Top 10 Best Portland Restaurants

The Portland food scene is famous for its many food carts, which number in the hundreds and offer a vast range of food specialties from all over the world. The city is also known for its strong farm-to-table ethos, with chefs utilizing fresh ingredients from the Pacific Northwest. Specific dishes that have gained fame include the Khao Man Gai from Nong's, a simple yet perfected dish of Thai-style chicken and rice. Portland is also known for its inventive and unique donuts from shops like Voodoo Doughnut and Blue Star Donuts. The marionberry, a type of blackberry developed in Oregon, is a key local ingredient featured in pies, jams, and other desserts, representing some of the best food in Portland.

The cost of a meal in Portland depends on the type of establishment, ranging from $12 to $200 per person. A meal from a food cart or a budget-friendly restaurant costs anywhere between $12 and $20. A mid-range restaurant meal for one person, including an entree and a drink, cost between $30 and $50. At a fine-dining restaurant, a multi-course tasting menu start at $90 and exceed $200 per person, with individual entrees priced between $35 and $60.

Portland's most popular fast-food options include both innovative local chains and national brands. The most popular spots are listed below:

• Burgerville: This Pacific Northwest favorite is known for using local ingredients, seasonal milkshakes featuring Oregon berries, and Walla Walla onion rings.
• Lardo: A local sandwich shop that started as a food cart, Lardo is popular for its large, meat-centric sandwiches.
• Salt & Straw: This ice cream shop is a popular local spot for a quick treat, known for its creative, handmade flavors.
• Shake Shack and Five Guys: These national chains are also prevalent and popular throughout the city for burgers and fries.

Here are some of the best new restaurants Portland has to offer:

• Oma's Hideaway: Located at 3131 SE Division St., this restaurant serves creative, modern Malaysian street food in a fun, vibrant setting.
• Kann: Found at 548 SE Ash St., Kann is a celebrated Haitian restaurant from Chef Gregory Gourdet that focuses on live-fire cooking and has earned a Michelin star.
• Cafe Olli: Situated at 33 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, this is an all-day cafe, bakery, and pizzeria known for its wood-fired pizzas, pastries, and coffee.
• Berlu: At 605 SE Belmont St., Berlu offers a unique Vietnamese-inspired tasting menu that is entirely gluten-free and dairy-free.

Yes, Portland has many trendy dining spots like Kann and Gado Gado. These trendy restaurants Portland are often the hottest restaurants in the city and draw crowds for their atmosphere and innovative food. Kann is currently one of the most sought-after reservations due to its Michelin star and celebrity chef. Gado Gado, with its bold Indonesian-Dutch flavors and colorful interior, remains a popular and fashionable choice. Eem is another trendy spot, known for its Thai barbecue and creative cocktails in a lively, often-packed space. Lovely's Fifty Fifty is a perennially popular place for its artisan pizzas and house-made ice cream, attracting diners looking for high-quality, Instagrammable food.

Portland offers many exceptional restaurants for an evening meal. These Portland dinner restaurants provide memorable experiences such as:

• Le Pigeon: This intimate restaurant on E Burnside St. is one of the city's most acclaimed fine-dining spots, serving inventive, French-inspired dishes. 
• Higgins Restaurant and Bar: A downtown institution, Higgins is a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement in Portland, offering a menu of classic Pacific Northwest dishes and an extensive beer and wine list.
• Coquine: Located in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, Coquine offers a refined yet relaxed dining experience with a thoughtfully sourced, prix-fixe menu that changes with the seasons.
• Kann: As a Michelin-starred restaurant, Kann provides a high-energy, upscale dinner experience centered around live-fire Haitian cooking.

Downtown Portland has numerous excellent options for a midday meal with Maurice and Nong’s Khao Man Gai leading the pack. These Portland lunch spots cater to a range of tastes and schedules.

• Maurice: This charming, light-filled cafe offers a menu of French-Scandinavian pastries, light lunches, and desserts, making it one of the top Portland restaurants downtown for a refined lunch.
• Nong's Khao Man Gai: For a quick and delicious lunch, the downtown location of Nong's serves its famous Thai chicken and rice, a simple and satisfying local favorite.
• Lardo: The downtown outpost of this popular sandwich shop is a go-to for hearty and inventive sandwiches, perfect for a casual and filling lunch.
• Higgins Restaurant and Bar: The bar at Higgins offers a more casual lunch menu than the main dining room, with high-quality burgers, soups, and salads in a classic tavern setting.

Portland is known for being very vegan-friendly, with many restaurants dedicated to plant-based cooking. The Sudra offers Indian-inspired vegan cuisine with dishes like soy curl tikka masala and kale-infused dosas. Farm Spirit provides an upscale, multi-course vegan tasting menu focused on Pacific Northwest ingredients. For casual fare, Homegrown Smoker Vegan BBQ serves plant-based versions of classic barbecue dishes like smoked soy curls and tempeh ribs. Mis Tacones is a popular spot for vegan Mexican food, serving tacos and burritos with house-made plant-based meats.

Many Portland restaurants accommodate gluten-free diners. Berlu is a fine-dining restaurant that offers a tasting menu that is entirely gluten-free and dairy-free. New Cascadia Traditional is a dedicated gluten-free bakery and cafe that serves sandwiches, pizzas, and pastries. Harlow, with multiple locations, is a health-focused cafe where the entire menu is gluten-free, featuring bowls, scrambles, and smoothies. Pollo Bravo, a Spanish tapas restaurant, has numerous gluten-free options, including its grilled meats and vegetable dishes.

Portland has several renowned oyster bars, and finding the best oysters Portland depends on preference, but a few spots are top contenders. Jacqueline is one of the most popular places for oysters Portland, offering a daily selection of fresh oysters from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, often with a happy hour special; customer reviews praise the quality, freshness, and knowledgeable staff. Another top choice is Flying Fish Company, which operates as both a fish market and a restaurant with an oyster bar. They are known for an excellent and wide variety of fresh oysters and a strong commitment to sustainability. For a more historic experience, Dan & Louis Oyster Bar has been a Portland institution since 1907, offering a classic oyster bar experience with varieties served raw on the half shell, fried, or in traditional stews.

The most famous types of food in Portland reflect its creative, ingredient-focused culture. The list shows the most famous cuisine in Portland:

• Pacific Northwest: This is the city's defining style, centered on using fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients like salmon, mushrooms, berries, and artisanal cheeses.
• Food Cart/Street Food: Not a single cuisine, but a defining feature of Portland. Carts serve food from all over the world, with Thai, Mexican, and Middle Eastern being particularly popular.
• Vietnamese: The city has a large and vibrant Vietnamese community, resulting in many excellent restaurants serving authentic pho, bánh mì, and other staples.
• New American: Many of Portland's top restaurants fall into this category, offering inventive, chef-driven menus that blend different techniques and influences while highlighting local products.