Everything I Love in Oregon
Food, coffee, shopping, vineyards & day trips from Portland + beyond
Food, coffee, shopping, vineyards & day trips from Portland + beyond
After a combined ten years in Portland fondly spent road-tripping through every inch of Oregon, consuming each perfect cup of coffee and world-class meal possible; I’ve combed through what I’d guess to be hundreds of bars, shops, parks, vineyards, and restaurants. I want everyone to love these places as much as I do, and now that I’m no longer in town to share my favorites on a regular basis, I’m happy to round them up so you can view them all in one place!
View my Portland Story Highlight for day to day moments around town
If you tap the photo above or below, it will take you to my Instagram story highlights which showcase some most-frequented spots that might be helpful if you want to browse outdoor locations, photos of bars, meals, or coffee shops. Read on for everything else:
View my portland II Story Highlight for more day to day moments and locations
THINGS TO DO AROUND TOWN
01. TAKE SOME FOOD TO GO, GRAB A PICNIC BLANKET AND EAT AT LAURELHURST PARK
The pathways at the park offer tons of room to roam: the evening light is lovely, there’s a pond located centrally and all throughout the spring and summer you’ll find people walking, playing games and picnicking. It’s about 28 acres of land and is a reliable place to meet up with friends since there’s so much space. It’s such a lush, beautiful spot to hang out or go for a walk or run!
02 — Visit the Portland Japanese Gardens
This is easily my favorite place in Portland: it’s beautiful at all times of the year, but especially so in the spring and the fall. There’s a really great view of the city on one side and gorgeous architecture and greenery throughout, plus a stunning café: make a reservation here.
03 — Go for a sunset walk or a picnic at the Rose Gardens
The Rose Test Gardens are up near the Japanese Gardens and have amazing views of the city as well as endless rows of flowers. There’s an amphitheater on the grounds where you can stop and picnic or simply sit and take in the view.
04 — Go apple, berry or pumpkin picking at sauvie island
Sauvie’s is about 25 minutes outside of town and offers some adorable seasonal activities: berry picking in the summer, apple and pumpkin picking in the fall, and swimming/general beach hangs in the summer. Yet another ideal spot to picnic or lay out in the sun if a full-on trip to the coast isn’t in the cards.
ROAD TRIPS TO TAKE & Some of my all-time favorite northwest destinations
05 — Oregon Wine Country
Your options here are somewhat endless— a few of my favorite vineyards in Oregon are:
Stay tuned for more on our Natural Wine Directory: coming in 2024
06 — The Oregon Coast
Truly the prettiest coastline: full of lush trees, tucked coves and rocky beaches. A few of my favorites include:
Hug Point
Oswald West State Park
Cape Kiwanda
Cape Meares
Nehalem Bay
More here
Independent shops
07 — favorite shops in Portland
Boswell, The Yo Store, Frances May, In Real Life, UNA and Woonwinkel are a few of my favorites for curated vintage pieces and independent designers.
COFFEE
08 — Incredible Coffee Shops in Portland
What they say is true: you’re never more than a few blocks from some truly wonderful coffee in Portland.
Proud Mary — Founded in Melbourne, Australia, their Portland spot was their first U.S. location: Proud Mary’s breakfast options have remained my favorite in town since the first week they opened and their coffee is sourced from small farms, and IMO, is some of the best you’ll find in the states.
Never — With two bright and colorful locations, you’ll find unique drinks (like my personal favorite, the Midnight Oil: a latte with sweet fennel, star anise, and black licorice.)
Deadstock — A sneaker-themed coffee roaster and shop in NW Portland.
Upper Left — Coffee, tea, and breakfast. An excellent roaster in town with three of my favorite breakfast items: Turkish eggs, romesco toast, and the poached egg croissant.
Heart — A roaster with three locations throughout town: great coffee, pastries, and breakfast at the Woodstock location.
Good Coffee — You’ll find multiple locations of this airy shop with some delicious seasonal drinks like a rosemary and spiced fig latte and horchata latte.
Either/Or — My favorite of their two shops is their Sellwood location: it’s quaint and nice to walk around in the area with your coffee.
Prince — A Dutch-inspired specialty shop serving fresh stroopwafels and coffee from local roasters.
CloudForest — Their colorful space offers chocolate creations as well as house-made pastries, coffee, tea, ceramics, and art. Their space exists not only to share our interpretation of chocolate but also as a platform to explore its changing culinary culture.
Bastion Coffee — A sweet N Portland shop founded by two best friends.
BRUNCH
09 — breakfast and lunch options that will maybe make you want to move to portland if you don’t already live there
Fairweather — You couldn’t make a wrong choice here, but the crab toast benedict may be the best breakfast item I’ve had in the city to date.
Vivienne Pantry & Kitchen — A really cheery breakfast spot. Love their sandwiches and pastries.
Tokio Sando — I’m begging you not to sleep on this food cart: unfortunately I only went once and that is most definitely one of my biggest food-related regrets
Coquine — Get the fried egg sandwich on brioche with melty Comté and rosemary-shallot butter with bacon and Calabrian chilis :)
Proud Mary — The hash plate, breakfast sandwich and eggs on toast can’t be beat. Also a big fan of their juice and smoothie options.
Toki — They have a weekend-only brunch situation with a bacon egg and cheese bao that I’d only refer to as life-changing.
DINNER
10 — DINNER options that will simply never lead you astray
Luce — Italian small plates and pasta, very quaint, do not miss
Ken’s Artisan Pizza — very favorite pizza and caesar salad, I cannot stress this enough
Jacqueline — the best oyster happy hour and my favorite French-inspired small plates in a “The Life Aquatic” themed space
Canard — French-inspired, plates to share, get the steam burgers and whatever soft serve they have going at the moment !
Afuri — Some of my favorite ramen, tofu, and karaage chicken ever: much like Mt. Hood, the Afuri mountain in Japan has long been revered as a sacred place of harvest; the unique geography creates ideal spring water, perfect for ramen making. This was their first location outside of Japan!
Kachka — Incredible Russian food: the cherry vareniki is iconic. Please get the sour cherry dumplings with mint and basil
Hat Yai — Inspired by the streetside fried chicken vendors and small curry and roti shops in Southern Thailand: the perfect takeout place, IMO
Laangban — A seasonal Thai tasting menu: consider for a special occasion
Han Oak — Minimal Korean spot with tasting menus, a la carte options, drink pairings as well as noodle and dumpling nights. Get the han okonomiyaki savory waffle. (Since publishing, they’ve reopened as a hot pot place, but you can still get some of their classics at Toki.)
Coquine — Farm-to-table New American dinners and casual brunch fare by day, excellent breakfast sandwich. (Since publishing, they’ve stopped offering brunch 😭 Still go for coffee, a pastry, and a stroll around their adorable shop)
No Saint — Another very strong pizza, my second fave behind Ken’s
DĀNWÈI CĀNTĪNG — a snapshot of the food and energy of Beijing, their goal is to share Chinese home-style dishes (JIĀCHÁNG CÀI) using great technique and fresh local ingredients
DRINKS
11 - cozy and approachable bars, all with equally delicious dinner and appetizer options
Angel Face — Custom cocktails: tell them what you’re in the mood for and they’ll make something they think you’ll like. Excellent food and the most beautiful candlelit space. Perhaps my favorite bar in the country…
Cat’s Paw — Good vibes all around and a solid back patio
OK Omens — Go-to for interesting natural wines, burgers and fries, the Torito chicken salad, seasonal appetizers
Someday — Beautiful space and cozy patio with great snacks, drinks, and additional food vendors
Bar Casa Vale — Spanish food and cocktails on a covered patio
Wonderly — Innovative twists on classic cocktails and delicious snacks like cheese curd with hot honey
Nil — Interesting natural wines in a charming space
Bar West — Locally grown, sustainable, and organic ingredients make up their dinner and appetizers that pair well with refreshing cocktails and a local wine list
Bar Diane — Cute natural wine and dinner spot in Northwest Portland
Where to Stay
12 — Nearby airbnbs and hotels in the city
Here are my favorite places to travel to that contain the sweetest cabins and Airbnbs within a couple of hours of Portland. For places to stay in the city, I like Hotel Grand Stark, KEX, The Nines, and The Hoxton.
I hope you enjoy! Portland is truly one of the best food cities you’ll find: there’s nothing more ideal to me than quaint, friendly spaces tucked into neighborhoods full of roses and lush greenery, and charming patios. Stay tuned for more on City Maps and our Natural Wine Directory, still to come.
Related Posts: A weekend in Portland, The French Way | Mini Guide to Portland, Oregon
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