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 2022

Hors d’Oeuvre, Cocktail, Entrée & Dessert of the Year—Our Dream 2022 Meal

These are our top menu picks of the year.

11/28/2022 By Karen Brooks, Katherine Chew Hamilton, and Matthew Trueherz

Best Restaurants 2022

Kann Is Portland Monthly’s Restaurant of the Year: 2022

Celebrity chef Gregory Gourdet puts the food of his youth on a grand platter. Welcome to the new Portland—and to one of America’s most important restaurants of 2022.

11/18/2022 By Karen Brooks Photography by Thomas Teal

Best Restaurants 2022

Chef of the Year: At Berlu, Vince Nguyen Stretches the Definition of Vietnamese Cooking

The Portland chef embraces his inner rebel.

11/17/2022 By Karen Brooks Photography by Thomas Teal

Restaurants

Portland’s Best Cubano Is Hiding at En Vida PDX

Two industry vets playfully mash up Cuban, Colombian, and Brazilian eats and drinks on NE Fremont.

11/10/2022 By Karen Brooks

Food News

The Complicated, Triumphant Return of Portland’s Honey Bagel

After 18 months, the cult bagel pop-up returns November 7 with unorthodox hours.

10/26/2022 By Karen Brooks

Best Restaurants 2022

Cafe Olli's Goodfellas-Level Pizza, Destination Brunching, and a Year of Struggle

The do-it-all collective arrived last year with hope for a new future. We take stock.

09/13/2022 By Karen Brooks

Food News

A Grilled Cheese Classic Returns to Alberta

Plus, the Oregon Brewers Festival celebrates its 33rd year, three Filipino chefs collaborate, and try shokupan beer

07/21/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Flour Power

The 8 Best Pastries to Make Your Morning

From classic cinnamon rolls to raspberry rose cruffins, pair these numbers with coffee for an excellent start to the day.

06/15/2022 By Karen Brooks and Katherine Chew Hamilton

Taste Test

We Put Top Chef Alum Sara Hauman’s Tinned Seafood to the Test

Tiny Fish Co. puts in-your-face spices and sustainability in a can

06/09/2022 By Karen Brooks

Review

A Secret Well Fuels Wondrous Japanese Shaved Ice at Portland’s Soen

Step inside downtown DIY gem Courier Coffee to find the city's best kakigori.

05/19/2022 By Karen Brooks

Bakeries

10 Asian American and Pacific Islander-Owned Bakeries You Should Try Right Now

Where to get sweet and savory treats, from ensaymadas to mochi doughnuts to barbecue pork buns.

05/17/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Grocery Stores

The Cult Snacks and Secret Chef Ingredients We Found at Hidden Japanese Market Fulamingo

Plus: Ride-or-die favorites from the underground grocer inside the bumping Wellspent Market

05/12/2022 By Karen Brooks

Restaurant Openings

First Look: Star Chef Gregory Gourdet’s Kann, a Wood-Fired Haitian Restaurant, Opening in July

From menu to design, we have the details on Portland's most anticipated opening of 2022 from the Top Chef fan favorite.

05/05/2022 By Karen Brooks

Food News & Events

Taste Two Top Chef Contestants’ Cooking, Cloudforest Chocolate Temporarily Closes, and Street Disco Announces Brick-and-Mortar

Plus, chef Luna Contreras of Chelo begins a summer-long residency at sambal maker Sibeiho.

04/28/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Interview

Chef Kristen D. Murray's Last Stand at Måurice

The iconic downtown pastry luncheonette has endured vandalism and financial pandemic-era blows. Now, it's banking on seven-course tasting menus for survival and sanity.

04/28/2022 By Karen Brooks