Karen Brooks eats, drinks and thinks about food for Portland Monthly, as the magazine's trend-spotting food critic at large. Karen's reviews and think pieces ferret out the restaurants, food carts, and maverick thinkers defining Portland's food voice. In 2017, Karen won one of the food world's most prestigious titles: the James Beard Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Reviewer Award. She's penned nine books on food and drink, and in 2020 guest-starred on Hulu's food series, Eater's Guide to the World.

BEST RESTAURANTS

Portland's Best New Barbecue: The People's Pig

Cliff Allen embraces only one school of barbecue: his own.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

BEST RESTAURANTS

The Ultimate Portland Cheese Plate at Chizu

Steve Jones just wants to make cheese fun. Mission accomplished.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

BEST RESTAURANTS

The 4 Most Memorable Portland Restaurant Moments of the Year

A handful of standing ovations are in order for the year's best menu, dish, spread, and cuisine.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

BEST RESTAURANTS

Portland Monthly's Restaurant of the Year: Nodoguro

A posse of playfully intense foodies reimagine Japanese food, one feast at a time.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

BEST RESTAURANTS

Portland's Best Spot for Pig & Booze: Hamlet

A slinky, single-minded Pearl District bar gives you three reasons to go whole hog.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

BEST RESTAURANTS

Portland Monthly's Rising Star Restaurant of the Year: Nomad.PDX

Two upstarts transform a shabby urban space into a modernist showcase—tweezers, Wonder Bread, and beauty in tow.

10/09/2015 By Karen Brooks

COOKBOOK REVIEW

Inside Ruth Reichl’s Post-Gourmet Blues Cookbook

With a fine new book in tow, My Kitchen Year: 136 Recipes That Saved My Life, the once and forever food critic, Gourmet editor, and arbiter of good taste is coming to Portland. Here’s what you need to know.

10/07/2015 By Karen Brooks

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Portland Gets a Taste of Southern Appalachia at Mae

Former Beast sous Maya Lovelace gives her grandmother’s Appalachian cooking the Portland treatment: 10-course pop-up dinners, food cart experiments, and more.

09/30/2015 By Karen Brooks

BREAKING NEWS

Sushi Lovers, Listen Up: Nodoguro Adds a Second Night

At Southeast Portland’s house of casual Japanese cool, sushi heaven is no longer reserved for Sunday.

09/24/2015 By Karen Brooks

WORD OF MOUTH

3 Portland Restaurants You Must Try in October

Portland Monthly food critic Karen Brooks dishes on the restaurants, obsessions, and under-the-radar finds of the month.

09/21/2015 By Karen Brooks

THE BITTER TRUTH

Everything You Need to Know About Bitters from Mark Bitterman's Groundbreaking New Book

The obsessive 'Bitterman’s Field Guide to Bitters and Amari' reveals the wild, wide world of the once-humble cocktail dropper.

09/21/2015 By Karen Brooks

WORD OF MOUTH

3 Things You Must Eat in Portland this September

Portland Monthly food critic Karen Brooks dishes on the restaurants, obsessions, and under-the-radar finds of the month.

08/24/2015 By Karen Brooks

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Surreal Beauty of the Portland Farmers Market

Food critic Karen Brooks explores the wondrous world of local flowers, vegetables, and fruits with her point-and-shoot lens.

08/24/2015 By Karen Brooks

BREAKING NEWS

Sandwich Expansion: Bunk Sandwiches Opening in Brooklyn this Fall

Williamsburg is about to meet its new favorite sandwich, and Eat Beat has the exclusive details on the cross-country development.

08/21/2015 By Karen Brooks

TREND WATCH

Are Tomato Leaves Portland’s Hottest New Ingredient?

The fragrant nightshade greenery is popping up all over the city. We’ve got the scoop on where to find it.

08/13/2015 By Benjamin Tepler

BREAKING NEWS

Portland’s Little Big Burger Sold to Chanticleer Holdings, Inc.

Local burger barons Micah Camden and Katie Poppe sell their popular chain to focus on their other popular chain—Blue Star Donuts.

08/03/2015 By Karen Brooks

BREAKING NEWS

Ataula Owners to Open a Paella Restaurant and Churros Bar

The masterminds behind Portland’s popular Spanish eatery will launch two projects: Chesa and 180, both on Northeast Broadway.

07/31/2015 By Karen Brooks

SNEAK PEEK

A First Look at The Big Egg's NE Alberta Sandwich Shop

Portland’s cult food cart steps up as a bona fide restaurant on July 31. We take a look around.

07/29/2015 By Karen Brooks

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

True Tuscan Flavors at SE Division's New Pinolo Gelateria

Serious gelato heads, listen up! In a sweet space next to Xico, a Pisa native is churning intensely wonderful flavors, freshly made daily.

07/22/2015 By Karen Brooks

WORD OF MOUTH

5 Things You Must Eat in Portland this August

Portland Monthly food critic Karen Brooks dishes on the restaurants, obsessions, and under-the-radar finds of the month.

07/20/2015 By Karen Brooks