FIRST LOOK

Inside Pastaworks' New Providore Fine Foods Market

The relocated flagship location of Pastaworks includes an oyster bar, florist, and Mediterranean-style chicken rotisserie.

By Alex Keith February 10, 2016

Photo: Alex Keith

In addition to a lineup of fresh and dry pasta, housemade focaccias, and large cheese selection, Providore’s Pastaworks post also offers an Illy espresso bar, European-influenced baked goods, and a dine-in or to-go menu of sandwiches, salads, pasta, and charcuterie. Also from the Pastaworks team, the brand-new concept Arrosto serves up Mediterranean-style rotisserie chicken available from a walk-up window. A full meal including chicken fat crispy potatoes, Arrosto salad, and focaccia is available to enjoy onsite or taken to go for an easy, at-home dinner.

Photo: Alex Keith

In the far right corner of the space, sustainable seafood market Flying Fish Company and Oyster Bar offers fresh fish from owner Lyf Gildersleeve (pictured left). Take home a filet or grab a stool at the intimate six-seat oyster bar, where Gildersleeve serves up fresh-shucked oysters, smoked salmon, and house made chowders and soups. Gildersleeve will also offer locally sourced grass-fed and pasture-raised meat, both fresh and frozen, at the Meat Monger.

Photo: Alex Keith

The Pastaworks team opted to pay homage to the building’s bones, maintaining the original wooden beams, exposed brick, and soaring ceilings. Skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate gleaming glass cases of artisan products, available to indulge in at one of the market’s 40 seats. Massive garage doors will roll up come warmer weather, opening the market to Sandy Boulevard for outdoor dining on the patio. It’s as close to Europe as you can get in Portland.

Photo: Alex Keith

Adjacent to the oyster bar, veteran baker Tim Helea offers a selection of breakfast pastries, baguettes, and artisan breads from Little T Baker. The bread and pastry post also features a coffee bar pouring all the classics.

Photo: Alex Keith

Left: The largest section of Providore—aside from multi-aisled selection of pantry goods running diagonally through the center of the space—is Rubinette, the debut location for produce veteran Josh Alsberg. The fruit and vegetables stand showcases the bounty of Pacific Northwest farms such as Ayers Creek Farm, Gathering Together Farm, Deep Roots Farm, and Black Locust Farm. Right: Eco-friendly, botanical florist Emerald Petals sets up shop in a small corner of the space. Locally sourced bouquets burst in vibrant hues, ready to grace a table at home.

Photo: Alex Keith

Behind produce bins stacked high with colorful offerings, open double doors lead into the onsite wine shop, a rectangular back room lined, floor to ceiling, with Providore’s curated selection of bottles. Shoppers can grab a bottle to go or sip by the glass as they peruse the market. Wellman hopes to offer wine tastings in the future along with cooking classes and specialty dinners.

At the end of January, after a 32-year run, Pastaworks rolled its last sheet of fettuccini on Hawthorne Boulevard. Now, Pastaworks has been reborn inside Providore Fine Foods at 2340 NE Sandy Boulevard—the next incarnation of the storied artisan grocery. But it’s not all pasta and cheese this go-round.

As Eat Beat first reported in January 2015, Pastaworks honchos Kevin de Garmo and Kaie Wellman have teamed with Whole Foods Market veteran Bruce Silverman to create a 5,000 square foot multi-armed artisan grocery showcasing the best of Portland’s purveyors as well as products from France, Spain, and Italy not found elsewhere in the Rose City. Apart from Pastaworks' usual selection of artisan European goods, Providore’s new space includes a Mediterranean-style rotisserie, a fresh fish monger and oyster bar, a locally-sourced butcher counter, an eco-friendly botanical florist, an outpost of Little T Baker, and a fully-fledged produce market.

Click on the slideshow above for a full walkthrough of the newly minted Providore Fine Foods.

Restaurants, Food and Drink, Mediterranean Food, Italian Food

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Inside Pastaworks' New Providore Fine Foods Market

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