Let’s be real: The Portland food scene rocks. With so many incredible spots packed into every neighborhood, I struggle to pick a favorite every single time I head out the door. While most travelers tend to stick to the downtown core, my number one piece of advice is to branch out. Some of the city’s best hidden gems are waiting just beyond the tourist hubs. Whether you use this list as a roadmap or go rogue to find your own secret spot, these are the restaurants I’ve personally visited and honestly enjoyed maybe a little too much. Most of these are local icons for a reason, so go hungry and get ready to eat well.
Northwest Portland / Pearl
- Langbaan (hard to snag reservation)
- Phuket Cafe
- St. Jack
- Dolly Olive
- Swagat
- Constantinople
- Top Burmese
- Ringside (institution!)
North Portland
- Eem (hard seat to grab)
- Ox
- Gumba
- Tulip Shop Tavern
- Sweedeedee
- Fifty Licks Pizza
- Campana
Northeast Portland
- Xiao Ye
- Gado Gado
- Hat Yai
- Expatriate
- Dame
- Laurelhurst Market
- Urdaneta
- Proud Mary Cafe
Southeast Portland
- Magna Kusina
- Oma’s Hideaway
- Kann (almost imposible reservation to get)
- Akadi
- Kachka
- Nostrana
- Yaowarat
- Ken’s Artisan Pizza
- Le Pigeon
- Paper Bridge
- Shalom Y’all
- Reel M Inn
Southwest & Downtown
- Higgins (institution!)
- Lechon
- Murata
- Southpark Seafood
- Departure
- Tokyo Sando
- Bing Mi
Portland Icons Worth the Stop
- Pip’s Original Doughnuts
- Salt & Straw
- Fifty Licks
- Lauretta Jean’s
There are hundreds of amazing places to eat in Portland, but if you’re trying to narrow it down, you really can’t go wrong with anything on this list.