The 25 Restaurants that Made Portland

The places that have shaped the city since 2000. Plus: The legacy of the Malheur takeover, a look back at Portlandia, a sunny Baja getaway, shops we love, and our annual list of Portland's top doctors, nurse practitioners, and more.

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

Television

15 Years Ago, Portlandia Told Portland Who It Was

Though it has undeniably shaped the city’s reputation, what exactly the show “did” to Portland is less cut-and-dried.

7:00am By Matthew Trueherz Illustrations by Lisa Sheehan (Photo courtesy Chris Hornbecker/IFC)

Movies

Kristen Stewart’s Chronology of Water Captures the Book’s Emotional Force

The Twilight star’s directorial debut stays true to Oregon author Lidia Yuknavitch’s intimate portrait of reclaimed agency.

12/15/2025 By Chase Hutchinson

Bookshelf

Portland Monthly’s Best Books of 2025

Our favorite fiction and nonfiction, children’s books, cartoons, and comics of the year by Oregon authors.

12/08/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Gimme Five

5 Portland Activist and Community Choirs to Know

Instead of Christmas carols and religious hymns, these local groups sing to resist oppression and foster community.

12/01/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen Illustrations by Dilek Baykara

Arts and Letters

Mother Foucault’s, the Lifeblood of Portland Literary Bohemia

“Hey, this is a real way to live,” says owner Craig Florence, who’s formalizing the community around his bookshop as a nonprofit.

10/29/2025 By Jaydra Johnson Photography by Michael Novak

Eat & Drink

Dish Exploder

What Makes Afuri’s Vegan Ramen So Damn Good?

Why use pork or chicken when you have sunflower seeds and bananas?

12/29/2025 By Alex Frane Illustrations by Amber Day

Food History

The 25 Restaurants That Made Portland

Portland was not a food city in the year 2000. Over the past quarter century, these restaurants changed that.

11/14/2025 Edited by Matthew Trueherz By Portland Monthly Staff Illustrations by Max-O-Matic

Superfan

Gino’s Restaurant in the Genes

It’s hard to eat in when you live so close to this Italian favorite.

10/28/2025 By Margaret Seiler Photography by Michael Raines

Restaurant Review

Hayward Is Oregon Wine Country’s Destination Restaurant

The Willamette Valley’s most decorated upstart is no longer the underdog. Can it shine in the limelight?

10/01/2025 By Jordan Michelman Photography by Thomas Teal

Sunday Gravy

A Diner’s Guide to 2025’s Italian Restaurant Boom

A new lineup of Italian restaurants, bars, and markets has come to Portland.

09/10/2025 By Ron Scott

On Line

The Gen Z Kids Behind the Busiest Matcha Café in Portland

It’s been around for decades. Why does it feel like we’ve never actually tasted matcha until now?

07/31/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Health & Wellness

Best of the City

Top Doctors, Nurses, and More 2026

Our annual list of the best health care professionals in the Portland metro area.

11/19/2025 Edited by Portland Monthly Staff

News & City Life

Malheur

Ten Years Ago, Outlaws Took Over an Oregon Refuge

Now, they've taken even more.

12/15/2025 By Leah Sottile Illustrations by Matthew Woodson

Love Letters

An Illustrated Ode to Stomptown

The LGBTQ+ country dance pop-up predates the recent wave in queer line dance and two-step popularity.

12/09/2025 Illustrations by Shay Mirk

Long Story Short

Vera Mysteria’s Spandex-Clad Sunday Service

Meet the Lloyd Center’s lively, colorful, and unapologetically ridiculous mall walker, host of the Food Court 5000.

11/04/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden Photography by Michael Raines

In Short

Hot Takes on Portland's Latest News

Real news in small packages.

11/03/2025 By Margaret Seiler

PDX Index

A Closer Look at Oregon’s Owl Attacks

Portland hikers are getting dive-bombed on Leif Erikson.

11/03/2025 By Amelia Arvesen

ICE

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Has Left Oregon Wine Country in Fear

The president’s increased pressure to deport and detain immigrants has left the Willamette Valley bracing for the worst.

10/22/2025 By Alex Frane

Style & Shopping

Shop Talk

4 Portland Stores We Adore for IRL Holiday Shopping

Close the laptop and pound the pavement for martini dad hats and vinyl your biggest music nerd will love.

11/24/2025 By Alex Frane, Brooke Jackson-Glidden, and Matthew Trueherz

Style

Why Aren’t We Wearing Motorcycle Sweaters?

Dehen 1920 knits the coolest piece of biker gear no one seems to know about for Harley-Davidson and Langlitz Leathers.

10/21/2025 By Matthew Trueherz

Travel & Outdoors

Oregon Trails

An Illustrated Guide to Oregon’s Winter Celebrations

Must-catch happenings during the state’s coldest months.

12/01/2025 By Brooke Jackson-Glidden Illustrations by Jordan Kay

Q&A

Ripping the City with Gabbi Thomas

The solo camper and herbalist shares her Pacific Northwest adventures, from healing and foraging to winter camping and her scariest moment in nature.

10/30/2025 By Dalila Brent

Gearing Up

Meet the Outdoor Store Designed for Latinx Adventurers

BaseCamp, from the outdoor education nonprofit Loco por la Aventura, wants to make gear shopping more accessible.

10/06/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Openings

New Pacific Northwest Hotels, Resorts, and Getaways to Know

Luxury tents, saunas, ocean views, and an attic library.

09/17/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Beach Time

La Paz Is the Mellow Mexico Vacation You Need Right Now

Take a nonstop flight from PDX to Los Cabos, then turn north for sugar-white beaches, lagoon-blue waters, and glowing sunsets.

02/24/2025 By Amelia Arvesen

Veggies of the Sea

Alanna Kieffer Just Wants You to Love Seaweed

The seaweed farmer and marine educator cofounded a seaweed-centric event series called Winter Waters, back in 2025 for its third year.

01/29/2025 By Britany Robinson