Portland has long been known for its food scene. It’s a circuit worth salivating over, but downtown, especially as of late, has mostly been left out. And to overlook the Rose City’s central area is to forego truly exceptional meals, as capable as some of the best restaurants in America.
By all means, check out the city’s vast number of neighborhoods — all with scores of esteemed eateries. But don’t leave out downtown Portland restaurants, because while it may feel like other cities on the surface — the buildings, the chain establishments, the occasional unsavory character — there’s too much flavor not to visit.
This writer was born and raised in the Rose City and continues to marvel at the local food options. Downtown, in particular, has some go-to’s that I routinely hit up, both for quick and simple meals and special occasion-caliber feasts.
Read on for some of the best downtown Portland dining options.
Luc Lac
This outstanding Vietnamese kitchen also offers a respectable cocktail program. Go with anything skewered on the menu, and don’t forget the steak rolls, chicken salad, Nem Nuong sausage, and house curries. Oh, and the city tends to go to sleep on the early side, at least on weeknights, making Luc Lac a nice downtown Portland dining option if you feel like a nighttime snack (open until 11 p.m.).
Higgins
To point to a place that pretty much started the farm-to-table standard in Portland would be to point to Higgins. This bona fide Portland classic offers the white tablecloth experience on one side and the bar experience on the other (with shared menus, so do both). Higgins is home to one of my favorite bars and restaurants in all of America.
Touting some of the best service in town, heightened seasonality beyond comprehension, and maybe the best burger in town, this is a must for every visitor and local alike. This is the definition of what it means to eat well in the Pacific Northwest. The head chef has even been known to share intel with us, like his poached pear recipe.
Spella Caffè
Get a shot of Italy at this fantastic cafe right downtown. Not only is it some of the best coffee in a coffee-loving town, but the Euro nature of it all is amazing. Pop in, rub elbows with the hoards of others looking for their morning fix or afternoon pick-me-up, and ravel at the barista work at play. And if you can’t get enough of the Spella experience, get some beans to go.
The Flock PDX
A long-awaited food hall set in the Ritz Carlton, The Flock just opened and is the home of a number of intriguing eateries. Portland has felt a little left out in this department, at least in terms of a downtown-set operation of this scale (what with L.A. having a famous one and Seattle with Pike Place Market). What makes it a hall? Well, there’s a wine bar, a tap house featuring 26 local drafts, a Thai joint, a seafood spot, Hong Kong-style dim sum, BBQ chicken, and more. Bring your appetite.
Tanaka
Featuring katsu-style sandwiches and more, this Tanaka showcases the beauty of big, fluffy, Japanese-style milk bread. It makes for the ideal bookends for fillings like pork, tofu, spicy chicken breast, and more. The specialty sandwiches are fantastic (I just had one a couple of weeks ago), and there’s even brunch. It’s a little taste of Tokyo right on SW 12th Street.
Portland City Grill
Portland City Grill pretty much started the table with a view approach and for obvious reasons, as the place is situated 30 stories up in a skyscraper that locals like to call Big Pink. The views are great, especially at night, and the classic items like Cobb salad, lobster, any number of steaks, and short ribs are downright timeless. Opt for something a bit more Pacific Northwest, like rockfish jambalaya or pan-seared steelhead with pistachio basil pesto.
Jake’s Famous Crawfish
An elder statesman in the field, Jake’s has been at it in some form or another since 1892. Southern leaning, the menu features things like crab cakes and crawfish etouffee, along with Pacific Northwest staples like Dungeness crab and bay shrimp stuffed salmon or lamb shank. You can feel the history inside, and this is a prime place to people-watch as you dine.
MÅURICE
Intimate is the name of the game in this petite downtown establishment. You can look forward to a cozy interior, great pastries, and some Nordic flair. Think Parisian bar, but kissed by Scandinavia, featuring things like wine, shellfish, root vegetable soups, pickled fish, fine cheeses, and outstanding sweets for dessert. Yes, please.
Virginia Cafe
A social hub since 1914, Virginia Cafe has seen it all, from the Prohibition to the grunge era. The story started with Greek immigrants being laid off from their railroad-building jobs during foul weather and getting into the restaurant realm. The rest is history, and you can feel it here. Think simple fare but done well, with no bells or whistles. The happy hour is always a bargain, and the place is open late every night of the week. If you’re hungover, get the breakfast sandwich.
The Nines
Portland upscale hotel The Nines is home to a pair of great dining opportunities in Departure and Urban Farmer. The former focuses on vibrant pan-Asian food with the biggest sake menu in town. The latter is an oasis of sorts, an airy and leafy restaurant in the main lobby that’s essentially a contemporary steakhouse focused on area ingredients. The Departure deck is incredible and in the off-season, there are even cool pop-ups (like the current Winter Chalet). I like to go when something is happening at nearby Pioneer Courthouse Square for a cocktail and some entertainment.
Meadowrue
Head up to Bellpine for dinner with a view at the new Ritz Carlton, but don’t enter the building without heading over to the lobby bar. Otherwise known as Meadowrue, it’s become the headquarters for inventive cocktails, even in its relatively short lifespan.
The drooping greenery and ferns are a nice touch, and so are drinks like Oui Chef, featuring house-made kombucha, rum agricole, amaro Montenegro, Lillet Blanc, and watermelon beet, or the Aviation Variation, made with gin, Oloroso sherry, framboise, egg, lemon, lavender bitters, and raspberry dust. You can be a romantic and order a cocktail for two or even go non-alcoholic with a good mocktail.
Check out some of The Manual’s related material, like our Portland travel guide and Cannon Beach guide. The coast could not be more accessible, some 70 miles from town. Enjoy the surf, enjoy the turf.
