The Best Restaurants In Portland

Langbaan—from the Earl Ninsom kingdom that includes Eem and Yaowarat—takes over Phuket Cafe Wednesday-Sunday (Phuket Cafe is still open then). It’s always the right call for a big night-out dinner when you want to spend a small fortune on modern Thai dishes built to impress. The ever-changing $135, five-course tasting menu will start with a parade of sweet, spicy, and funky one-bite wonders, like their signature Hokkaido scallop, and then move on to plates like a knockout gaeng luang—the soupy curry with roe-topped king salmon wouldn’t be out of place at a highly prestigious restaurant in Bangkok. Even with the recently added seatings, reservations still go fast, so plan ahead. 

Portland has no shortage of spots for steamy bowls of phở. But nothing beats Hà VL. This simply decorated Vietnamese restaurant on 82nd has a daily rotation of two or three soups with illustrative photos on the wall, which doesn’t always include the beefy classic (that’s served on Sunday). The options could be bún chả ốc with snail meatballs, tofu, and tomatoes on a Thursday, or a coconut chicken curry soup on a Wednesday. To prevent broth-based heartache, go early if you’re set on a particular soup since they’ll sell out by lunch. There are two other iterations of Hà VL around town—Rose VL Deli on Powell and the newer, more centrally located Annam VL. We like this location because it’s in the Jade District so you can stock up on Asian groceries at nearby markets.

There are a few things you can count on when you eat at Kachka: the room will be lively, a silly amount of vodka will get passed around, and you’ll become a lover of Belarusian food even if you didn’t know your salat from your shila plavi before. This Southeast spot is a great place for groups, so you can order the ruskie zakuski experience (full table participation is required), a bountiful selection of cold apps like smoked fish and little things on toast, ideally paired with a variety of infused vodkas—including birch, sea buckthorn, and matsutake—that are perfect for taking shots with the table next to you.

Ask us who makes the best French food in Portland, and we’ll say Le Pigeon every time. At this Lower Burnside restaurant, traditional French technique transforms hyper-seasonal ingredients and integrates unexpected flavors like apricots and shaved truffles on Chinese-style shrimp toast and huitlacoche syrup drizzled on sweet corn panna cotta in ways that feel thoroughly modern. The $140, seven-course tasting menu (with a vegetarian option) is served in a rustic sage green space that has bare brick walls and a tiny open kitchen with pots and pans hanging above it. If you’re celebrating an engagement or new job, this intimate restaurant that’s beloved by splurging locals and culinary tourists will always be the right call.

Like Nimblefish, Kaede fills a much-needed gap in Portland’s sushi scene that favors big rolls and small prices. This is high-quality seafood flown in from Japan that doesn’t require saving up for weeks to enjoy—almost all dishes on the menu are under $20. Rotating nigiri specials like golden-eye snapper and halfbeak will satisfy the sushi nerd in your life, while the futomaki will scratch an itch for showier rolls. This never-stuffy kappo-style Sellwood restaurant seats only 15 people at the tables and doesn't take reservations for more than two at the counter. So plan accordingly if you want to book a spot for a semi-special weeknight meal or an anniversary.

Portland doesn’t have a history of strong pizza traditions, which means you’ll never be subjected to a Chicago deep dish vs. NYC slice debate (though everybody here seems to love eating pizza with ranch). If anything could represent Portland-style pizza, though, it’d be Lovely’s Fifty Fifty on N. Mississippi. This is the place for a casual dinner in a big wooden booth. Expect tangy sourdough crust, no sauce, and seasonal toppings like snap peas, ramps, and green garlic. Don’t be surprised to see a rainbow of edible flowers sprinkled on top, which is prettier than sliced basil anyway.

Kann is by far the biggest Portland restaurant opening in the past couple of years. Maybe that has something to do with a former Top Chef contestant in the kitchen, or the fact that they smoke their own meats over a live fire. We think it’s because the Haitian-ish, family-style meal here always feels like a party—and one you’ll never want to leave. It’s a place that could be described as fun and raucous if you’re with a group, but might not be ideal for deep conversations. Order the crispy taro fritters and hang out at one of the long communal tables while pretending you’re in a Kinfolk spread. Reservations are no longer as hard to nab as they were when Kann first opened, but don’t count on being able to waltz in on a weeknight—set an alert for the first of the month when they open reservations. 

Blandness is banished the second you enter Akadi (2.0), the Ladd’s Addition West African restaurant that’s been winning accolades since reopening in 2022. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve had the punchy sauces and nutty spice blends cooked up by chef and owner Fatou Ouattara—you’ll leave each meal eager to plan your next visit, especially so you can get your hands on their incredible fufu, jollof, and suya. It’s always good energy and smiles all around inside the industrial space with high ceilings bolstered by wooden beams and plenty of hanging greens. That’s why Akadi is great to have in your back pocket when showing visitors there’s more to Portland than microbrews (try a Star Beer instead) and stunt food designed to satisfy late-night munchies.

Matt’s Texas-style BBQ already had a legion of local fans, but when they started serving their now legendary slow-smoked brisket and pulled pork on homemade flour tortillas, their popularity soared. Located at Hinterland Bar & Carts near Mount Tabor (you can also get them inside Great Notion Brewery on Alberta), people come for the all-day breakfast tacos and more-is-more creations like the G.O.A.T. (no goats are harmed in the process). It’s a Tex-Mex showcase for juicy brisket and pulled pork served on a corn tortilla on top of a flour tortilla, glued together with queso. Let’s hope Taco Bell doesn’t catch wind of this glorious beast.

This intimate spot from the Le Pigeon team reminds us of a Parisian wine bar because of the incredible small plates and eclectic wines by the glass. Except nobody who’s hanging out and having dinner at 10pm in the 11th arrondissement would be eating the kind of food you’ll find here. We’re talking about classics like oeufs en mayonnaise, sure, but also their now-iconic mini steam burgers, Portland’s answer to White Castle. Canard is small on space but big on charm, so it’s best for solo diners who want to hang out on a window-facing bar stool or couples kicking off their evening at one of the banquettes that line the wall.

The city’s Mexican restaurant scene leans toward overstuffed burritos and birria, and Comedor Lilia is a nice change of pace. Why not uni and nasturtium leaves paired with heirloom beans? The ambitious restaurant from República & Co on the South Waterfront is the answer for upscale Mexican food that goes deep into the hyper-seasonal Pacific Northwest thing. The menu changes daily, so it’s unlikely you’ll ever eat the same thing twice. You might see Hakurei turnips in mole or a carrot tlacoyo, moodily plated with pipian negro, black truffle shavings, and a pop of orange carrot foam. We recommend letting chef Juan Gomez take the reins and opting for the $98 tasting menu at the counter, and invite your Californian friend who insists there isn’t good Mexican food in Portland.

The latest debut from Ninsom introduces the Thai-Chinese cuisine you’ll find in Bangkok’s Chinatown—a.k.a. Yaowarat. The prices (and portions) are pure 2020s Portland, though. While you’re not going to sweat on plastic chairs while prawns are wok-fired in front of your eyes, a trip to this fun, casual spot in Montavilla is your chance to enjoy grilled squid swimming in spicy dressing, some of the silkiest mapo tofu you’ve ever tasted, and bright curries like Yaowarat’s green version with springy fish balls and winter melon. Skip the Singha in lieu of one of the fanciful cocktails that change up often, like the Terra Incognita which is built around yogurt soju and tart calamansi.

There aren’t many places in town to try food highlighting Mexico’s culinary history—while also managing to be fun, modern, and delicious. If you want to have the type of transporting experience found while dining in contemporary Mexico City restaurants, República’s seven-course tasting menu is a great approximation closer to home. You’ll get small bites using Mexican and Indigenous ingredients like annatto, palo santo, and plenty of corn, alongside dishes that draw from ancient Mayan times. Come here for a special occasion and add on a wine pairing that features pours exclusively from BIPOC, female, and LGBTQ+ winemakers, with a focus on Mexican and Mexican American producers.

The Thai food and Texas BBQ mashup at Eem might seem unexpected at first, but the more you think about it, it totally makes sense. The combination of smoked meats, bird’s eye chilies, and handfuls of herbs go perfectly together, making a meal here worth the (inevitable) wait. They only take reservations for parties of six and more, so put your name on the list before heading to nearby Migration Brewing or The Box Social to buy some time. After one bite of the creamy white curry that’s studded with chunks of burnt-end brisket, you’ll get why it’s on everyone’s table. Add some smoked pork belly krapao, topped with a fried egg and a fun slushie drink, and soak up the party vibes before heading to your coworker’s gallery show you keep flaking on.

Oma’s Hideaway, Gado Gado’s sister restaurant, shows off the city's love for fun, Asian-influenced mash-ups. There’s surf and turf served with Hawaiian rolls, traditional Indonesian corn fritters served with peanut sauce for dipping, Fruity Pebbles Rice Krispie treats kissed with lime leaf and lemongrass, and more dishes inspired by the chef’s Chinese-Malaysian grandmother. Somehow, it all just works—and is perfect for sharing. The space, with fun sea creature wallpaper, disco balls, and ’70s light fixtures, is the perfect spot to catch up with friends and get a much-needed serotonin boost after a long week.

Magna Kusina, a lively space filled with reds, blues, and yellows borrowed from the Philippines’ flag, is great for Filipino food that’s more chef-y than homestyle. Start with a few grilled skewers to share, then move on to larger format items paired with something starchy, like Mom’s Crab Fat Noodles—the black squid ink noodles are tossed with tomalley from the crab and are a treat that lets nothing go to waste. This restaurant is pretty casual, but you still need to make a reservation for a table. Otherwise, plan on eating takeout on your couch while watching Netflix.

The Taiwanese-American chef duo behind Hollywood’s Xiao Ye gives a delicious lesson in “first-generation American food.” Pasta dishes like Jolyn’s Favorite Noodle V. 1, a riff on late-night meals made with pantry staples like black vinegar and chili crisp, are both tasty and comforting. Order the madeleines made from masa and mochi, served with whipped butter and jalapeño powder, to really understand their playful vision that hopscotches globally. With mismatched chairs and pale green wainscoting, the space feels like a cozy cottage that’s casual enough for a weeknight dinner. The food, however, is special enough for Gen Z date nights and group hangs that might include a member of Sleater-Kinney.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai started as a food truck in 2003, and the local legend has since expanded to a couple of brick-and-mortar locations on both sides of the river. The counter-service Thai spot mainly serves their namesake dish: deceptively simple chicken rice that’s more than the sum of its parts. Stop in for a casual lunch featuring the now iconic Portland dish and make sure you order some chicken liver on the side if it’s available. While they have a newer outpost downtown, we prefer the eastside setting for the abundance of seating. 

Jeju, from the team behind Han Oak, goes beyond the usual all-you-can-eat deals and DIY tabletop grilling you see in many popular Portland KBBQ spots—and goes for drama. The $75 set menu features nose-to-tail cuts, all cooked over live fire. While the sliced meat, eaten bo ssam-style, is the main attraction, the banchan, like the blistered padron peppers with candied anchovies, smashed cucumbers, and chile crisp, are so good they could probably succeed as standalone dishes.  The high wooden ceilings make the chatter and vintage hip-hop echo, so while there’s lots of room to spread out as you split a bottle of soju or a round of makgeolli cocktails, it’s not the place for estate planning.

A little French, a little Scandinavian, Maurice has been a daytime oasis for over a decade. Stop into the whitewashed downtown cafe for their fika—a.k.a. coffee and a black pepper cheesecake with three-nut sablé. This spot is also the move for leisurely midday meals full of winter greens overflowing with matsutakes and warm goat cheese, open-faced Norwegian smørbrød topped with anchovies, trout roe, and black radishes, plus glasses of orange wine. But any time spent here will be a welcome break from Portland’s casual-to-a-fault lunch scene.

Despite being located near multiple bodies of water, Portland hasn’t always been known for high-end sushi. That was before Nimblefish came on the scene in 2017 with Edomae-style nigiri presented to diners one at a time like small jewels. This Hawthorne spot serves some truly excellent sushi, with plenty of local shellfish, imported ingredients like saba mackerel that’s cured in-house, and always perfectly cooked and seasoned rice. A $125 omakase menu is their signature, and it’s worth snagging one of the 12 seats at the counter for a special night when you want something a little more lively than a formal fine dining spot. They’ve also started doing a la carte sushi Tue-Fri from 5pm to 9pm if you want quality bites in a more casual format.