Favorite
The interconnected Mediterranean spots from the Sesame Collective weave together the flavor traditions that span the south of Europe down through western Asia and across the northern coast of Africa, satisfying hankerings for falafel, criminally smooth hummus, and extraordinarily airy pita, baked to order. The Pearl District’s splashy, full-service Mediterranean Exploration Company (a.k.a. MEC), with its lamb-chops-before-the-theater vibe, is the Read more...
Favorite
The best thing at Providore Fine foods on NE Sandy—even better than the mini oyster bar and overflowing produce stand—might be Arrosto, a tiny rotisserie chicken takeout window serving super-juicy, lemon-rosemary oil-rubbed chicken, KFC-style, in buckets. It comes with creamy, fat-basted Yukon golds and electric-orange Calabrian chile sauce for dipping. Read more...
Favorite
At John Gorham’s globe-trotting family-style brunch and dinner spot, you’ll find new ways to love eggs: fried with a cheddar biscuit, over-easy atop spicy North African sausage and couscous, or buried in pepper-sauced shakshuka. And then there’s the feather-light chocolate potato doughnuts… And the Auntie Paula’s eggy French toast… Add on a stiff, sriracha-spiked Tasty Mary and get nibblin’. Read more...
Favorite
Since 2009, salumist Elias Cairo has been forging the resurgence of American charcuterie, spreading his pork-proud gospel to the epicurean edges of the country. Charcuterie fiends can swing by the retail meat counter to pick up fresh sausages and house-cured meats, from fennel-pocked finocchiona to velvety slices of pistachio mortadella. Behind the meat display, chef Alex Yoder transforms Cairo’s masterful Read more...
Favorite
Head upstairs for a few games of pool on one of six full-sized billiard tables or settle in downstairs for a late-night dinner. Touché serves up Mediterranean-influenced Italian cuisine with pasta dishes like lamb papadelle, entrees such as grilled lamb served with walnut hot sauce, and an assortment of pizzas. Try the pan-fried calamari appetizer, flavored with capers, chili flakes, Read more...
Favorite
Understatement is a virtue at this neighborhood favorite, where comfort, flavor, and a great feel for wine are the cornerstones. Bar Avignon is a wine bar at heart, offering more than 80 well-priced, well-chosen bottles from around the world, but the food choices (and the cocktails) are not to be overlooked. Splitting and sharing are the navigation modes, from small Read more...
Favorite
E’njoni Cafe specializes in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine with Mediterranean and Northeast African influences, with traditional herbs and spices imported from the homeland. Keeping it all in the family, they also serve imported African and Mediterranean beers and Ethiopian coffees. Read more...
Favorite
This under-the-radar meze mecca makes excellent, from-scratch pita, which comes piping hot to the table with each order. It’s tastes even better coupled with thinly sliced lamb shawarma. There are other specials from the grill that easily stand alone, namely the spot-on kibbeh and the falafel, with the perfect crispy exterior, plush interior texture. Read more...
Favorite
This popular eastside eatery quietly twirls some of Portland’s best pasta in a setting of neighborhood bistro chic. Chef/owner Adam Berger weaves in a taste of Spain, a heavy focus on egg-based northern Italian–style pastas, and a serious devotion to local produce. Snag a windowside table in the bistro-chic dining room, or get up close and personal at the chef’s Read more...
Favorite
A Portland institution, Bruce Carey’s swank Pearl District perch raises the bar for happy hour, chic cocktails, and upscale dinner dishes. Oysters on the half shell elevated on a silver pedestal feels devilishly decadent while the loading-dock seats offer prime people-watching and a perch for one of Portland’s best happy hours. Read more...
