At the end of last year, Swift & Union closed their doors after nine years in Kenton. That space looks like it is going to welcome a new tenant: Northport, opening on Wednesday, June 26. (Note: this post has some updates since originally published.)
Last week (April 1) I reached out to the people behind this new venture—whose email address interestingly enough resolves to the website of the (seemingly imaginary) Northport Apartments (not to be confused with Northport Villa in North Portland). The website sports what appears to be a stock photo image of apartments, so there’s no need to wonder where they are in Portland. I do find it curious, though and would love to know, as Diondre Cole says, “What’s up with that?” Update 6/18/24: I have heard back from the Northport folks, and updates are further down.
Northport: Familiar Names
The people behind Northport are related to places that should sound familiar to restaurant-loving Portlanders. Those people are Davide Bricca and Harol Mendieta, according to ORSOS documents. Bricca and Mendieta both have connections to the River Pig Saloon (Bricca as Operations Manager and Mendieta as Kitchen Manager).
David Bricca, with expertise in creation and curation cocktails, also has connections to Oven & Shaker, Two Wrongs, and Papi Chulos’s—this Eater article from 2019 is a good reference for his work at the latter two: “Davide Bricca, who has handled cocktails at both River Pig and Two Wrongs, is also working on a menu of drinks for Papi Chulo’s, including several margaritas—Bricca is planning spicy and traditional margaritas, as well as fruit margaritas with flavors like mango, passionfruit, and pear. For those hoping to avoid booze, Bricca plans to also serve a number of agua frescas and horchata.”
Mendieta was born and raised in Mexico. It was there that he learned food preparation on his father’s farm. Before he came to Portland, he cooked in Chicago, where he was chef at Michelin-starred restaurant Mexique, (which closed in 2018), among other establishments.
Other details worth noting: The plan for Northport is to be open Wednesday through Sunday to start, then will transition to a daily schedule when things solidify. There will be outdoor patio dining, as well as takeout.
Update: New Menu Concept Details
June 18, 2024: I received a press release with some interesting new details. The new American-style restaurant will offer “scratch-made fare, craft cocktails, artisanal coffee, and a sit-down experience.” Breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner service is all in the plans. The team led by Davide Bricca has renovated the 2,500-square-foot site with “modern, comfortable appointments and a cool, welcoming vibe.”
Bricca will oversee a cocktail menu with both rotating and core offerings. Chef Mendieta will oversee Northport’s kitchen, using regionally sourced proteins, vegetables, and other ingredients. He describes the menu as “Contemporary Comfort” food, and it will rotate with the seasons.
Certain dishes at Northport will have Latin American influence that reflects Mendieta’s Mexican heritage. “Without question, our dishes will make you feel good inside but with fresher, leaner, and more healthful ingredients and preparation,” he said.
Both Bricca and Mendieta are excited to open Northport in Kenton and offer their style of food and hospitality to the neighborhood (and to the rest of Portland). “One of my greatest pleasures is to sit back, eat something wonderful, and watch other people having a great dining experience,” Bricca said. “I felt we needed a place like this in our neighborhood so I created one for all of us to enjoy.”
Northport [opening June 26, 2024]
8103 N Denver Avenue, Portland
northportpdx.com | Instagram
Updated June 18, 2024.
Meg Cotner
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Would love to see a copy of your menu
Same. I suspect it will be available after they open tomorrow. At least I hope so!