Travel

Portland Specialty

Establishment neighborhood
¿Por Qué No?
4635 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., Richmond
This taqueria is a local favorite for its elaborate menu of Mexican fare, especially their next-level tacos. Their corn tortillas are made fresh onsite and filled with sustainably-sourced, unconventional-yet-delicious ingredients, including calamari, chorizo, and barbacoa-braised beef brisket straight from nearby Cascade Farms. Quick counter service and picnic tables for outdoors dining (weather permitting) make this a great casual spot to people-watch. There's a second outpost in Boise.
¿Por Qué No?
3524 N. Mississippi Ave., Boise
This taqueria is a local favorite for its elaborate offering of Mexican fare, especially their next-level tacos. The corn tortillas are made fresh onsite and filled with sustainably-sourced, unconventional-yet-delicious ingredients, including calamari, chorizo, and barbacoa-braised beef brisket straight from nearby Cascade Farms. Quick counter service and picnic tables for outdoors dining (weather permitting) make this a great casual spot to people-watch. There's a second outpost in Richmond.
Olympia Provisions
107 S.E. Washington St., Buckman
Deli-slash-tapas bar Olympia Provisions is also the proud proprietor of America’s first USDA-approved salumeria, meaning they take their charcuterie very seriously: co-founder and master salumist Elias Cairo prepares the cured meats on-site using techniques he picked up from masters in the Swiss Alpine region, all while abiding by stringent health standards. Charcuterie boards on offer are paired based on origin—French, Italian, Spanish—or ask for the chef’s choice for a custom-curated tasting. The modern industrial decor and dark wood furnishings in the dining room (including floor-to-ceiling shelves that hold their vast selection of wine to accompany the tapas-style menu) makes it an easy go-to whether you’re up for casual drinks or out on a date. Stop by mid-day for lunch and a selection of salamis and pickled veggies at their marketplace—you can even join their salami-of-the-month club for hand-picked recommendations straight from Elias. The Slabtown outpost has its own unique menu and is definitely worth a trip.
Olympia Provisions
1632 N.W. Thurman St., Slabtown
In addition to the charcuterie cured onsite at the original, Olympia Provisions’ Northwest location has its own identity: chef Ben Reaves’s menu specializes in French-style rôtisserie, as well as a fusion of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine with meats and veggies sustainably-sourced within the Pacific Northwest. Tall windows let natural light into the clean, modern space in the daytime, when it serves as a popular lunch spot, though locals attest their brunch is the best—have your choice of eggs benedicts (florentine, country-style, pork belly—serious decisions), huevos rancheros with braised pork, and biscuits with sausage gravy, on top of the usual selection of French, Italian, or Spanish meat-and-cheese boards. There’s also a pastry chef in-house, so save room for the fresh beignets.
Alder St. Food Carts
Alder St. between 9th & 10th Aves., Downtown
Portland’s Alder Street food carts, which occupy an entire city block of space downtown, are emblematic of the city to the point that they’re one of downtown’s major tourist attractions. Don’t let that deter you, though—plenty of locals like to hang out here, too, and come lunchtime the entire parking lot is buzzing with vendors and customers. The lines themselves are usually the best indicator of where to find the best-tasting dishes, but we recommend Whole Bowl for veggie-centric rice bowls and Nong’s Khao Man Gai, which, as the name suggests, only serves khao man gai.