Guidebook for Portland

Ben
Guidebook for Portland

Food Scene

Cute little neighborhood bakery / cafe. Good wifi connection. Great vibe. Ok coffee.
100 locals recommend
Posies Bakery & Cafe
8208 N Denver Ave
100 locals recommend
Cute little neighborhood bakery / cafe. Good wifi connection. Great vibe. Ok coffee.
Amazing Paleo friendly food! Gluten free / dairy free / mostly locally sourced, organic, etc. 100% delicious! If you have kids, I play children's music here every Thursday morning at 11 AM. :-)
27 locals recommend
Cultured Caveman
27 locals recommend
Amazing Paleo friendly food! Gluten free / dairy free / mostly locally sourced, organic, etc. 100% delicious! If you have kids, I play children's music here every Thursday morning at 11 AM. :-)
Where I go if I want great coffee and don't care about ambiance (because it's a cart).
23 locals recommend
GrindHouse Coffee
1934 N Rosa Parks Way
23 locals recommend
Where I go if I want great coffee and don't care about ambiance (because it's a cart).
Pizza, pasta, salads, etc. Cute little bar area as well...
57 locals recommend
Fino Bistro Bar Pizzeria
8225 N Denver Ave
57 locals recommend
Pizza, pasta, salads, etc. Cute little bar area as well...
My favorite breakfast / brunch place in the universe. Also good craft cocktails in the PM (or anytime, really).
482 locals recommend
Tasty n Daughters
4537 SE Division St
482 locals recommend
My favorite breakfast / brunch place in the universe. Also good craft cocktails in the PM (or anytime, really).
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Portland. (Not great for vegan or gluten free options.) Arrive close to opening time (5:30 PM) or expect to wait for a table. (It's worth the wait.)
179 locals recommend
Toro Bravo
120 NE Russell St
179 locals recommend
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Portland. (Not great for vegan or gluten free options.) Arrive close to opening time (5:30 PM) or expect to wait for a table. (It's worth the wait.)
Since this place is only two blocks from my font door I sometimes forget how good it is and kind of take it for granted. The Steak banh mi sandwich is my fave.
98 locals recommend
Swift and Union
8103 N Denver Ave
98 locals recommend
Since this place is only two blocks from my font door I sometimes forget how good it is and kind of take it for granted. The Steak banh mi sandwich is my fave.
This recent blind taste test of 12 Portland doughnut places demonstrates why locals avoid Voodoo and Blue Star. (they came in 12th and 11th, respectively): ( https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/2c50e47f219013/portlands_best_doughnut_shops.html ) Instead try Heavenly, Angel's, or Delicious Doughnuts for simple inexpensive deliciousness. (They came in 6th, 3rd, and 1st, respectively -- I'm posting Heavenly because of my neighborhood loyalty, but Delicious and Angels are worth googling if you're a doughnut aficionado. Oh! And Pips -- google them too! ;-)
6 locals recommend
Heavenly Donuts
1915 N Lombard St
6 locals recommend
This recent blind taste test of 12 Portland doughnut places demonstrates why locals avoid Voodoo and Blue Star. (they came in 12th and 11th, respectively): ( https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/05/2c50e47f219013/portlands_best_doughnut_shops.html ) Instead try Heavenly, Angel's, or Delicious Doughnuts for simple inexpensive deliciousness. (They came in 6th, 3rd, and 1st, respectively -- I'm posting Heavenly because of my neighborhood loyalty, but Delicious and Angels are worth googling if you're a doughnut aficionado. Oh! And Pips -- google them too! ;-)
K -- TOTAL SECRET INSIDE SCOOP HERE! (Seriously -- I don't even tell my neighbors about this because I don't want it to become a thing. :-) Go to Prince coffee, get a coffee or tea beverage of your choice and a freshly made stroopwaffle (pronounced strope-waffle, not strupe-waffle -- you're welcome. ;-). Get them to go. Take them two doors down to the outdoor showroom of the Bamboo Craftsman (2104 N. Willis Blvd.). In the outdoor showroom there is a bamboo treehouse. Go to the very top -- there's comfy seating up there and it's the perfect spot to chill, enjoy your treats, and plan your day! ​
43 locals recommend
Prince Coffee
2181 NW Nicolai St
43 locals recommend
K -- TOTAL SECRET INSIDE SCOOP HERE! (Seriously -- I don't even tell my neighbors about this because I don't want it to become a thing. :-) Go to Prince coffee, get a coffee or tea beverage of your choice and a freshly made stroopwaffle (pronounced strope-waffle, not strupe-waffle -- you're welcome. ;-). Get them to go. Take them two doors down to the outdoor showroom of the Bamboo Craftsman (2104 N. Willis Blvd.). In the outdoor showroom there is a bamboo treehouse. Go to the very top -- there's comfy seating up there and it's the perfect spot to chill, enjoy your treats, and plan your day! ​
Best Cuban food this side of Havana. if you go at a peak meal time expect a wait. I personally love to go here middle of the afternoon for a no-wait late lunch. Truly though, cannot over-state how amazing this place is.
166 locals recommend
Pambiche
2811 NE Glisan St
166 locals recommend
Best Cuban food this side of Havana. if you go at a peak meal time expect a wait. I personally love to go here middle of the afternoon for a no-wait late lunch. Truly though, cannot over-state how amazing this place is.
Is it really a visit to Portland without a trip to Voodoo Doughnuts? Doesn't matter, because doughnuts. If you want the full tourist experience, go to the downtown location and be prepared to wait in line for up to an hour (depending on day and time, of course). If on the other hand you want the doughnuts (and probably more importantly, the pink box to IG a selfie with ;-), without the wait, then go to this NE Davis location. Same doughnuts, same iconic pink box, little to no wait.
125 locals recommend
Voodoo Doughnut - Davis
1501 NE Davis St
125 locals recommend
Is it really a visit to Portland without a trip to Voodoo Doughnuts? Doesn't matter, because doughnuts. If you want the full tourist experience, go to the downtown location and be prepared to wait in line for up to an hour (depending on day and time, of course). If on the other hand you want the doughnuts (and probably more importantly, the pink box to IG a selfie with ;-), without the wait, then go to this NE Davis location. Same doughnuts, same iconic pink box, little to no wait.

Drinks & Nightlife

Good cheap drinks and a pool table. Sometimes good live music. Sometimes horrible live music.
43 locals recommend
Kenton Club
2025 N Kilpatrick St
43 locals recommend
Good cheap drinks and a pool table. Sometimes good live music. Sometimes horrible live music.
Great blue-collar, neighborhood bar, greasy spoon. I recently overheard some 20 something hipsters saying it's their new favorite bar, so get here quick -- in 6 months it'll be overrun. ;-) Strangely they close at 10 on weeknights, and 11 weekends, which is actually kind of a Portland thing. We like to sleep -- being retired at 30 is hard work...
25 locals recommend
Kenton Station
8303 N Denver Ave
25 locals recommend
Great blue-collar, neighborhood bar, greasy spoon. I recently overheard some 20 something hipsters saying it's their new favorite bar, so get here quick -- in 6 months it'll be overrun. ;-) Strangely they close at 10 on weeknights, and 11 weekends, which is actually kind of a Portland thing. We like to sleep -- being retired at 30 is hard work...

Essentials

Great smaller grocery store, specializing in organic, locally sourced, healthier options. A little spendy, but usually worth it.
1022 locals recommend
New Seasons Market
5320 NE 33rd Ave
1022 locals recommend
Great smaller grocery store, specializing in organic, locally sourced, healthier options. A little spendy, but usually worth it.
Huge grocery store with everything you need.
204 locals recommend
Fred Meyer
6850 N Lombard St
204 locals recommend
Huge grocery store with everything you need.

Everything Else

A food cart that serves the worlds most amazing waffles. You want to go to here.
14 locals recommend
Flavour Spot
4707 N Lombard St
14 locals recommend
A food cart that serves the worlds most amazing waffles. You want to go to here.

Parks & Nature

Amazing forest hikes right here in the city. Plus check out this list of 20 hikes in Portland! http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2016/05/portland_hiking_guide.html
940 locals recommend
Forest Park
940 locals recommend
Amazing forest hikes right here in the city. Plus check out this list of 20 hikes in Portland! http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2016/05/portland_hiking_guide.html
One of the most stunning waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, which is saying something. This is the touristy "must see" and then once you're out there, there are plenty of other waterfalls and hikes to explore.
974 locals recommend
Multnomah Falls station
974 locals recommend
One of the most stunning waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, which is saying something. This is the touristy "must see" and then once you're out there, there are plenty of other waterfalls and hikes to explore.

Sightseeing

Dude! Like, the biggest Paul Bunyan statue in the world! (Maybe? I think I heard that somewhere...) Whatever! It's big, and it's adorable, and it's three blocks away! Take your pic in front of it because why not!
23 locals recommend
Paul Bunyan statue
North Denver Avenue
23 locals recommend
Dude! Like, the biggest Paul Bunyan statue in the world! (Maybe? I think I heard that somewhere...) Whatever! It's big, and it's adorable, and it's three blocks away! Take your pic in front of it because why not!