Portland food is changing as fast as the city itself. Fresh thinkers and young chefs are ditching Stumptown staples—pork gutbombs, wood-fired DIY, the shabbiest of chic—for global flavors, lighter dishes, and vivacious, polished rooms. No single “restaurant of the year” captured 2016. So we didn’t name one. Instead, the year is defined by two brand-new rising stars and 10 dynamic destinations changing the way we eat (oh, and one life-altering tube of fried dough). Your mission: enjoy—and explore.
Image: Stuart Mullenberg
<i>Portland Monthly</i>’s Rising Star Restaurant of 2016: Tusk
With a beautiful room and beautiful food, a Mideast-meets-Portland restaurant turns heads with the most unlikely of stars: salads.
<i>Portland Monthly</i>’s Rising Star Restaurant of 2016: Revelry
Seattle stars and local nightlife talent bring us pumped-up Korean and throwback hip-hop.
Portland’s Best Spot for Real Barcelona Paella (and Xurros): Chesa
Where Catalan modernism meets the ultimate X(urros) factor.
Portland’s Best Dessert of 2016: Xurros at 180
Behold the life-altering power of a tube of fried dough.
Portland’s Best “Supahardcore” Japanese: Nodoguro
From pop-up beginnings to a new Zen-vintage space on Belmont, the champion of “Supahardcore” Japanese doubles down.
Portland’s Coolest New Restaurant: Han Oak
Salt-baked pork belly bo ssam to thumping ’80s hip-hop, Peter Cho’s casual Korean spot is the place to be right now.
Portland’s Best Spot For Terrific Southern Thai: Hat Yai
Langbaan’s mastermind captures the intense flavors of the Thai/Malayasian border with his casual new restaurant.
Portland’s Best Plant-Based, Genuinely Fancy Restaurant: Farm Spirit
At his stylish Buckman spot, gung-ho vegetable lover Aaron Adams declares his own farm-powered city-state.
Portland’s Best Real-Deal Ramen: Marukin
Mark it down: in 2016, we finally got certifiably amazing Tokyo-style ramen.
Portland’s Best Appalachian Supper Club: Mae
Three days a week, Maya Lovelace transplants a new vision of Southern comfort.
Portland’s Best Everyday, Michelin-Caliber Restaurant: Coquine
This neighborhood spot came to slay—very politely.
Portland’s Best Pizza Spot That Almost Flamed Out: Pizza Jerk
Tommy Habetz didn’t let a major fire stop him from making top-notch pizza.
Portland’s Best Flamboyant Peruvian Cuisine: Paiche
Peruvian seafood meets Portland farm finds, to wild effect.
Three New Portland Spots That Are 80 Percent Awesome
Superbite, Pine Street Market, and Tastebud: it’s complicated.
Four Intriguing Portland Restaurants Opening Soon
From lavish Russian tea service to pakora-fried chicken, these spots should light up our winter.
Portland’s Best New Spots for a Night Out
From a stronghold of natural wine to a bitters-fueled Bali Ha’i, here are four places to eat, drink, and be merry well after dark.
Three Exceptional New Portland Brunches—Without Lines
Only chumps wait for their waffles.
Four Portland Dishes We Ate Over and Over and Over Again in 2016
Fried catfish to porridge (no, really), we just can’t get enough.
Portland’s 5 Best New Food Carts of 2016
Montreal-style pastrami to smoldering coconut curry, these are our new favorites from the fast-paced world of cart cooking.
30 Portland Restaurants for the Ultimate Local Dining Bucket List
Hope you’re hungry. Here are 30 top picks from Portland Monthly editors.
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