My meticulously curated travel guide for Portland, Oregon, includes local hotspots, under-the-radar restaurants, can’t-miss boutiques, and hip places to stay.
Portland is one of my favorite layovers. The city is divided into many charming neighborhoods. It is one of the best cities for hiking, gluten-free dining, outstanding coffee, boutique shopping, and craft brews.
If you are visiting for the day, take the light rail to the Hawthorne neighborhood. Grab a cup of joe at Heart Coffee and head straight to nearby Mt. Tabor Park for an early morning workout.
After working up an appetite, enjoy a mouth-watering Southern brunch at Screen Door or Fried Egg I’m in Love.
If you are in town on a Saturday, do not miss the Portland Farmer’s Market. There are many food booths at the market, not just produce.
Portland is one of my favorite places to shop since there is no sales tax and there are many boutiques. I also could spend hours browsing the books at Powell’s Books. It is the largest independent bookstore in the country.
For fantastic sunset views of Mt. Hood, drive or hike up to Pittock Mansion. The grounds outside the home are free to visit and offer stunning views of the city and Mt. Hood.
For lunch, I love the tacos and garden salad at ¿Por Qué No? The Portland City Grill is a great spot for happy hour specials. It is downtown on the 30th floor of the building with panoramic city views. Skip dinner at Portland City Grill and go to Shalom Y’all downtown. The menu features Mediterranean street food plus Turkish coffee & cocktails.
COFFEE
Heart: Heart is one of my favorite coffee shops. I love their cardamom lattes.
Bastion Coffee: Bastion is located in the trendy Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, OR. Don’t miss this one if you visit this part of town.
Keeper Coffee: The 2022 U.S. Barista Champion title winner is a barista at this charming coffee shop.
Coava: Coava is a local roaster. They don’t offer any specialty lattes, but the espresso is good.
SWEETS
Tabor Bread: They sell sourdough starters for $3.
Dos Hermanos: Their pull-apart sourdough is famous.
Pip’s Donuts and Chai: Pip’s has the best donuts in town, according to locals.
Heavenly Donuts: Their apple fritter is popular.
JinJu: Their almond-chocolate croissant, only available on weekends, is their most popular item.
Bakeshop: Order the chocolate, Kouign Amann.
Sparrow Bakery: Try the cardamom rolls they call Ocean Rolls.
Sugarpine Drive-In: A retro drive-in that sells soft serve ice cream, twenty minutes out of town but worth the drive.
Fifty Licks: You will find unique flavors at this ice cream parlor.
Kate’s: The best vegan ice cream.
Lauretta Jean’s: The best pie in town.
EAT
Screen Door: The best Southern-style brunch.
Bernstein’s Bagels: Best bagels in Portland.
Fried Egg I’m in Love: Fried Egg I’m In Love makes Portland’s best breakfast sandwiches.
Café Olli: Locally sourced ingredients great for brunch or lunch.
Broder Nord: Scandinavian brunch spot. Order coffee with cardamom cream.
Spunky Monkey: The best bagel sandwiches from scratch.
Tusk: A popular Mediterranean restaurant.
Proud Mary: Quintessential Australian brunch spot.
Carioca Bowls: The best Acai bowls in Portland.
Lottie and Zula’s: New England-style grinders.
Pasture PDX: The best sandwiches in town.
Meat Cheese Bread: Another famous sandwich joint.
Lardo: Classic sandwiches.
Eem: Modern Thai eatery serving creative BBQ & craft cocktails, including tiki drinks in traditional mugs.
Phuket Café: Thai food and cocktail bar.
Rangoon Bistro: Burmese noodles and vegetables.
Pizza Thief: They have the best sourdough crust.
Ranch Pizza: Sicilian-style square pies.
Lovely’s Fifty Fifty: Pizza and vegetable sides centered on seasonal produce.
Akadi: A West African theme restaurant.
Oma’s Hideaway: Malaysian Chinese barbecue.
Pho Mekha: A popular Vietnamese spot.
Paadee: Casual Thai food
Coquine: French tasting menu that also serves a fantastic brunch.
Woodsman Tavern: Try the cauliflower steak.
Ox: Argentian food.
Gumba: Mouthwatering Italian food.
Dame: Italian in an unbeatable ambiance.
Gado Gado: Indonesian tasting menu with fantastic cocktails.
Malka: Warm, homey restaurant offering Asian & South American fusion dishes and inventive cocktails.
OK Omens: Large selection of natural wine bars.
Takibi, Luce: A Japanese-inspired restaurant.
Flying Fish: A restaurant and seafood market.
Native Bowl: Food cart selling Asian-accented vegetarian stir-fries made with local ingredients.
Cubo: The best Cuban food.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai: Thai food cart serving namesake chicken-&-rice special with veggie options.
Canteen: Vegan bowls a cut above what you already make at home.
Wild Thing: Gut-healthy bowls with delicious sauces and fermented additions.
GLUTEN-FREE
Note: Almost every restaurant has notations on the menu and substitutions.
Little Gem Gluten Free: Go here early for the best selection of pastries. The donuts are the best thing on the menu.
New Cascadia Traditional: This is my favorite bakery in Portland. Their specialty is bread. You can purchase pizza dough, bread loaves, cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookie dough, and biscuits.
Kyra’s Bakeshop: The best cupcakes in town. Kyra won Cupcake Wars. The bakery is located outside of Portland in Milwaukee.
Mutantis Brewery & Bottle Shop: A dedicated gluten-free brewery and gluten-free beer bottle shop!
Wild Thing: Gut-healthy bowls with delicious sauces and fermented additions.
Fermenter: Gut-healthy bowls with delicious sauces and fermented additions.
Seven Virtues Coffee: The gluten-free mini cupcakes are delicious.
The Groundbreaker Brewery: This Brewery offers nine varieties of gluten-free beer, all their vegan and gluten-free food.
Harlow: The menu is entirely gluten-free—an excellent spot for brunch.
Petunia’s Pies and Pastries: Petunia’s is entirely vegan and gluten-free. The downtown outpost has pies, bars, cookies, cakes, and savory lunch and dinner items.
Bob’s Red Mill: Tour the world headquarters of Bob’s Red Mill (including their dedicated gluten-free facilities), and pop into their whole grain store for the largest selection of gluten-free flours you’ll likely ever see under one roof. Check out the sale section.
DRINK
Bar Diane: Cute wine bar with tons of natural bottles.
Rev Hall Rooftop: Breathtaking city views at a repurposed high school.
Culmination: Casual brewery with a wide range of beers.
The Study: A cute Brewery in a small craftsman house.
Victoria Bar: A perfect place to meet a group of friends, with ample picnic tables for seating. Food and mocktails are both better than they need to be.
Little Beast: Sour beers and barbecue in a casual locale.
Dogwood PDX: A casual, cute wine shop where you can stay for a glass.
Advice Booth: Cozy bar for a rainy day. Also, their alcohol-free category is called “cockteasers.”
FOOD MARKETS
Providore: A unique gourmet grocery store.
Well Spent Market: A large selection of international pantry staples.
Ripe Cooperative: Café and market with oysters and wine.
Montelupo: An Italian market in a charming neighborhood.
People’s Food Co-op: A great little neighborhood grocery. Sip Juice Cart is set up in the parking lot—the best juice and smoothies in town.
DO
Hike up to Pittock Mansion: The best views of Portland and Mt. Hood are at Pittock Mansion. The views of the city from the east side is fantastic. You will enjoy a one-of-a-kind glimpse of Mt Hood and a magical sunset on a clear day that you will remember for a long time. If you do not have a car, take Trimet bus 20-Burnside/Stark to Beaverton TC to the bus stop at W Burnside and NW Barnes (stop ID #687). Walk the half-mile uphill following “Pittock Mansion” street signs to reach the Mansion. Picnic tables are available.
Portland Farmer’s Market: Many food booths, not just produce.
Forest Park: An urban escape into nature full of trails and wilderness. Hike in Forest Park from Lower Macleay to the Wildwood Trail and loop down Aspen.
Mt. Tabor Park: Mt. Tabor, a dormant volcano in SE Portland, is a great park to visit. Winding trails weave up the hillside, and wandering among the trees and reservoirs for hours is easy.
Washington Park: The park is home to the Portland Rose Garden and Japanese Gardens.
Rose Garden: The space features more than 10,000 roses.
Bob’s Red Mill: Tour the world headquarters of Bob’s Red Mill (including their dedicated gluten-free facilities), and pop into their whole grain store for the largest selection of gluten-free flours you’ll likely ever see under one roof. Check out the sale section.
Trillium Lake: Go paddle boarding on Trillium Lake, which has gorgeous views of Mt. Hood
Hood River: Take the 35-mile drive through the valley’s orchards stopping at farm stands along the way.
Cathedral Park: A park in St. John’s Cathedral Park is named for the dramatic bridge that runs over it and the Gothic arches that frame the view of Forest Park on the west side. The iconic St. John’s bridge has been standing since 1931, and the outstanding architecture of the support arches towering over the waterfront park is awe-inspiring.
Hoyt Arboretum Redwood Loop: The Hoyt Arboretum is relatively small but packed with gorgeous trails and resources for identifying trees. Make a loop that brings you to the Redwood Observation Deck.
Japanese Gardens: Many styles of gardens are showcased in serene 5.5-acre spaces with a waterfall, teahouse & mountain views.
OMSI Museum: A fun spot for toddlers.
Kelley Point: Kelley Point Park is known for its scenic views of the Willamette River.
Marquam Nature Park: A popular 3-mile trail.
Clackamas River: Spend a fun day hiking, biking, or kayaking on the Clackamas River with views of Mt. Hood.
Lake Oswego’s Iron Mountain Trail: This is a popular trail for hiking and walking.
SHOP
Broadway Books: A great little neighborhood bookstore.
Powell’s Books: The world’s largest independent bookstore.
Sunblossom Farm: Pickup flowers for your DIY bouquets.
Seven Sisters: Another of my favorite boutiques featuring clothing, jewelry, and home decor.
Banshee: One of my favorite boutiques. The owner stocks beauty products and vintage clothes.
Shop Dano: An adorable boutique that sells Living Libations products.
Wild Cactus: Casual clothing, shoes, home goods, and fun accessories.
Vivienne: An impressive cookbook store that sells an array of equally-impressive baked goods and wine!
Child’s Play: A toy store.
Frances May: A designer fashion boutique downtown.
Spartan: The chicest home store.
Maak Lab: A small shop that sells soaps, perfumes, and candles.
Columbia Farms: Head out to the fields to pick different varietals of blueberries, raspberries, and boysenberries.
Tender Loving Empire: There’s a location at the PDX airport.
STAY
DAY TRIPS
Mt. Hood: A fantastic day trip for incredible scenic hiking in the spring and summer and snow sports in the winter.
Multnomah Falls: Multnomah Falls is just 30 miles east of downtown Portland.
GET AROUND
Max Light Rail: MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) Light Rail connects Portland City Center with Beaverton, Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, North/Northeast Portland, and Portland International Airport.
What else would you add to this travel guide to Portland, Oregon?
TRAVEL GUIDES:
Laurel // Waco // Jacksonville // Philadelphia // Austin // Richmond //Palm Springs//Venice Beach// Oxford, MS
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