Fall started out rough for Portland’s vegan scene with the closures of cult favorite burger joint Gnarly’s and Epif, a South American–inspired restaurant on 28th Avenue’s “Restaurant Row.” But a sliver of hope remained, as both spots hinted in their closing announcements that there would be some kind of revival down the line. While there hasn’t yet been a follow-up to Gnarly’s, Epif fans didn’t have long to wait long: The restaurant is back, sporting the same name but a new concept. Rather than empanadas and pisco sours, diners will find a vegan brunch menu of pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, scrambles, and mimosas (and also a breakfast empanada).  

“Pepe and I are so proud of what we created with the first iteration of Epif... But sales had been dipping, and we knew it was time for a change. And personally, we were ready for a change as well,” says co-owner Nicolle Dirks. The two-month closure gave her and her husband and business partner, Epif’s chef Jose “Pepe” Arancibia, time to evaluate what that change would look like. They had previously hosted a few brunch pop-ups and knew that there was a hunger for more vegan brunch options. So in early November, the couple reopened Epif in its new form.  

The opening menu includes hits like Benedicts and quiches, just without the usual eggs and bacon (or any other animal product). Mung beans, a common vegan ingredient, stands in for eggs in many dishes. And while you can still find an empanada on the menu—this one filled with imitation eggs and chorizo, plus potatoes—Nicolle says that this new version of Epif leans away from South American influences to allow her husband “a bit more flexibility in the kitchen.”

Epif is open Friday through Sunday, 9am to 2pm. 

Other Openings to Know