Fat Milo's Will Open a Second Location in NE Portland

The location of Fat Milo's on NE Fremont Street in Portland, Oregon. This is the old Morchella space. — The old Morchella space will become Fat MIlo’s. Photo credit: Fat Milo’s.

A Bridgetown Bites tipster reached out to tell me they had come across a posted liquor license application for a restaurant called Fat Milo’s. They will open up in the old Morchella space, bringing comforting diner food— with ingredients sourced from local farmers and makers—to NE Fremont and 13th Avenue, one of my favorite corners of the city.

I reached out to Rachel Schoening, one of the owners of Fat Milo’s, to learn more. First, they have an established restaurant under the same name down in Sherwood, and have been operating there for 15 years.

The Space’s Predecessor: Morchella

Morchella, a farm-to-table restaurant with a focus on wild foraged ingredients and seasonal local produce, announced on their Instagram last year that they were closing their doors on NE Fremont at the end of November 2024. They found that after three years doing their work, the space did not really work for them anymore. So, they decided to move—to the Bonne Chance Wine Bar.

Reminiscent of Loro Coffee/Ranch Pizza shared space, and the residency of Estes in Broder Nord, they will be there at Bonne Chance temporarily as they figure out where they can land in a space of their own that meets their evolving needs. You can find them hosting series of intimate pop-up dinners around the city, too.

The Origin of “Fat Milo’s”

As you can expect, I love a good name origin story. Rachel told me right off, “Milo was our dog.”

Milo the dog. — The restaurant’s namesake. Photo credit: Fat Milo’s.

She continues, “He was a fantastic golden retriever named Milo Sandwich Schoening. He was fat. We tried to limit his food intake, and he did get exercise, but with four kids around, he was always getting an extra bite of something.”

They she told me the story behind his name. “The story is kind of funny,” she said. “My husband and business partner, Miles, was a long time bartender/manager at Wildwood. Miles had a regular that always miscalled him by the name “Milo.” He knew his name, loved and respected Miles, but … anyhow, we got this little golden retriever puppy and when we were deciding to name him, Milo seemed great! “

How They Started

Rachel and Miles purchased the restaurant that is now Fat Milo’s All Day Cafe in Sherwood in January of 2010. When they bought the place, it was known as a different name, so they had to rename it. Fat Milo’s Family Kitchen (Milo the dog was still with them then) was the original name. They changed the name to what it is now, Fat Milo’s All Day Cafe, about a year or so ago to reflect their longer hours.

While operating Fat Milo’s, Miles went on to work at Bar Avignon and Meriwether’s. “It was so much hard work!” exclaimed Rachel. But in the end, it’s all worked out.

How They Operate Today

Rachel is the chef and business manager, and Miles handles facilities, FOH service, beverages, and a ton of other things. “He’s the big name in this little operation,” remarked Rachel. “I’m self taught, out of necessity, but that’s a longer story.”

Although they’ve had their ups and downs with the restaurant, they are finding their equilibrium and are pretty happy with the current team at the Sherwood location. When they saw the Fremont Street space, they thought they’d take a look. “It has so much potential to be a great gathering place for members of the community.” she said. “A place to share a meal, or singles to find a comfortable space to dine, or families looking for good food and service.”

Not to mention, it’s just a 10 minute walk from their house.

Food and Sourcing at Fat Milo’s

As I mentioned earlier, at Fat Milo’s you’ll find a menu of diner food—food that is full of flavor, “but not necessarily challenging.” On the menu, Rachel has put some dishes from her childhood, dishes her family likes to eat, and dishes she herself likes to eat. Think fried chicken, waffles, pancakes, burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads. “Main Street food with full service, good coffee, good drinks, and a welcoming bright atmosphere,” is a way she describes it.

Bananas Foster pancakes. Photo credit: Fat Milo’s.

Plus, breakfast all day! And who doesn’t love breakfast for lunch or dinner?

“Portland has so many great spots in every direction,” said Rachel. “We are hoping we can become a place people can rely on for a great visit. A neighborhood restaurant they can trust. The menu will be a bit different from Sherwood, mostly because the kitchen is half the size, but also because I want to try a few new things.”

Down in Sherwood, they already source from local farmers, makers, and many well-known purveyors in the Portland market. Rachel told me about one of those relationships: “I’m most proud of the relationship I’ve built with a local (to Sherwood) farmer, Amy, from Amy’s Heirloom Vegetables. She grows the best stuff for us! ” she said.

Fat Milo’s Pride

Rachel is proud of their work at Fat Milo’s feeding the Sherwood community and providing tasty, satisfying food. “We serve 250 guests on a busy Saturday in our little place, and I’m so proud of the food we put on those plates,” said Rachel. “Our service is so welcoming and efficient. We have a collaborative all-scratch kitchen, we pay well, and it is just as important to us to be a good place to work as it is to be a good place to eat.”

They hope to open on NE Fremont on April 1, which happens to be Milo’s and their youngest son’s birthday, but they’ll be happy if they can open sometime this spring. Look for them to be open seven days a week: Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm and Sunday 8am to 3pm.

Best of luck to Rachel and Miles and they get the NE Fremont location up to speed and open later this spring.

Fat Milo’s Fremont [projected opening April 1, 2025]
1315 NE Fremont Street, Portland
Fat Milo’s website | Instagram