I think it's safe to say that summer is the best time of the year for us food enthusiasts. Festivals, seasonal sweet treat spots, pool parties... it's every stomach for itself. With seasonal crops finally becoming re-available as well, the variety of food is almost overwhelming.
However, if you want some help narrowing down your options and also happen to have your sights set on heading over to the extremely unique and laid-back city of Portland this summer, here is a list of eight foodie spots for you to chew on while planning your vacay. Good luck trying to choose from all the options!
1. Salt and Straw
Looking for a classic waffle cone with a twist? Portland's three Salt & Straw locations offer sweet (and safe) options like Honeysuckle Lavender, and more eccentric flavours like Pear and Blue Cheese. If you can't decide between the safe or risky route, why not try both with a double scoop?
2. Pok Pok
One of the best parts of Portland is it's unabashed diversity, and with the vast genre of foods available you can truly experience it while there. Pok Pok offers tons of delicious Thai dishes, and I can totally vouch for the restaurant's signature Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. If fish sauce wings aren't your thing, there are plenty of other dishes that bring the unique flavours of Thailand right to your table!
3. Voodoo Doughnut
You're lying to yourself if you say you don't care that much for doughnuts. But if, for some ungodly reason, you happen to actually not be that big of a doughnut fan- Voodoo Doughnuts can help reignite a sugary, powdery passion in you. Similar to Salt and Straw, Voodoo has an array of donuts that go from cute to incredibly weird. A friend of mine's personal favourite is the Dirty Snowball doughnut, but you'll be happy with whatever doughnut you decide to test out!
4. Olympia Provisions
Olympia Provisions has several locations in the U.S., although the original charcuterie originates in Portland. The shop is most known for it's focus on pork, but the brunch, lunch, and dinner menus offer plenty of options besides that! For lunch when I first went to one of the restaurants in Portland I remember ordering a particularly delicious cold carrot soup- it sounds a little weird, but it was really good! There's plenty of meats and cheese to go around the table, and you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Plus, the atmosphere is really bright and laid-back- definitely worth the visit.
5. Biwa
This Japanese restaurant has a cool, almost underground aesthetic with good food to boot. Biwa's menu offers a wide, but not confusing variety of Japanese dishes that have their own near twists to them. The restaurant also has a good bowl of ramen if you're in the mood for something more familiar yet still satisfying. As a plus, the restaurant logo is a adorable looking, little chick- what else need I say to convince you?
6. Blue Scorcher Bakery and Cafe
Technically this bakery slash cafe is not in Portland, but it is well worth a detour to Astoria, Oregon, where there is a ton of great stuff to do as well! Blue Scorcher is a vegetarian, organic bakery that utilizes local products and has a terrific menu as a result. The food has a freshness to it that I expect is a result of local ingredients, but even past that, the setting is what makes you feel at home. Sitting at one of the tables with sunlight streaming in as I enjoyed some hot tea in the bakery was one of my favourite moments during my trip to Oregon. Don't worry if you have younger siblings or kids either- the bakery has a fun kids area to keep them entertained while you enjoy your muffin!
7. Navarre
Navarre is a tapas restaurant in Portland that not only has a tantalizing menu, but the service is terrific as well. The waitress who assisted my family and I when I was there was extremely friendly and more than happy to answer all of my dad's questions (of which there were many). She emphasized to us the idea of community and working together that Portland, and really all of Oregon, puts first, and how that idea even attracted her to come live in the city. I'm the kind of person who yearns to learn more about the culture of the place I'm visiting and what makes it unique- so being able eat great food and learn more about Portland at Navarre was a double win!
8. Blueplate Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain
If you're ready to take a break from the tons of variety and eccentric flavours, the best way to go is with a classic sandwich at Blueplate. The lunch spot offers burgers and sandwiches that even Guy Fieri could get behind. And I suggest trying one of the many sodas offered at Blueplate to go with your meal- there's a huge selection and they're all house made!
I will be praying for all of your stomachs and requesting that they be able to fit to capacity all the food you will devour on this vacation. But I won't be feeling too bad for you- there are worse ways to suffer than overeating in Portland!
