Hungry in Portland? don’t worry you’re in the right city! Portland has an abundance of international cuisines and you can find something opened at nearly any time of the day. After eating more than my stomach is capable of, i’ve narrowed down my list of must eats while in Portland, Oregon.
Blue Star Donuts
So many donuts and so little stomach space! With so many donut places to try, there is always a debate over which donut spot is the best in Portland. The top competitors are Blue Star and Voodoo. Both are delicious but i have to say Blue Star was a clear winner for me. It was clean, flavorful and so soft! No wonder this place is on so many people’s must eat list! Even with so many locations in the city, I found it extremely hard to get my hands on their most popular flavor – creme brulee. Although i did get to try almost every other flavor of theirs (They are AMAZING), my next trip back I will hopefully get my hands on the creme brulee!
Note: You have to try the Raspberry Rosemary Buttermilk – it won’t disappoint!
VooDoo Donuts
The classic VooDoo donuts is worth a visit as the decor and their pink boxes will leave you excited to come back! Although Blue Star won my heart, VooDoo still has the most decadent and unique donuts. If you love donuts that look out of this world, you should put this on your hit list! I found the customer service at VooDoo to be friendlier than Blue Star (specifically the downtown location). Also, the wait was much shorter.
Lardos
These sandwiches do NOT disappoint. Doesn’t matter what you choose off the menu, just go in there and choose something! Everything tastes incredible and is worth the stop. We got the Pork meatball banh mi and it was incredible. My only wish is that i had the stomach space to try more of the menu.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai
If you’ve been to Singapore and tried their chicken and rice, this will take you back to Asia. Although the taste is slightly different, it hits the spot and satisfies all chicken and rice cravings. Nong’s started off as a food truck and has become so incredible popular that they now have a restaurant! They also sell their signature sauce and I heavily contemplated purchasing a bottle – it’s just so good!
Stumptown Coffee
So many coffee places.. no literally i think there is one on every street! But the most popular and well known coffee joint in Portland is Stumptown Coffee. They have been around since 1999 and have since expanded across the USA. There are 5 Stumptown locations and one is close to VooDoo! grab a donut and a coffee then go for a walk to your next food location.
Hello Love
This little bar/cafe inside of the Juniper Next Hotel was my personal favorite spot in Portland! Not only does this place serve a DELICIOUS soft shell crab roll, but the decor will make you feel like you’re in the classiest treehouse. With the incredible food and chill atmosphere, this place really should be on everyone’s must eat list!
Pok Pok
If you were to search up must eats in Portland, I’m sure almost everyone will include Pok Pok on their list. Portland has so much thai influence so it not a surprise that one of the most popular places to try is this delicious little thai restaurant. There are a couple locations to choose from as the place has become so busy and popular in the last decade. Be sure to try:
- Kaeng Hang Leh – soft and tender pork belly
- Ike’s fish sauce sings – everyone’s favorite, it’s packed with heaps of flavor
- Hoi Thawt – a street food favorite, broken crepe mixed with seafood, bean sprouts and garlic
Salt and Straw
I’ve always been more on the savory side, but Salt and Straw had changed my views 5 years ago when i first tried this ice cream joint! They are so innovative with their flavors and have the most interesting combinations that just work. Not only are their unique flavors great, but they have perfected the classics. You can’t go wrong with their salted caramel – it’s probably the best i’ve ever had. This place is definitely worth the hype and it’s obvious when you see how long the line ups are!
Brunch Box
Big cravings for big burgers? Brunch box takes it to the next level as you can replace your sandwich buns with 2 grilled cheese instead! This place is not for calorie watchers but is worth the try with their unique flavor combinations.
Luc Lac
This is probably my favorite place for late night eats. It’s a fun vietnamese fusion restaurant that has great food and fun drinks! The ambience of this place is just fun – it’s busy and everyone is having a great time! I will forever add this on my must eats list whenever i’m in Portland. My favorite eats from Luc Lac are:
- Chicken Wings – I personally enjoyed these fish sauce wings more than Pok Pok! 😮
- Bo Tai Chanh – The spicy citrus meat mixed with herbs and cilantro was refreshing and tangy
- Spring Rolls – My favorite type of spring rolls are those that are wrapped in rice paper. You can’t go wrong with this crispy fried goodness.
Fried Egg I’m in Love
If you love eggs and you’re all about a breakfast sandwich, you have to add this to your must eat list! With the various options, it’s no wonder this place has a long line up.. at 8am! No matter what you pick, it’s going to taste amazing. Highly recommend having breakfast here!
Bing Mi
This was by far my favorite food truck. Bing Mi sells a traditional chinese breakfast – Jianbing which is a chinese crepe stuffed with eggs, veggies and crispy wonton skin. Be warned that ordering 1 jianbing is HUGE and you could easily share it among 2 people. However, you won’t want to cause it’s SO good that you’re going to want 1 all to yourself.
These are my must eats while in Portland, let me know if you’ve tried a couple of these places and if there is another spot that I should check out for my next visit!