‘Tis the season of two pandemic comebacks—grilled cheese sandwiches and a cocktail bar—plus yet another month to celebrate Filipino cooking in Oregon. And there are plenty of new beers for brew lovers, from a Japanese bakery-inspired beer to a full-on festival of Oregon craft beer.

The Grilled Cheese Grill Reopens July 26 on Alberta Inside Revived Cocktail Bar, The Knock Back

Two Alberta Street mainstays, both long closed due to the pandemic, are teaming up for their revival this week. The Knock Back, open since 2013, is scheduled to reopen July 26 at 2315 NE Alberta St under new ownership, led by the team behind Donnie Vegas. The newly remodeled spot includes a Mike Bennett mural on the exterior; inside, look for tap cocktails, alcoholic slushies, craft beer, and zero proof drinks—and a classic kitchen menu. The Grilled Cheese Grill, formerly housed in a school bus on Alberta with other cart locations around the city, is reopening inside the bar’s kitchen. Known for its classic and loaded grilled cheeses alike, filled with the likes of brie, roasted peppers, and pesto, the kitchen will also serve patty melts, breakfast sandwiches, and the requisite tomato soup. 

Baon Kainan, Sunrice, and BarkadaPDX Collaborate for a Six Hands Dinner July 26

While Filipino Food Month takes place in April in the Philippines, the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon and the Philippine Department of Tourism - San Francisco have declared July Filipino food month in the state for this year. (Next year, the event will return in April.) We don’t mind taking two months to celebrate. As part of the month-long series of dinner events, chefs from three Portland Filipino food spots—Baon Kainan (the newcomer hit food cart at Concourse Coffee), Sunrice (taking up residence at Deadshot), and BarkadaPDX (popping up at Culmination Brewing) will collaborate on a dinner July 26. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. at Magna (2525 SE Clinton St); tickets are $150 per person.

The Oregon Brewers Festival Returns July 28-30

This craft brew festival returns for the first time since 2019, marking its 33rd year with 43 different beers in 15 different styles from 41 different Oregon-only breweries, plus a couple cider houses. Taking place at Tom McCall Waterfront Park from noon to 9 p.m. July 28-30, many of the beers on offer will be debuting for the first time at the festival. Tickets, available online or at the event, are $30 and include 10 tasting pours, plus a souvenir glass.

Love Shokupan? Love Beer?

Beaverton-based Japanese bakery Oyatsupan and Hillsboro’s Three Mugs Brewing have collaborated on a newly launched beer. Named Baker’s Golden Ale, it’s made using donated leftover crust from Oyatsupan’s fluffy shokupan bread. The byproducts of that brewing process are given to a local farm to use as feed or fertilizer, and Oyatuspan in turn purchases dairy and eggs from that farm, creating a cycle of reuse. The beer is now available at Green Zebra and Uwajimaya—perhaps it pairs well with katsu or egg salad sandos for a summer picnic?