, but another side-by-side tasting is needed before making the official call.
MEC is a bustling restaurant in one of the Pearl District’s historic buildings. They offer both indoor and outdoor dining, but a table is pretty much only guaranteed if you have a reservation. However, they do accept walk-ins for bar seating, which we were lucky to immediately snag on our last visit. It was Monday and it was packed, so I’d be surprised if you can get as lucky on a weekend.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything we got for dinner. The cocktails were excellent and I couldn’t stop gushing over the pita and dips. The hummus was creamy with a seasonal summer bean and tomato topping. They made some of the best babaganoush I’ve ever had, and the pitas were fluffy like Homer, one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in Seattle.
The best dish, though, was the hamachi crudo. I always order a crudo when it’s on the menu, but rarely is it the best dish of the night. MEC is the exception: they served one of the best crudos I’ve ever had. It was served on a pureed eggplant and had the perfect balance of crunch thanks to a bunch of little crispies on top. If you only get one dish here, make sure the crudo is it!
Bake on the Run
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Guyanese | lunch & dinner
Food carts are obviously one of the most fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon. Bake on the Run used to be in Hawthorne Asylum, one of my favorite pods around the corner from the popular Cartopia pod. Then they moved to another great pod, ‘Lil America, that features all BIPOC and LGBTQ+ vendors. But now they’ve settled in the new Wonderlove rooftop food cart pod.
Bake on the Run is so, so good. In fact, they were on Top Chef Portland since they’re the only Guyanese restaurant on the West Coast (at the time it aired)!
If you’re not familiar with Guayana, it’s a small country above Brazil. It’s the only country in South America with English as its official language because it was a British colony, but the cuisine is a mash up of Indian, Chinese, African, Portuguese, and more cuisines.
My favorite item on the menu is the bakes. They’re vegan puff pastries generously stuffed with hearty goodies. You can get an aloo chickpea dish if you want a vegan option, but my favorite is the salted cod bacalhau. It’s served with eggs, scallions, onions, and tomatoes. It’s unexpectedly savory and sweet, making it a must get when visiting PDX.
Akadi
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Hosford-Abernethy, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: West African | dinner only
I first learned about Akadi when watching Top Chef. “Akadi” means “tasty” in Bambara, a native language of the country Cote D’Ivoire in West Africa. The name is fitting, as they’re serving truly exceptional food representative of countries like Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
The concept was developed by Fatou Ouattara, who grew up over clay oven and wood-fired cooking in Cote D’lvoire. She wanted to mimic the ambiance and community gathering she experience growing up, and I’d say she succeeded. The restaurant looks unassuming from the outside, but inside you’ll find high ceilings full of hanging plants and a wall painted ombre to mimic the sunset.
The must-get dish here is the goat jollof meal. It comes with rice and plantains, perfect for sopping up the juices from the tender meat. The curried fried wings are also a star.
Another must-get is the Akadi sauces. You can take home bottles of their addictive tomato-based sauce that’s served with many of the dishes. We loved it so much we bought two bottles on our last visit!
Kachka
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Russian | lunch & dinner
A few blocks north on Bake of the Run is Kachka. This is one of the most fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon because it’s as if you stepped into a Russian grandmother’s home. There’s gaudy wallpaper, antiques, and delightful kitsch everywhere the eye can see.
My favorite dish to get here is the tvorog vareniki, or Russian dumplings stuffed with scallion and farmer’s cheese. You can order them boiled or pan fried, with or without broth, but I recommend pan fried without broth. This really lets you taste the exceptional quality of the filling that’s like the best cottage cheese you’ve ever had.
Pro tip: Kachka has a happy hour every day from 4 – 6 pm. You’ll find discounted drinks, caviar, dumplings, and more. They also have a combo plate with a cabbage roll, pickles, and other Russian specialties.
Matt’s BBQ Tacos
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Mt. Tabor, SE Portland (get directions) and Alberta, NE Portland inside Great Notion Brewing (get directions) | cuisine: Texan | breakfast, lunch, & dinner
Matt’s BBQ Tacos is another food cart worth seeking out. It’s owned by the people behind Matt’s BBQ who takes their incredible meats and puts them in tacos that would rival the best street tacos in Seattle.
The must-get here is the brisket breakfast taco. Their brisket is so juicy and smoky, which works beautifully with eggs in one of their pressed-to-order lard or vegan tortillas. Note, they are only accepting online orders ahead of time to reduce contact right now.
Pro tip: Matt’s BBQ Tacos used to be in the same food cart pod as Tov Coffee, an Egyptian coffee shop inside a two-story bus! I haven’t been yet because it’s always been closed when I’m there, but it’s definitely one of the most fun places to drink in Portland!
Kann
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Haitian | dinner only
I’m a big fan of Top Chef, so when I learned alum Gregory Gourdet was opening up a Haitian restaurant, I followed along and waiting for reservations to drop. This was smart in hindsight, as now reservations sell out in minutes…especially since they were named on NY Times most exciting restaurants list in 2022.
The restaurant is beautiful, with neutral colors popping with bright-yet-calming artwork and plants. There’s an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs deftly prepare your meal. Since it’s always a packed house, the place is buzzing with conversation and excitement as hungry guests wait for their food.
Stars of our meal when we went were the octopus with tomatoes, whole-roasted cauliflower, and rice and beans side dish. It’s magical how ingredients so subtle can punch your palate with so much flavor.
When people think of Haitian cuisine, they likely think of comfort food. Gregory and his team are bringing that, but through a more chef-y, fine dining lens. Plus, everything on the menu is gluten free! You’re going to want to try this restaurant, so follow them on Instagram and be ready when reservations drop.
Pro tip: Kann has a downstairs speakeasy-style bar called Sousòl that’s first come, first serve and has small plates.
Jojo
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Creston – Kenilworth, SE Portland food truck (get directions) and Pearl District, NW Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Southern | lunch & dinner
A lot of people recommend going to Screen Door for fried chicken, but I love coming to Jojo. They started as a food cart in the Lot at John’s Marketplace pod, but have since expanded to also have a brick and mortar. They make burgers and melts, but their fried chicken tenders or sandwiches is where it’s at.
I love the chicken, bacon, ranch sandwich or spicy chicken sandwich. Both are big, crispy, and perfectly seasoned.
Toki
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Downtown Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Korean | brunch and dinner
I always love when I find a Downtown PDX restaurant worth the hype. Toki is one of those places.
This Korean restaurant serves a wildly interesting menu, ranging from traditional dishes like dukbokki, banchan, and ssam all the way to funky mash ups like a cheeseburger bao.
That cheeseburger bao is a must get when you visit. I don’t usually like bao buns because I find them too fluffy and flavorless. Toki’s were not as fluffy, but rather slightly gummier and pan fried to add a lot of nuanced flavor. And the best part? The smash burger inside oozing with gooey American cheese.
Another standout is their Korean fried chicken. At brunch you can get it as a sandwich, but at dinner they’re served as appetizer pieces. Either way, the chicken is moist with a perfectly-crackly skin.
Broder Nord
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Boise, N Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Swedish | breakfast & lunch
Broder is one of my go-to brunch spots in Portland. There are actually three locations to choose from: Broder Cafe, Broder Nord, and Broder Söder. The menus are all similar, they’re just in different areas of PDX.
Their specialty is Swedish breakfast, but you’ll also find classic lunch items like Swedish meatballs. While it may be hard to resist all the other yummy sounding things on the menu, I recommend getting their Swedish pancakes. I love how they’re served with lemon curd and apple butter!
Hà VL
website | neighborhood: South Tabor, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Vietnamese | breakfast & lunch
Pho for breakfast? You heard that right! Hà VL is a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese shop at the easternmost edge of Portland. They serve just 2-3 soups a day starting at 8 am. These soups are so friggin’ flavorful they were actually nominated for a James Beard award!
I recommend getting all the soups on the menu when you go. I love Fridays Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang (or Pnompenh noodle soup) and phở gà (chicken pho). The noodle soup is deeply flavored and served with these irresistible crunchies while the chicken pho is the quintessential comfort food that’s perfect for starting the day!
Blue Star Donuts
website | Instagram | neighborhood: multiple locations in N, NW, NE, & SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: doughnuts | breakfast & lunch
A lot of people will say Voodoo Doughnut is one of the most fun places to eat in Portland because their wild toppings are great fodder for Instagram. Others will say Pip’s has the best doughnuts because they’re served warm. But I think Blue Star Donuts makes the most flavorful doughnut out of the bunch.
Their brioche doughnuts are often lacquered in beautiful colors, but not overpowered by crunchy toppings. If it’s available I always get their lemon and lime curd doughnut. The mix of the two citrus provide a satisfying pucker that’s tamed by the sugary dough. Definitely get this one if it’s available when you go!
Pro tip: Blue Star delivers so you can get them sent to your Airbnb for breakfast!
Cheese & Crack Snack Shop
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Kerns, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: ice cream | late lunch/dinner only
I have a tender spot for soft serve ice cream because I grew up eating it back in New Jersey. It’s very rare to find it in Seattle, so whenever I hear about a place that has it I prioritize going. When I heard there was a cheese and wine shop in PDX that served it? Oh, I was definitely going!
Cheese & Crack makes a thicker soft serve similar to Dairy Queen in texture but better in flavor. You can get it dusted with gorgeous colors and topped with a cowboy hat for the ‘grams, making this one of the most fun places to eat in Portland!
Gado Gado
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Hollywood, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Indonesian | dinner only
Gado Gado is a fun restaurant in Portland that makes you feel transported to the night markets of South East Asia. They have covered outdoor patios with bright floral tablecloths, lanterns, and string light. You can order a la carte items, but I recommend getting their rice table tasting menu.
It’s a nod to the Dutch-Indonesian “Rijsttafel” feast. They’ll bring the whole table a generous portion of dumplings, breads, curries, grilled meats, sambals, and more for ~$85 per person. The menu is interesting and if you’re lucky to get roti, know it’ll be some of the best you’ve ever eaten!
Pro tip: Gado Gado also offers vegan and pescatarian rice table options.
Eem Thai BBQ & Cocktails
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Boise, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Thai | lunch & dinner
Eem is a hipster Thai restaurant owned by the same award-winning peeps behind Langbaan. They serve excellent cocktails and Thai food in a bright, window-lit space and covered outdoor patio.
Definitely get one of their fresh, tiki-esque cocktails like the Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda with strawberry, basil, and Thai chili or the Cool Blue Jewel with gin, blueberry, pineapple, and Szechuan peppercorns (don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like black pepper!).
Food wise, get the massaman curry if it’s available. It’s a spin on the classic peanut red curry that uses smoked lamb instead of the traditional stewed beef. It adds so much depth of flavor, kind of like if a mashup of Texas-smoked meat paired with Thai flavors.
GrindWitTryz
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Alberta, NE Portland (get directions) cuisine: Hawaiian | lunch & dinner
Some may say to go to spots like Bamboo Sushi for great fish, but I’m all about the poke scene in Portland. GrindWitTryz makes arguably the best version in the city, which is evident by the lines that form as soon as they open.
People flock for their poke, which should definitely be part of your order. But they also make Hawaiian-Filipino grindz like loco moco, katsu, and garlic shrimp. You’ll also find rotating specials. If honey walnut shrimp is on the menu, make sure to get it!
Pro tip: Order ahead for pickup to avoid the queue.
Montelupo Market
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Kerns, SE Portland (get directions) cuisine: Italian | breakfast, lunch, & dinner
Montelupo Market is one of my most favorite recent discoveries of fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon. You see, I grew up on the east coast with a lot of Italian delis and grocery stores, but there aren’t many in the PNW. So when I discovered this quaint neighborhood grocer, I was immediately obsessed.
You can stop in their shop for imported goods like pasta, olive oil, wines, tinned fish, and more. There are also homemade take home items like pasta sauces, soups, and a great tiramisu. Montelupo even offers a curated box of goodies that makes a perfect gift.
During the daytime you can also stop in for coffee, quiche, and pastries. Come nighttime you can enjoy a lovely sit down meal in their small trattoria attached to the market. Or grab a takeout order to eat under the covered patio if you weren’t able to snag a reservation.
The dinner menu consists of salads and small plates, but the focus here is handmade pasta. Definitely get cavatelli if it’s on the menu because you don’t often see that pasta shape in the PNW. But if you can only get one dish, get the arrabbiata red sauce. Montelupo’s version isn’t spicy, yet it still packs a ton of flavor. Case in point: I was literally eating the sauce with a spoon!
Tokyo Sando
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Downtown Portland (get directions) cuisine: Japanese | lunch only
Sandwich enthusiasts will absolutely love Tokyo Sando. It’s a food cart serving excellent Japanese sandos inspired by Taiki Nakajima’s dream to bring his culture to PDX. He grew up in a restaurant family in Japan, so his first thought was to create a ramen food cart. However he realized it’s near impossible to make truly great broth from a truck, so he pivoted to another street food delicacy common in south Japan: sandos.
These sandwiches are commonly served on fluffy milk bread that’s like a fancier version of Wonder Bread. Tokyo Sando’s versions are piled high and quite Instagrammable, with the most beautiful being the egg salad sando.
However, I personally prefer Fuji Bakery’s version (a great place with cheap eats in Seattle), so I’d skip the egg salad here and instead focus on the miso katsu. I’m partial to the pork katsu, but you can also get chicken. The breading is beautiful and the sweet miso glaze adds a nice contrast to the garlic sauce.
I also recommend getting an order of their karaage with lemon sauce. It’s surprisingly acidic to an otherwise gluttonous dish feel light.
Pro tip: Schedule your order ahead before they sell out.
JinJu Patisserie
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Boise, NE Portland (get directions) cuisine: dessert | breakfast & lunch
Jinju is temporarily closed while the owner recovers from surgery.
I read that the owner of Langbaan loves JinJu, so I put them on my list of places to try. I’m glad I listened, as JinJu is making some of the yummiest desserts in Portland.
You’ll find everything here from cakes, mousses, cookies, scones, and other colorful pastries. They’re best known for their flaky croissants, which is a must get if they aren’t sold out. However my go-to is their chocolate confections.
They make yummy bonbons with crowd-pleasing flavors like tiramisu, sea salt caramel, and cookies & cream. I compare all bonbons to my beloved hédonisme, one of the best chocolate makers in Seattle. While I prefer hédonisme because of the thinner shell and more adventurous fillings, JinJu comes really close. I especially noticed it in their tropical fruit bonbon, as it tastes so close to hédonisme’s mango passionfruit one!
Scottie’s Pizza Parlor
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Hosford-Abernethy, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: pizza | dinner only
I’ll be honest, there’s a lot of pizza restaurants in Portland. People swear by the New York-style pies from places like Apizza Scholls or Ken’s Artisan Pizza. They’re good, but I have yet to find a New York-style pie in PDX that rivals the best pizza in Seattle.
But Scottie’s Pizza Parlor makes a square pie that is friggin’ phenomenal. It’s like the Sicilian pizza I ate growing up in New Jersey. It’s spongey with burnt cheese-flecked crust like a Detroit-style pizza, but a bit breadier like a baguette or focaccia. it’s worth seeking out if you haven’t had this type of pizza before!
Jin Dak
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Sellwood, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Korean | lunch & dinner
Piknik is a food cart pod I don’t hear many people talking about, but it’s well worth a visit. Toward the back you’ll find Jin Dak, a Korean fried chicken spot serving some of my favorite fried chicken in the city.
The menu is pretty simple. You choose between honey soy, Korean spicy, or sweet garlicky chicken and whether you want it with rice or ginger salad. I like getting the sweet garlic flavor with ginger salad because then you can grab a few dishes from other food carts without getting too stuffed. But you may not be able to restrain yourself from gobbling up Jin Dak’s perfectly crisp chicken!
Gumba
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Vernon, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Italian | dinner only
Gumba started as a food cart run by two friends with no restaurant experience. Yet they figured out how to create some of the best pasta in PDX and become so popular they opened up a brick and mortar.
Their menu changes regularly, but if it’s on the menu get the bolognese. It’s honestly one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in the US thanks for the deeply-flavored, meaty sauce that sticks perfectly to the ribbons of homemade pasta.
Pro tip: Les Caves & Le Clos is a hidden wine bar behind Gumba. Get pre-dinner drinks there!
Proud Mary Cafe
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Vernon, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Australian | breakfast & lunch
Proud Mary is an Australian coffee roaster with a cafe in Portland. But this isn’t your typical coffee shop. They have a mean brunch menu filled with avocado toasts, hashes, falafel, and more.
If it’s on the menu, definitely get the ricotta hotcakes. They’re denser than your typical pancake and served with the most gorgeous melody of toppings: yuzu cheesecake, orange syrup, ube meringue, miso crumble, and freeze-dried strawberries. The textures make a party in your mouth, yet the flavors all work together to create one tasty brunch dish.
Cafe Olli
website | Instagram | neighborhood: King, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: American | breakfast, lunch, & dinner
Cafe Olli is an adorable cafe tucked in the back of a parking lot of NE Portland. They serve a fantastic lunch and brunch, where you order at the counter and wait for them to bring simple, yet beautifully-executed food highlighting seasonal ingredients.
The last time I went we got the gorgeous Dutch baby, but unfortunately I didn’t love the fig toppings served with it that time of year. However, we couldn’t stop talking about the salmon plate.
The dish was so humble, with just creme fraiche, bread, smoked salmon, and pickles scattered on a plate. However, it was some of the best smoked salmon I’ve ever had. When I made a little toast topped with everything, the quality of the ingredients made for a truly memorable bite.
Fifty Licks
website | Instagram | neighborhood: multiple locations in NW, NE, & SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: ice cream | lunch & dinner
While novices will go to ice cream behemoth Salt & Straw, insiders know the best ice cream in PDX is actually from small shops like Fifty Licks. This ice cream shop now has three locations, but owner Chad Draizin got started serving out of a blue truck as he strove to create the best scoop in PDX.
You’ll find both dairy and non-dairy ice cream here. While I’m not vegan, I’m obsessed with their vegan mango ice cream. It’s so creamy you’d never guess there wasn’t any milk!
Le Pigeon
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Buckman, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: French | dinner only
Le Pigeon would be on the list of the best fine dining in Seattle if they were located here. It’s a dimly-lit restaurant serving excellent French food you get to enjoy as part of a 5-course chefs tasting menu. You can choose a meat or vegetarian dinner and be wined and dined by some of the best culinary talent in PDX.
Pro tip: They have a sister restaurant called Canard that’s high on my list of places to try.
Egyptian Bros
neighborhood: Kerns/Laurelhurst, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Egyptian | lunch & dinner
This food cart pod is located in Pod 28 Laurelhurst Food Carts, one of the most fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon thanks for all the different cuisines right next to each other. I stumbled upon Egyptian Bros by accident and boy am I happy I did. It has some of the most tender gyro meat and they don’t skimp. It’s a satisfying way to end an evening!
Hat Yai
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Belmont, SE Portland (get directions) & Killingsworth, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Thai | lunch & dinner
This casual counter-service restaurant is named after the southern Thailand city near the Malaysian border. It focuses on street food, mainly roti, curry, and fried chicken. All of these are exceptional, and thankfully they make it easy for you to try them all with their Hay Yai for 2 platter.
Besides having great texture, one of the things that stood out to me is how prominent the herby spice is in the fried chicken. It reminds me of thyme or oregano, but it may be a different spice that has an equally earthy flavor.
The best thing, though, is hands down the roti. I love how it’s thicker than others I’ve had. It’s also less greasy than other version I’ve tasted. Trust me, you aren’t going to want to share this!
Bollywood Theater
website | Instagram | neighborhood: multiple locations in NE and SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Indian | lunch & dinner
Bollywood Theater is one of the really fun places to eat in Portland thanks to the decor. It’s like stepping into a night market that had a baby with a brewery. you’ll find high ceilings, a warehouse-like vibe, and string lights over a huge outdoor patio. There’s also a little market with carts right inside where you can buy food items and swag.
The menu is what you’d find at some of the best Indian restaurants in Seattle — think tikka, curry bowls, and naan. But you’ll also find dishes more commonly found on the streets and beaches of India, like kathi rolls and bhel puri. Try these if they’re available when you go since they’re not always found on menus at Indian restaurants in the Pacific Northwest.
Smokin’ Fire Fish
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Eliot, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Hawaiian | lunch only
Smokin’ Fire Fish is a food cart pod off the beaten path in front of a cannabis store. It serves super authentic Hawaiian grinds similar to the restaurants you’d find in Maui.
A large portion of the menu is dedicated to poke. It’s all pre-made and comes in soy-based and spicy sauces with interesting mix-ins. Get a combo plate so you can try up to 3 different flavors.
Make sure to save room for their hot Hawaiian plate lunches, too. Definitely get the Korean fried chicken with passionfruit sauce. It’s boneless, yet still juicy. For your plate’s second entree, if it’s available you must get the luau stew. It’s like laulau with stewed taro leaves and pork, but it also has brisket and isn’t wrapped in the leaves. It’s so earthy and addictive!
Baby Doll Pizza
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Belmont, SE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Italian | lunch & dinner
Baby Doll Pizza is one of the most east coast-style pizza joints I’ve found in the Pacific Northwest. It’s super casual with pies lining the counter, checkered floors, and plastic chairs. You can order pies or pizza by the slice, and they have garlic knots just like I grew up eating.
Don’t miss their plain cheese pies to get a sense of their dough without any ingredients getting in the way. But the surprise stunner? The Sicilian pizza. I rarely see this focaccia-like dough in west coast pizzerias, but I grew up eating it. I love how it’s both crispy and spongey!
Baon Kainan
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Alberta, NE Portland (get directions) | cuisine: Filipino | breakfast & lunch
Baon Kainan announced on Instagram that they’re closed until further notice.
Baon Kainan used to be a food cart in Seattle before moving to PDX. They serve exceptional Filipino food, which they used to sling right outside salvage shop Metalwood but they’ve since moved to Concourse Coffee.
They’re open for both brunch and lunch on the weekends. If it’s available, get the pork belly tosilog. It’s bite-sized pieces of pork served with garlic rice and eggs. It sounds plain, but it packs a punch of flavor that’ll take you by surprise.
Not too far from Baon Kainan is Expatriate, one of my favorite cocktail bars in PDX. It’s owned by the husband of celebrity chef Naomi Pomeroy who used to run the late restaurant Beast. She designed the bar stack menu. I mostly focus on drinks when I visit, but I hear the wonton chip nachos are great.
1927 S’more Company
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Downtown Portland (get directions) | cuisine: s’mores | lunch & dinner
Obviously I had to put any shop dedicated to s’mores on my list of fun places to eat in Portland. 1927 S’more Company is like an ice cream shop for s’mores across the street from the late Tasty & Alder in Downtown Portland, a once popular brunch spot owned by the Toro Bravo restaurant group that’s now closed because the chef had an outburst at a trans customer.
You’ll be enveloped in moody, campground ambiance when you walk into the s’more shop. Order one of their gourmet s’mores like the Elvis with peanut butter and bananas and watch them torch it to order. Make sure to grab a bunch of napkins!
Pro tip: 1927 ships s’more DIY kits anywhere in the US! Note, I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you if you click on that s’more DIY kit link and make a purchase.
La’s Hmong Food Cart
website | neighborhood: Aloha, OR (get directions) | cuisine: Hmong | lunch & dinner
Okay, I’m cheating a bit because La’s is closer to Beaverton, Oregon about 15 minutes west of Portland, but this food cart is one of the fun places to eat in Portland despite being in the suburbs. If you’re not familiar with the Hmong, they’re Indigenous people who mainly live in Southwest China Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.
If it’s available, get the banh mi. It’s one of the biggest versions I’ve ever had at a foot long and it’s filled with really tender pork. It’d definitely rival some of the best sandwiches in Seattle!
Sugar Pine Drive-In
website | Instagram | neighborhood: Troutdale, OR (get directions) | cuisine: ice cream | lunch only
Ahh okay, this is another spot not technically in Portland, but it’s a short 20-minute drive on your way toward visiting Columbia river Gorge. It’s an old school drive-in restaurant serving both lunch foods and creamy soft serve ice cream. While the purist in me doesn’t approve of the mixed baker’s sprinkles, there’s no denying this is some of the best soft serve ice cream in the Pacific Northwest!
Other fun Portland restaurants
My list of Portland places to eat is endless, so I’ll leave you with my Portland map that I use to keep track of all the places I’ve tried and still need to visit.
More to do in and around PDX
You’re going to need to fill the time between meals at these fun places to eat in Portland. Here are some ideas of what else to do in the area.
- The Ultimate Portland Itinerary
- Where to Get Great Gifts in PDX
- Best Portland Antique Shops
- Where to Go Wine Tasting Near Portland
- The Best Restaurants in Oregon Wine Country
- Magical Glamping in Oregon Wine Country
- Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Columbia Gorge
- What to See on the Oregon Coast Besides Cannon Beach
- Where to Stay in Eugene, Oregon
- Fun Things to Do in Eugene
- The Definitive Guide to 5th Street Public Market
- Breakdown of All the Mt. Hood Ski Areas
- Things to Do in Bend, Oregon in Winter
