Favorite Bites of 2025 in Portland

Welcome to our list of favorite bites of 2025 in Portland! While Bridgetown Bites is not primarily a restaurant review site, we do comment here on things we like. And, like most humans, we are happy to tell you what we think tastes good in Portland.

So here’s a list (and a map) of our favorites for the year—plus, some things we’d consider as superlatives in 2025. Enjoy!

Bests | Bites | Sips

Some Bests

Best Meal of the Year: República

I was able to have a meal here and enjoy their tasting menu, which was a real treat. The quality of the food, the atmosphere, and the service were outstanding. At our meal, which was a multi-course tasting menu, we learned something about each course from our server; they were telling us a story of what was on our plate and revealing various connections between different cultures intersecting within the country of Mexico.

However, probably my favorite of the courses was “Course 5: Poblano, requesón, peanut.” They puff up and fry a tortilla so it gets hollow and crispy, and it is filled with whipped requesón (fresh cheese), a kind of rajas (poblano), and peanut comes from salsa macha. It’s a meeting of cultures from different parts of the globe: Spain, Africa, Guatemala.

100 NW 10th Avenue, Portland. República website

Best Deal: Banh Mi and a Drink for $5 at Hong Phat Supercenter

You get a choice of sandwich and a prepared drink—my choice was a chicken banh mi and Vietnamese iced coffee—for five bucks. The sandwich was fresh, the coffee was strong, rich, and sweet. I loved it. And I don’t think you’ll find a better deal anywhere else in Portland.

4200 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland. Hong Phat Supercenter website

Best New Food Experience: Medlars and Edible Raw Quince at Quince Fest

I encountered both of these fruits at Quince Fest in early November. Before that, I had no idea that there were quince varieties you could eat raw, and it kind of blew my mind. These quinces still had noticeable tannins, but it was a far cry from quinces you’d normally encounter, which are unpleasant to eat raw. Really trippy and awesome.

The medlar is a very old fruit; apparently it’s been cultivated for over 3,000 years. When ripe, it is sort of the consistency of applesauce. It was fun to try after hearing about them for years.

Biggest Pleasant Surprise: Chicken Kabob at Samo’s.

Samo’s, a little market across the street from the Upright Brew Station, sells beer, soda, and snacks, but they also have a menu of Greek food. I ordered a chicken kabob expecting simply the meat skewer. I opened the container and found it accompanied by rice, pita, tzatziki, and roasted tomato. The chicken is charbroiled, and that makes a difference. This was a really tasty meal.

7215 NE Prescott Street, Portland. Samo’s website

Best Novelty Food Item: Rothko Cake Slice at Coquelico at the Portland Art Museum

It imitates a Rothko painting. It has flavors of chocolate and cherry. It’s surrounded by rich milk chocolate. It’s dense and moist. It’s fun to eat. What’s not to love? You can get this at Coquelico, the new cafe at the Portland Art Museum.

1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland. Portland Art Museum website

Favorite Bites 2025

82 Acres: The Farm Egg

This is their take on the classic French bistro dish Ouefs Mayonnaise. From our Instagram at the time: “It was a wonderful mix of textures: the smooth tomato aioli, smoked trout roe popping against the teeth, and the crispy chicken skin adding crunch. It was rich and flavorful.” The eggs they use come from Abbey Road Farm, the farm connected to the restaurant, and the tomatoes are from the tomatoes they grew there last year.

2032 SE Clinton Street, Portland. 82 Acres website

Baby Doll: Nonna Slice

We ordered a giant pepperoni pizza and a slice of the Nonna Pie at Baby Doll one day, and enjoyed the Nonna slice more than the massive pie. It’s a square slice topped with sauce, cheese, basil, and pepperoni. It’s light, and easy to eat. It reminded me a bit of a grandma slice—not as thick as a Sicilian slice (despite them calling it deep dish) but not thin like a traditional round pie.

2835 SE Stark Street, Portland. Baby Doll website

Berlu: Mango Roll Cake

I stopped in with a friend and this was one of the things we ordered. It was the sleeper hit—not outside on the counter like the Pandan Bánh Bò Nướng, which they are known for, but stored in the fridge. The cake is soft, the cream is lightly sweet, and the mango is a bit tart. Everything works together very well.

661 SE Belmont Street, Portland. Berlu website

Burger Ritual: Flash Fried Brussels Sprouts

Not long after I ate these Crispy Brussels Sprouts at Burger Ritual at Cartopia, I could not stop talking about them, spreading the gospel of their glory on Discord and Reddit. They were crispy and topped with a sweet and sour glaze, then dusted with sesame seeds.

When you fry or roast Brussels sprouts, the natural sugars come out and caramelize, yielding a deeply flavored, slightly sweet vegetable. It’s magic.

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland. Burger Ritual website

Cozy Congee: Classic Chinese Chicken Congee

That’s a lot of alliteration right there. My friend Jen says their congee reminds her of her mom’s (her mom originally immigrated to the U.S. from southeastern China). The texture is velvety and even, the chicken is tender, and additional elements include fresh shredded ginger, scallion, white pepper, and sesame oil.

They recommend adding a Chinese donut (youtiao), preserved cabbage, and chili oil, which I did. The preserved cabbage helps break up the richness, which is nice.

605 SE Belmont Street, Portland. Cozy Congee website

Crema: Chia Seed Pudding

We were down on the Central Eastside watching the Portland Marathon and stopped in at Crema in the Fair Haired Dumbbell building for coffee. I could not resist ordering their cup of chia pudding for some extra fiber and protein. It was just sitting there in an unassuming way, but wow it was good! Really creamy with a bit of a coconut flavor, and fresh berries. I could eat this every week.

390 NE Couch Street, Portland. Crema website

Devil’s Dill: No. 5 (Turkey Sandwich)

This is their most popular sandwich and that’s understandable. It consists of house-roasted turkey, provolone, kale, red onion, tomato jam, and herbed aioli. They toast the bread over a charcoal fire and then put a little garlic oil on the toasted side, adding depth of flavor to the whole thing.

The kale is another thing that sets Devil’s Dill apart from a lot of places, which might go with lettuce. They massage the kale with olive oil, white vinegar, and salt. Everything together is a beautiful thing.

1620 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland. Devil’s Dill website

Fantino: Citrus Salad

This was a lovely, fresh salad that lightened up the whole meal; it made it on to Salad Week, too. Plus, it’s gorgeous with all its jewel tones. It consisted of Cara Cara oranges, blood orange, “fennel 3 ways,” pistachios, and a citrus vinaigrette—a nice mix of sweet, tangy, herbal, and nutty. I hope they bring it back during citrus season, right around the corner.

2314 SE Division Street, Portland. Fantino website

FIKA: Pandan Coconut Truffle

I like a lot of things that Joe makes at FIKA but his pandan treats are some of my favorites. His pandan coconut truffle is gorgeous to look at—a white coconut exterior with that glorious green pandan filling—and equally delicious to eat. Pandan has become one of my favorite flavors this past year.

2435 SE Pine Street, Portland. FIKA website

Gin Thai Brasserie: Thai Spicy Meatball Salad

I don’t usually think about meatballs as salad, but it just goes to show you that you can never stop learning. We were invited to give their food a try during Salad Week (the meal was comped but opinions are our own), and turned into fans of this dish in particular.

At the time I wrote, “The meatballs were made of chicken and were kind of springy, reminiscent of the texture of fish balls. The glass noodles were bound up in a tasty dressing, and the crunchy pieces really added a nice … well … crunch. A little spicy, a little sweet, a little savory—truly delicious.” I think about this salad semi-regularly; it really left an impression on me. Loved the Queens-like vibe at Gin Thai, too.

3176 NW 185th Avenue, Portland. Gin Thai Brasserie website

Gumba: Pappardelle With Short Ribs; Chocolate Truffle and Mascarpone Banana Layer Cake

To be honest, I do not eat a lot of pasta, but when I do love wider noodles like pappardelle. This dish appealed to both me and my dining companion Judith. At the time, I wrote, “The pappardelle was rich with deep, satisfying flavors. Short rib, tomato, and olive provided a savory punch atop wide noodles. I loved their width (for reference, I am not a fan of angel hair pasta) and it was a good match for the short ribs.”

For dessert we had this incredible slice of cake. At the time, I wrote, “Crazy delicious with what I think were chunks of peanut brittle atop the cake. Moist layers, creamy filling between layers, chocolate + banana. It was just so good. Heaven.”

1733 NE Alberta Street, Portland. Gumba website

Hi-Top: Breakfast Burrito

We stopped in for coffee at Hi-Top and did not have plans to get a burrito. But it sounded good, and boy, was it ever. It haunted my dreams for weeks after, in the best way. It was a special at the time, and I hope it makes it on to the regular menu.

It’s made with scrambled eggs, crispy shredded potatoes, cheddar cheese, and you get a choice of bacon, chorizo or Impossible sausage; we chose bacon. They wrap it in a flour tortilla and I think it must be put on the grill for a short time. For me, crisping up the potatoes really elevates this thing. And here was the first time I’d heard about the option to order the burrito “Christmas-style,” meaning adding both red and green sauces.

5015 NE Fremont Street, Portland. Hi-Top website

No Sabo: Mushroom Tinga Taco

I love chicken tinga, but hadn’t seen mushroom tinga before as a taco filling. At the time I wrote, “I loved the umami and earthiness of the mushrooms, along with that little bit of spiciness, on an absolutely delicious tortilla. In fact my favorite part about the meal was the tortillas. They had great flavor, and were delicate yet sturdy. I do not know how they did it. I believe they use Three Sisters Nixtamal masa.”

3003 NE Alberta Street, Suite 3, Portland; currently at 3159 S Moody Avenue , Portland. No Sabo website

Nong’s Khao Man Gai: Chicken Khao Man Gai

Yes, it took me this long to make it to Nong’s, and their Chicken Khao Man Gai did not disappoint. You get a substantial serving of rice, tender poached chicken, and their ginger garlic sauce (ngl, I could have used two servings of this crazy delicious sauce. Portand is lucky to have this food within our borders.

417 SW 13th Avenue, Portland. Nong’s Khao Man Gai website

Norah: Charred Cabbage

I had the chance to meet up with some grad school friends, and one of the requests was we find some place that offered dairy-free and gluten-free food. Norah was right up our alley with that, and it helped that I’d been wanting to go for a while. We all loved it, especially this Charred Cabbage dish.

It was, as you can imagine, it started with slices of charred cabbage. It was topped with a creamy cauliflower sauce, with green herbs and lemon at the end. Like the Brussels sprouts I mentioned earlier, cabbage presents similarly when aggressively cooked like this, with its natural sweetness rising up and out to delight our tastebuds. This is a great dish.

1451 NE Alberta Street Suite A, Portland. Norah website

Paqui: Tiritas de Pescado

I stopped in shortly after Paqui opened in the old Arrowood space and was very happy with everything I ate, but their ceviche really stood out. It’s lime-marinated mahi mahi with cucumber and tomato, but the habanero-spiced pickled onions added so much to the dish. Loved the texture of the fish, too. It was a very refreshing thing to eat.

5846 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland. Paqui Instagram

Pleasure Mountain: Bombay Sandwich; Kothimbir Wadi

Pleasure Mountain opened where TEOTE Tavern was, and where Yui was before that. The food on the menu represents different areas of India, and goes well with drinks—boozy or not. Two things stood out for me: The Bombay Sandwich made with vegetables and potatoes in a buttery crisp bread with green chutney and special masala. I think it was cooked in a panini press.

And Kothimbir Wadi are cilantro fritters accompanied by coconut chutney powder and tamarind chutney, and a side dish of cucumber salad. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, with that nice herbaceousness that cilantro offers.

5513 NE 30th Avenue, Portland. Pleasure Mountain website

Riley Seasonal Cakes at Score: A Baker Fair

There were a lot of taste treats at the Score: A Baker Fair at Zenger Farm in June, but what really stood out to me was the cake from Riley’s Seasonal Cakes. Helmed by Erin Sosnowchik, she offers cakes made with whole grains and seasonal ingredients.

I chose a slice of the strawberry option—the cake was a Sonora olive oil cake with strawberry-lemon verbena jam, and lemon zest. It had the smoothest lemon zest vanilla cream cheese frosting on it, and topped with strawberry halves and flowers. Gorgeous and delicious.

11741 SE Foster Road, Portland (location of Score: A Baker Fair/Zenger Farm). Riley Seasonal Cakes Instagram

Sunday Sauce: Banana Pudding Tiramisu

I went to a media preview of the menu at the new Sunday Sauce restaurant in North Portland, and we were served a variety of savory dishes (including the titular Sunday Sauce). But this banana pudding tiramisu was a real standout—and I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did.

The banana was not overpowering but you could tell it was there. Everything was soaked well, which can be tricky with what is essentially an icebox cake. It went famously with the mascarpone part of the tiramisu. Really different and wonderful.

902 N Killingsworth Street, Portland. Sunday Sauce website

Terra Mae: Dumplings Filled With Linguiça, Leeks, and Cabbage; Duck Duck Rice

Terra Mae is the restaurant inside Cascada that offers Japanese/Portuguese fusion food. The dumplings are a good example of that mix—they are filled with Linguiça, leeks, and cabbage, with peri-peri chili crisp, curry, scallion, and black garlic on top of them. They also sit in a pool of yummy sauce.

The duck rice is something I’ve gotten each time I eat there; it’s very popular with my husband, too. It’s made with duck stock, pork belly, roasted duck, linguica, orange, carrots and chives. It’s savory and the rice has some caramelization on it. Love the rich chunks of duck meat, too.

1150 NE Alberta Street, 2nd Floor, Portland. Terra Mae website

Thai Seasons: Pla Thawt Samoon Prai

I was first tipped off to the tastiness of this dish from Deepak Saxena of Desi PDX. From Instagram at the time: “It’s a deep fried whole trout topped with lemongrass, red onion, ginger, long coriander, makrut lime, mint, peanuts, cashews, and a spicy sauce (that wasn’t very spicy but had great flavor). Served with a generous serving of rice. I basically inhaled it.”

5824 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland. Thai Seasons website

The Pocket Pub: Angliotti in Brodo

Honestly, I hope I am getting this name right, but the dish was fabulous nontheless. Pocket Pub does a pasta special on Thursdays and we ran into this one in October. It was angliotti pasta sitting in a savory broth, topped with Parmesan and a little bit of parsley. I remember raving about it to the server—it was a wonderful, light, pasta dish.

2719 NE 7th Avenue, Portland. The Pocket Pub website

Tréla: Tyrokafteri

Tyrokafteri, a spicy feta dip, is my very favorite on any Greek restaurant’s dip selection, and the version at Tréla is as good as my favorite from Gregory’s Corner Taverna in Astoria, Queens. It’s salty, a little spicy, tangy, and irresistible. Scooping it up with their warm Greek pita is like the perfect combination, too.

6000 NE Glisan Street, Portland. Tréla website

Urdaneta: Gilda 2.0; Salmón

For tapas, Urdaneta is one of the best places in Portland. In late August we stopped by to try some things. The Gilda 2.0 was an umami bomb because of the spherified olive, which resembled a jiggly egg yolk, along with two kinds of anchovies (Boquéron and Cantabrian) and piparra pepper relish. At the time, I wrote, “It was kind of intense in the best way—reminds me a little of what it’s like to take a freshly-pressed ginger shot, which completely overtakes your senses.”

The Salmón dish was made of crispy skin salmon, Sungold harissa sauce, padrón peppers, topped with celery stalks and leaves. I loved how tender the salmon was—no dryness—and the sauce was delish. It was my favorite protein of the evening.

3033 NE Alberta Street, Portland. Urdaneta website

Victoria Bar: Deviled Eggs

I like your standard, every day deviled eggs (mayo, mustard, paprikia) but the deviled eggs at Victoria Bar are extra fabulous. Made with pimento cheese, mustard caviar, pickled onion, chives, they are also topped with a slice of pickled jalapeño. Just thinking about them as I write this makes my mouth water.

4835 N Albina Avenue, Portland. Victoria Bar website

Also, Favorite Sips 2025

After Ours: NA Pandan Colada

I went for a media preview at After Ours, and this was one of the drinks they could make alcohol-free. It’s basically a piña colada profile—pineapple, lime, and coconut milk topped with pandan cold foam. It also gave me one of my favorite food photos of the year.

2226 NE Broadway, Portland. After Ours website

Fresh Love: Iced Blueberry Matcha

This was available in the summer and it was wonderful. They made the blueberry syrup in house, and it had such a fresh, vibrant flavor—not overly sweet. But paired with an iced matcha tea, it balanced any bitterness. I hope they bring it back next year.

7434 NE Fremont Street, Portland. Fresh Love website

Deschutes Brewery Portland Public House: Fresh Squeezed IPA

I had this during a work lunch at the NW Portland and it was one of my favorite NA beers all year. It was light and citrusy, perfect for a warm September day. The Deschutes copywriters described it as having flavors of orange, passionfruit, and tropical, which sounds just right.

210 NW 11th Avenue, Portland. Deschutes Brewery Portland Pub website

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Favorite Bites of 2025 in Portland: Map View

Here’s the list of favorites in map form.

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So there you have it, our favorite bites of 2025 in Portland. Here’s to more good eats coming in 2026!