C&RL News February 2015 66 As you begin to plan for ACRL 2015, make sure to budget time to find out why Port- land has earned a reputation as one of the best food cities in the country. With raves from the likes of Bon Appétit, Forbes, Saveur, and The New York Times. P o r t l a n d h a s become a true culinary desti- nation. Portland is ground zero for the seasonal, sustainable food movement, and restaurants thrive on partnering di- rectly with local farmers, growers, a n d r a n c h e r s . The surrounding Willamette Valley offers some of the most vibrant vineyards in the country, producing Pinot Noirs that are prized around Portland and the nation. With more than 60 brewer- ies, Portland’s selection of local craft beer is unparalleled in the country. They don’t call us Beervana for nothing! In a town where your cocktail is as thoughtfully composed as your dinner plate, your bartender will show you why Portland’s local distilleries are producing some of the best spirits around. Even the Portland airport will greet you with amazing food and drink. Restaurants like C o u n t r y C a t , L a u r e l w o o d Br ewery, and Gustav’s Ger- man-American P u b h a v e e s - tablished or are planning restau- rants at PDX. This article includes an ar- ray of restau- rants, bars, and c o f f e e s h o p s o r g a n i z e d b y neighborhood. If you have a c h a n c e , p l a n some time to visit, shop, and play,1 along with checking out some of these establishments. Convention Center The neighborhood around the Oregon Con- Angie Beiriger Portland’s restaurants, breweries, and bars From food carts to fine dining, get ready to eat, drink, and be wowed Angie Beiriger is digital assets librarian and liaison to Classics and Religion at Reed College LIbrary, email: beiriger@reed.edu © 2015 Angie Beiriger ACRL 2015 Lush farmland and seasonal produce drive the sustainable, locavore restaurant movement in Portland. Photo credit: J. Bower, https://flic.kr/p/ddLVje. February 2015 67 C&RL News vention Center is surrounded by chains like Starbucks, Chipotle, and Red Robin, but that doesn’t mean there’s no great food nearby. For breakfast or lunch, Pine State Biscuits, Gold Rush Coffee Shop, and Tiny’s Coffee are a quick bus trip or a 20-min- ute walk north on Martin Lu- ther King (MLK) Blvd. Directly across the street from the Con- vention Center is the hip sports bar Spirit of ’77, the closest place to grab a local craft beer, watch a game, or play some Skee-ball. A few blocks away, Oregon’s version of fast food, Burger- ville, offers a locally sourced, sustainable menu. More neighborhood offerings will be detailed on a map available at the conference. About a mile directly north of the Conven- tion Center, accessible via a hearty walk or by bus, is a cluster of excellent res- taurants on or near MLK and Russell Streets. Ox restaurant features Port- l a n d - i n s p i r e d Argentine food fresh from their i n d o o r w o o d fired grill. It’s very popular, so grab a cock- tail at the adja- cent Whey Bar, while you wait for table. Queen of Sheba offers some of the best Ethiopian food in the city, bring a group and share a platter. Russell Street BBQ features huge plates of traditional southern fare and a great tap list. The immensely popular tapas restaurant Toro Bravo serves memorable small plates of Spanish fare. If there’s a wait, pop upstairs for amazing cocktails at the intimate hideaway Secret Society Lounge. The Lloyd/ Broadway dis- trict in NE Port- l a n d i s o n e of the closest neighborhoods to the Conven- tion Center and is accessible via a quick Max or bus trip. Swing b y F r a n k ’ s Noodle House t o t r y t h e i r amazing house- m a d e , h a n d - pulled noodles. The Blossoming Lotus serves some of the best upscale vegan food and cocktails in town. The 15th Avenue Hophouse features sampler trays of their extensive local craft beer tap list. Milo’s City Cafe is a popular destination for neighborhood locals. B o a r d t h e Portland Street- car at the Con- vention Center a n d v e n t u r e down MLK to a c o u p l e o f lovely culinary neighborhoods. About a mile s o u t h i s t h e up-and-coming L o w e r B u r n - side Area. Le Pigeon is often on critic’s “best restaurant” lists and focuses on fine dining in a casual atmosphere. True to its name, the Farm Cafe is one of Portland’s original farm-to-table restaurants offering a lovely vegetarian selection and a fabulous wine Lush Willamette Valley Vineyards. Photo credit: Harold Hol- lingsworth, https://flic.kr/p/8vbnJT. Toro Bravo Spanish Tapas. Photo credit: Lydia Brooks, https:// flic.kr/p/bucW6B. C&RL News February 2015 68 list. For cheap eats, grab a slice and pint at the ever-popular and slightly grungy Sizzle Pie. Or stay on the streetcar heading south to Taylor and walk a few blocks to the Water Avenue restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. E n j o y I t a l i a n - inspired dishes at Clarklewis, one of Portland’s most established locavore estab- lishments. The v e r y p o p u l a r Boke Bowl offers steaming bowls of the tastiest ramen in town. Peruse the vast selection of sea- sonal sandwich- es at Bunk Bar while you sample the great tap list. Order a carefully crafted latte at Water Avenue Coffee and make sure you grab some freshly micro-roasted beans to take home as a souvenir. Cross Grand Avenue to grab a cheap and tasty taco at Robo Taco. Mississippi and Williams Avenues Accessible via the bus or a cab ride, Mississippi Avenue District and the nearby Williams Ave- nue are worth a trip for their diverse culinary offerings. Mississippi has a pretty high density of bars, restaurants, and food carts. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are the hallmark of the immensely popular taco joint ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria. Head over to Lovely’s Fifty-fifty for some of the city’s best wood-fired pizza. Grab a seat at the huge patio for great food, fantastic beers, a n d e x c e l l e n t people watching at Stormbreak- er Brewing. Pop over to nearby Williams Avenue for fresh and in- novative cuisine at Lincoln restau- rant. Bike aficio- nados will love the organic beers and multitude of vintage frames at Hopworks Bike Bar. Made from scratch and in- fused with spe- cialty ingredients, the ice cr eam at What’s the Scoop will be a perfect end to your day. Alberta Arts District On this expansive street, you could spend all day wandering in and out of fantastic restau- rants. Special- ized food carts, T h a i r e s t a u - rants, and Mexi- can taco joints abound on Al- berta, and it is a great street f o r b r e a k f a s t and brunch op- tions. The street is a must-visit for vegans and vegetarians. You can get killer vegan food, beers, and cocktails at The Bye and Bye vegan bar, indulge your inner comfort food addict with veggie diner food at Vita Cafe, Handmade ramen noodles at Boke Bowl. Photo credit: David Burn, https://flic.kr/p/cXkXRJ. Bikes and organic beer rule at Hopworks Bike Bar. Photo credit: Will Vanlue, https://flic.kr/p/9TktpE. February 2015 69 C&RL News and experience exceptionally elegant plates at the vegetarian oasis Natural Selection. Locals and critics rave at the upscale, excep- tionally creative plates at Aviary Restaurant. Townshend’s Teahouse of- fers stellar tea selection and kombucha on tap, and Ran- d o m O r d e r Coffeehouse has a devoted following for its homemade pie and tasty cocktails. SE Portland Division, Hawthorne, and Belmont Accessible from buses downtown or a cab ride from the Convention Center, three close- in SE streets offer great options to dine like locals. Division Street has recently emerged as a premier foodie destination. Restaurants like Pok Pok, Ava Gene’s, and the Woodsman Tavern have re- ceived national recognition and a dedicated fol- lowing. Plenty of cheaper and quicker options a r e a v a i l a b l e without the res- ervation or lines. Try Bollywood Theater for fresh and original In- dian street food, Nuestra Cocina for fresh, authentic Mexican, or Pizza Maria for you-know-what. With flavors like Stumptown Coffee and Burnside Bourbon, Salt and Straw ice cream has become a Portland institution, and Lauretta Jean’s is a local favorite for their awesome pie. The food cart pod at SE 28th and Divi- sion has become a huge hit, check out the ramen at Hapa PDX. On lower Division, Apex and Beer- monger’s are located across the street from e a c h o t h e r and boast the m o s t e x t e n - sive and best beer lists in the city. Neither s e r v e s f o o d so grab some- thing from the neighborhood joints Double Dragon (Mod- ern Vietnam- ese) or Taqueria Los Gorditos. (Outside food is encouraged!) Find out why vegans and carnivores alike rave over the beet tartare at the upscale Portobello Vegan Trattoria. Hawthorne Street is a busy neighborhood with several established restaurants. Castag- na is beloved for its NW-inspired, elegant meals. Lardo demon- s t r a t e s h o w a sandwich food cart can evolve into a success- ful restaurant— try the Banh Mi! T r a n s p l a n t e d B r o o k l y n i t e s love the pizza at Apizza Scholls, and Europhiles enjoy the mus- sels, frites, and Belgian beers at Bazi Bierbrasserie. Belmont Street Belmont is a bit more residential than the other SE strips but has some great places to eat and drink. Accanto and Nostrana offer Apex offers a huge outdoor patio and an extensive beer list. Photo credit: Scott Beale, https://flic.kr/p/dUZCKz. Communal tables and open space of Clyde Common. Photo credit: VJ Beauchamp, https://flic.kr/p/31ukty. C&RL News February 2015 70 fresh, Italian-inspired dining, but locals also enjoy paleo-friendly Dick’s Kitchen. Suzette Creperie offers seasonally inspired crepes; they even have a gluten-free option. The cosmopolitan Aalto Lounge has great cocktails and a tremendous happy hour. Enjoy the excellent cocktails at Circa 33, and look for the bookcase that opens up a secret room. If you’re looking for Portland’s most authentic English pub, venture up the street to the iconic Horse Brass, a true Portland institution. Downtown (SW) If you want to skip the cab rides and stick to exploring downtown, you’re in luck. There are so many options around the downtown neighborhood, the trouble won’t be finding a place, it will be deciding which to choose. Portland’s Central Business District has many more good options for food and drink than most American cities. Higgins Restaurant and Bar is a longtime Portland favorite, very classy but not pretentious. Grab a seat in great little bar in the back, peruse the classic cocktail menu, and sample the duck or the pig plate. With their seasonal menu and elegant presen- tation, Grüner will make you believer in excellent alpine food. Tasty n Alder may bill itself as a modern steakhouse but their inventive small plates and cheese boards might steal the show. Luc Lac serves up great Vietnamese dishes with a hip, Port- land vibe—the cocktail list, funky decor, and pumping music make it a favorite for lunch and late nights. In the heart of downtown, Clyde Com- mon provides a nice cocktail selection, communal dining with fellow travelers, and a great happy hour. More sophisticated and urbane than many Portland restaurants, Departure is a good place to see how well Portlanders dress up. Helmed by Top Chef alum Greg Gourdet, it offers separate vegan and gluten-free menus as well as amazing views of the city. For another impressive view option, the Portland City Grill pro- vides good cocktails in a classic Portland setting, atop the “Big Pink” building. Im- perial takes broiling and grilling to a new level and the associated Portland Penny Diner provides casual counter service and nice take out options. Food carts abound in downtown but the most extensive and popular (and often shown on TV) area for food courts is located at 10th and Washington—it’s like a mini United Nations with their diverse culinary options. Visitors flock to Voodoo donuts for the in- teresting selection in the iconic pink boxes, but many locals prefer Blue Star donuts. To unwind after a long day of conferencing, Bailey’s Taproom is probably the best place downtown to sample local craft brews. Portland’s food carts fill whole city blocks, like this one downtown. Photo credit: John Dalton, https://flic.kr/p/acfajb. February 2015 71 C&RL News NW and the Pearl District The Pearl District and outer Northwest neighborhoods host many classic bistros, bars, and coffee shops. Andina is the best Peruvian restaurant in the city and serves a legendary Pisco Sour. Located i n a c h a r m - i n g V i c t o - r i a n H o u s e in a bustling n e i g h b o r - hood, Paley’s P l a c e m i g h t b e c o n s i d - e r e d t h e g r a n d f a t h e r of Portland’s farm-to-table food revolu- tion. Prasad is a lovely ha- ven for healthy vegan, raw, and gluten-free options. In addition to the huge selection of sweet treats at Pacific Pie Company, there is a huge selection of scrumptious savory treats like Australian meat pies and veg- gie pasties. Finish the evening with by sampling the wares at The Pope House— a delightful old house converted into a bourbon bar. Whew! There really is something for every- one in Portland, and we encourage you to get out and explore on your own. A lot of Portland restaurants offer amazing happy hours if you want to get a quick sample of the menu with a cocktail or lo- cal craft brew. And remember to look for in- formation on visits to great restaurants dur- ing the Dinner with Colleagues night at ACRL 2015. From food carts to fi ne dining, get ready to eat, drink, and be wowed. Welcome to Portland! Note 1. Angie Beiriger and Dan Kelley, “Neigh- borhoods of Portland,” C&RL News 74, no. 10 (2014): 554–59. Beautifully composed dessert at Andina Restaurant. Photo credit: Little Kenny, https://fl ic.kr/p/5avQtY. More information on Portland restaurants, breweries, and bars Additional information on the res- taurants, breweries, and bars listed in this ar ticle, including address and pricing infor- m a t i o n , i s a v a i l - able at http://bit. ly/1Jdm0Ns. If you’d like to ex p l o re o n yo u r own, there are sev- eral useful restaurant guides to help you choose your own culinary ad- venture. Check them out online, or look for a copy around town. • Eater PDX: pdx.eater.com/ • Oregonian Din- er: oregonlive.com /diner-2014/ • P o r t l a n d F o o d a n d D r i n k : portlandfoodanddrink. com/ • Willamette Week Restaurant, Cheap Eats, and Beer guide: wweek.com/portland /cheapeats