Photo credits: Ben & Esther’s and Nico’s Ice Cream
Two businesses beloved to many Portlanders are opening new locations: Ben & Esther’s, which opened their first bagel shop in Roseway; and Nico’s Ice Cream, a cart offering New Zealand style ice cream, along with a packaged half-pint program as well. Ben & Esther’s will open in the Alberta Arts District and Nico’s in Cully.
Ben & Esther’s Vegan Jewish Deli
We wrote about Ben & Esther’s bagel shop (now Vegetarian Jewish Deli) as it was just opening in 2019 on NE Sandy Blvd in Roseway, and I remember that first weekend it was in business. The place was mobbed—it was clear that people were craving good bagels around here. Ben & Esther’s certainly delivered on that (my years in NYC taught me about good bagels), and at this point the shop is a mainstay in the neighborhood.
These days it’s primarily their cream cheeses and matzo ball soup that make them a vegetarian spot but signs point to them transitioning to being fully vegan (about that matzo ball soup: “we’re dialing in a new [vegan] recipe”). Personally, I’m not vegan but the carrot-lox they are creating has got me seriously intrigued, and I can’t deny wondering how close to egg the “Just Egg” is. Their new location—the second in Portland (they are also opening a shop in San Diego)—will be at 1800 NE Alberta Street, former location of Random Order Pie Bar (RIP). Look for them to be open in a couple of months.
Nico’s Ice Cream
Nico’s Ice Cream is a much newer business and has really made a splash in the Portland ice cream world. Nico Vergara started shopping around his New Zealand style ice cream—fruit blended into vanilla ice cream—on Nextdoor last spring and relatively soon after that he expanded to a cart, pop-ups, half-pints available locally, and even scored being on a future episode of “Somebody Feed Phil.”
Earlier this week I mentioned that Nico indicated he has a new brick & mortar location, and yesterday he showed us what’s up—he’ll be opening up shop at 5713 NE Fremont Street, just a couple doors down from Peter’s Bar & Grill (a true gem, IMO). This location has held all sorts of businesses—a cafe, a design boutique, and a flower & gift shop. Nico will no doubt make the place his own and will be a welcome addition to this part of Cully. Opening date is to come.
I send my best wishes for an easy opening to you both!
Ben & Esther’s Vegan Jewish Deli (opening late fall)
1800 NE Alberta Street, Portland
benandesthers.com | Instagram | Facebook
Nico’s Ice Cream (opening date to come)
5713 NE Fremont Street, Portland
Instagram | Facebook
Meg Cotner
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Best wishes on your surgery!
I appreciate the info and your take on the food news here in Portland, please keep up the good work.
Thanks, Mike – recovery is going well but can be very tiring at times. It has taken a little while to find my bearings with the blog (a variety of challenging things caused fits and starts with it over the past few years) but it’s getting better with a refreshed perspective. Thanks for reading!
P.S. Though I’m really missing Random Order Pie Bar, the new Ben & Esther’s location is a great move, can’t wait.
Agreed that it will be great to have them in that part of Alberta. They have worked really hard to get where they are and admire how they are finding what resonates particularly well with their customers. I wish them only the best!