Portland recommendations

My favorite places to eat and drink (mostly vegan/vegetarian/AAPI-owned)

Hi friends! I’m back home in Yunnan after layovers in Seattle and Shanghai. Thoroughly exhausted from two weeks of traveling and ready to hole up and unfurl back into routine in June’s rainy season.

I had a gratifying week catching up with friends and eating a lot of excellent vegan food in Portland. The city holds a special nostalgia for me— I first honed my skills working as a line cook in Portland restaurants. Where are all the Asians? I wondered when I first moved to Portland in 2019. In the F&B industry, I found out. The community is disproportionately represented in food (last year, most of the James Beard award nominees and finalists from Portland were people of color, if that tells you anything). In an overwhelmingly white city (statistically, the whitest major city in America), restaurants exist in that rare dimension where cultural difference is visible and celebrated.

Maybe I’m biased, but the food scene just feels different from other cities. I went to a soft opening on Friday and ran into nearly every chef and food-adjacent person in the AAPI community. People show up. There was a lot of hugging and poking of heads into the kitchen to say hi. Standards and expectations are high in Portland— people love experimental food and creativity, and egos exist but are harder to find. In a genuinely supportive culture, there’s a lot of interesting food popping up all the time (I included my favorite pop-ups at the end of this list.)

Anyway, hope you find these coffee/bakery/food recommendations useful and feel free to share with friends. Let me know if you’re traveling to Portland soon!

GOOGLE DOCS VERSION HERE - I find this easier to bookmark

Rangoon Bistro, Norah, Feral

 (v) indicates vegan or vegetarian business

(in parenthesis: my favorites and/or signature items) 

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COFFEE

asian-american roasters / cafes

Electrica @electricapdx - Mexican coffee and excellent Japanese tea, hand-picked from Yugen in Kyoto by owner Seiji Nanbu. (hojicha, black sesame latte, saikyo/miso-caramel latte, matcha)

Kalesa @kalesacoffee - sun-bathed tiny coffee shop and busy in the morning, closes at 2pm. joke is that if you hangout here long enough you’ll run into most of the Asian F&B community, it’s a hub. (read: the owners’ Filipino heritage and how Asian-Americans are changing the coffee culture in Portland. (mango calamansi, coconut cold brew)

SuperJoy @superjoycoffeelab - light-filled corner shop downtown, beans roasted by Wenbo Yang (read: showcasing China through coffee) (osmanthus latte, chinese pepper mocha, red dates latte)

Less & More @lessandmorecoffee - love the non-traditional coffee drinks here. menu blending Chinese and Korean flavors by Ryan Jie Jiang. (injeolmi and ssuk mugwort latte, hojicha latte, pineapple espresso tonic)

Portland Cà Phê @portlandcaphe - Vietnamese-grown coffee roasted in-house with delightful seasonal drinks (coconut cream latte, black sesame chai, espresso tonic, vegan bahn mi)

Exquisite Creatures (v) @theexquisitecreatures - new-ish, 100% plant-based coffee shop (another is Honey Latte Cafe) with interesting drinks. old-school, cozy brick-walled space. (vegan/gf pastries, focaccia latte, popcorn latte)

other favorite roasters

Push x Pull @pushxpullcoffee - industry favorite among coffee friends, beans are wild and fruity, space is imo not very cozy but light-filled and good for working, open til 6. (drip coffee, pourover, seasonal drinks like their espresso tonic with rhubarb and strawberry and specialty lattes). if you’re here, walk across the street to the Ota Tofu factory to get some fresh tofu, it’s the oldest tofu house in the US. 

Upper Left Roasters @upperleftroasters - airy corner-coffee shop with outdoor seating near Ladd’s, many dogs, always perfect microfoam and surprisingly good food options. (banana hazelnut toast, cortado, ube latte, mocha, teas)

Coava @coavacoffee - longstanding Portland roasters with a cavernous flagship space shared with a bamboo woodworkers, very nice to sit there on a rainy day. (extensive selection of coffee beans, including my favorite swiss water decaf) 

Futura Coffee Roasters @futuracoffeeroasters - I didn’t know about this roasters until I worked with them for a pop-up. fantastic coffee beans with focus on regenerative agriculture. (cortado, housemade chai, matcha, bagels with spreads)

Never Coffee @neverlab - colorful, vibey space with interesting specialty drinks, my coffee friends love this place but I’ve found it to be hit-or-miss with the flavors. definitely try if you’re into creative lattes (yuzu salt latte, cherry pop matcha, fennel/anise/licorice latte, oregon hops/Jacobsen salt/dulce de leche)

Proud Mary Coffee @proudmaryusa- Australian roaster with some of the strongest coffee in town, popular brunch but vegan options vary, check their current menu. (flat white, the espresso/long black/cold drip flight, nitro snap chill if you’re into cold brew)

Nossa Familia Roasters @nossafamiliacoffee - Brazilian family-owned roasters. cozy neighborhood vibe and great for working and watching bike commuters zip by. zero-waste focus, bring your own mug for a discount. (brazillian cafezinho, spicy mocha, espresso con panna w/ vegan chocolate whipped cream, savory scones)

BAKERY/PATISSERIE

bread

Little T Baker @littletbaker - fantastic bread program, I always get the olive-studded focaccia. their bakery carries all their loaves plus sandwiches and pastries, it’s hard to catch their morning hours but you can also get their bread at Providore’s which closes at 7p. (spelt loaves, focaccia, best long skinny baguettes)

Ken’s Artisan Bakery @kensartisan - vanguard Portland bakery by Ken Forkish of Flour Water Salt Yeast. also check out his pizza restaurant. warning: sometimes long lines because of tourists. (walnut bread (!), country loaves, pastries, ciabatta, sandwiches)

Tabor Bread @taborbread - my favorite sourdough in Portland, everything has character and zing and funk and earthy heft (get the vegan seeded oat cookie, sesame and trifecta bagels, rosemary olive oil focaccia, einkorn and spelt bread). Weekly bread schedule here.

pastries

Orange & Blossom (v) @orange_and_blossom - much anticipated vegan patisserie, there are many plant-based bakeries in the city but none as high-level as this one, owner Marisa Kroes was classically trained/former executive pastry chef for Slanted Door in SF. (pistachio olive oil cake, cardamom orange bun, miso butterscotch bun)

JinJu Patisserie @jinjupatisserie - Korean-owned shop and finalist for James Beard last year. (croissants, cakes, stunning tarts - unfortunately few vegan options except chocolate, but if you’re vegetarian, go and have a ball)

Berlu Bakery @berlubakery - fully GF, progressive Vietnamese pastries by Chef Vince Nguyen - their fine-dining restaurant is closed for now but the bakery’s still going. many vegan and dairy-free options, check their website and Tock for weekly offerings (vegan bánh cuốn chay, bánh bò nướng pandan honeycomb cake)

FOOD CARTS / NON-RESTAURANTS

Unwind (v) @unwindpdx - food cart inside a wine bar. Portland’s best vegan pasta and small plates. (creamy miso alfredo, brie with mushroom pate and kimchi jam, brown butter pappardelle, gnocchi)

Tokyo Sando- legendary Japanese sando food truck that’s back after being closed. (vegan tofu miso katsu sando)

Dirty Lettuce (v) - soul food (fried chicken, seitan ribs, mac and cheese, okra etouffee, cajun-spiced hushpuppies, catfish)

Bing Mi - Shandong style jianbing / savory crepes (check their instagram, they offer vegan batter on certain days)

BKK Thai in the Cartopia food cart pod - I worked here for a bit and the pad thai is my favorite in Portland. they keep the sauce aggressively a secret. Also, the same owner runs Kati Thai (v), a sit-down restaurant with a more extensive Thai food menu.

Mole Mole Mexican Cuisine - a non-assuming food truck on NE Alberta with some of the best vegan tacos in the city. (get the soy curl mole tacos)

Kim Jong Grillin @kimjonggrillin - Korean food cart by chef Han Ly Hwang. (“bibimbox” aka bibimbap in a box, japchae)

Boxcar Pizza (v) @boxcarpizza - my favorite vegan pizza in Portland (and apparently Lizzo’s too). Detroit style square pies with nut-free, house-made cheeses. GF crusts available. (go-to: Bianca with mozarella, ricotta, sausage, garlic, basil). 

Ice Cream: Fifty Licks (many vegan options like black sesame, mango sticky rice, coconut lemon saffron), Kate's Plant-Based Ice Cream (v) (marionberry cobbler, tahini chocolate freckle, java chip), Eb & Bean (v) (vegan soft-serve froyo, toppings like tom bumble crumble). Imo Salt & Straw is overrated and I find it way too sweet

Donuts: Doe Donuts (v) - fully vegan donut shop (my favorites: portland fog with earl grey glaze, salted vanilla bean, pear coffeecake fritter, lemon snowball) or Blue Star Donuts (they usually have at least 2-3 vegan flavors). please don’t go to Voodoo Donuts please I promise it’s not great

Heyday Donuts @heydaypdx - mochi/glutinous rice flour donuts by Asian-American owners with vegan options. they recently moved to a cute new space (Collective Oregon Eateries food hall) and serve Vietnamese coffee. (pandan, coffee, and black sesame-flavored donuts)

SIT-DOWN RESTAURANTS

vegan dimsum: Jade Rabbit at the Emerald Room (v) @jaderabbitpdx - I worked here for a couple months, modern vegan dimsum with excellent oolong tea service options. by Chinese-Chamarro/Filipino chef Cyrus Ichiza. (get the chile oil wontons, charsiu bao, lo mai gai, bunny bawan, mapo tofu, adobo) 

vegan Japanese: Obon Shokudo (v) @obonpdx - thoughtful food in a cozy space by the loveliest couple, Humi and Jason. they make their own ferments and misos. (aleppo pepper onigiri with mung bean and jasmine rice miso, hazelnut morel zaru udon, foraged nettle gyoza, house kombucha, okonomiyaki)

vegan Thai: Norah (v) @norahpdx - creative all plant-based Thai menu, many GF options, fantastic beverages and cocktails with zero-proof options (owner also runs bar @librepdx). (three-sisters masa curry samosas, larb croquette, coconut mushroom linguine)

vegan Sri Lankan: Mirisata (v) @mirisata - worker-owned cooperative with some of the most flavorful food in Portland (roti, rice and curry combos, lankan-chinese dishes). they also offer a vegan brunch pop-up, check their instagram @coopersvegan for details

vegan Vietnamese: Van Hanh (v) - a restaurant run by Buddhist nuns in a roadside house off SE 82nd, quietly serving some of the best traditional vegetarian food in Portland. (green papaya salad, lemongrass tofu, bun hue noodle soup, buddha bowl, bittermelon soup, crispy beancurd skin)

vegan Indian: The Sudra (v) @thesudrapdx - a longstanding portland veg restaurant and one of the best, sadly they are closing at the end of this month, catch them if you can!

vegan South-American: Epif (v) @epifpdx (vegan empanadas, stuffed peppers, pumpkin sopaipilla, extensive pisco bar w/ pisco sours and cocktails)

Masala Lab @masalalabpdx - inventive Indian brunch, this is my go-to spot when friends want to get brunch, very veg-friendly. bonus they operate tip-less. (chaat hash, kitchari, pakora waffle, “chaibucha” on tap)

Rangoon Bistro @rangoonbistro by chefs David Sai and Alex Saw. if you’ve never had Burmese food do yourself a favor and go here, it’s one of my favorite restaurants in Portland. it began as a pop-up, as many restaurants here do. (get the lahpet thoke/tea leaf salad, tofu nway, shan tofu/chickpea tofu)

Magna Kusina - excellent modern Filipino food by chef Carlo Lamagna. (pancit bihon, laing coconut braised greens, some skewers, check menu for recent veg options)

Eem for casual/cocktail bar, Phuket Cafe for dinner, Langbaan for Thai tasting menus, by chef Earl Nimsom. (usually have great veg options and curries)

Guerö - I don’t really crave sandwiches all that often but the masa y papa (fried potato pancake + masa) torta is the most perfect thing I’ve eaten. also good cocktails. 

Indonesian: street/market snacks at Pasar @pasarpdx (veg options are nasi goreng tek tek, steamed pastries like pandan sponge cake, talam ubi/purple sweet potato cake), sit-down restaurant Wajan @wajanpdx (nasi campur, gado gado, bubur)

SLIGHTLY FANCIER

Feral v @feral.portland - newly opened, foraged/seasonal, all-vegan shared plates with natural wine and cocktail program. (interesting herbaceous drinks with spruce and other PNW ingredients, fried kimchi, spring risotto, kentucky fried tofu sandwich, savory rhubarb tart)

Xiao Ye @xiaoyepdx by Jolyn Chen and chef Louis Lin - vibey, neighborhood first-generation Asian-American food, opened to much acclaim. Check their current menu for veg options. 

Kann @kannrestaurant - by chef Gregory Gourdet, the menu is already dairy and gluten-free and they also have a separate, fully vegan menu and non-alc drinks. reservations are notoriously hard to snag but open the 1st of each month at 12pm. (creamed peanut greens, crispy taro root fritters, jerk cauliflower with coconut cream, diri ak sos pwa/rice and beans)

POP-UPS

@soenportland - pop-up Japanese kakigori (vegan shaved ice) from 10:30-3pm on weekends and Monday inside Courier Coffee. great article in Portland Monthly about the owners. (matcha ujikintoki, homemade tofu mochi). they also offer a norimaki food menu

@mattapdx - viet kieu pop-up by Richard and Sophia Le. after a sabbatical they’re back! three days a week residency in Dame, check their Instagram for updates

@memoire.caphe - very excited for this vietnamese-american brunch cafe with many familiar names - they’re currently popping up at Dame, brick/mortar soon in undisclosed location so check Instagram for updates

@twotwentytwopastry (v) - vegan pop-up bakery. (seasonal cakes, salted corn cookies, lavender lemon rolls). website for current menu

@vegansyrianpdx (v) - home-cooked Syrian food (loaded za’atar, watermelon feta, mudammas), check Instagram for their events

@our_vegan_cocina (v) - Chicana-owned (vegan tamales, asada nachos, elote bites), check Instagram for events

@itsplantbasedpapi (v) - black-owned, plant-based Latin food, check their Instagram or website for pop-up updates 

@lacasademamapdx (v) - vegan Mexican panadería (!) offering pan dulce and food (vegan conchas,  empanadas, tres leches, tamales). you can order online, check their Instagram for pop-ups. I used to work with them in the same commissary kitchen when I was prepping for my Surong pop-ups and they are the sweetest family. 

@veganizerpdx (v) - organizer for Portland vegan events and frequent vegan/AAPI chef collaborations, follow to get updates

Who to follow: @waz.wu (v) - vegan food writer, content creator, vegan event producer

FOOD SHOPS / MARKETS

Goodies Snack Shop @goodiessnackshop - wonderful first-generation Asian snack shop and market recently opened in Portland’s Old Town/Chinatown, with a mission to transform that area. (pantry goods and all sorts of Asian snacks, treats, gifts, and beverages)

Portland Knife House on Belmont - there are a few knife shops in Portland but this one is everyone’s favorite. apart from Japanese knives they sell uniforms/tweezers/cheffy things

Providore Fine Foods - foodie and chef’s dream grocery store. a bit pricey but very well-curated selection. cookbooks, chocolate, condiments, wine, deli, bakery, Rubinette Produce and Little T Bakery also operate inside.

Vivienne Culinary Books - independent cookbook store and secret bar, you can order wine and Robin always has some cake or pastry of the day. I can spend a whole afternoon here.

The Meadow - two locations in SW and Hawthorne, salt and chocolate shop (single origin and Portland chocolate makers, bitters, Jacobsen flake salt)

Talarico’s Produce - beloved open-air produce stand with great prices, also you can get discounted fruit and veggies like organic berries and muscat grapes for 2 bucks

Peoples Food Coop (v) the crunchiest neighborhood grocery store/co-op with a juice truck and a magnificent bulk foods aisle. Outdoor farmers market every Wednesday from 2pm.

Portland Farmers Market - no Portland trip can be complete without a visit to the farmers market. the Saturday downtown PSU market is year-round and the largest— browse the seasonal produce, grab a bite from the food vendors. a great way to pass a Saturday morning.