Small Bites: Cocina de Mary, Tariffs, Shorebird Bakery, and More

Welcome, Cocina de Mary. This is another case of two restaurants operating in one space at different times. RJ Skillets is there from 8am to 3pm (starting 10am on Mondays) and Cocina de Mary operates 5pm to 9pm (closed Mondays). They offer Guatemalan food: cuchitos, a type of tamal; churrasco; hilachas, similar to ropa vieja; pepián; and tayuyos, similar to pupusas. They also offer familiar dishes like quesadillas, fried plantains, empanadas, burritos, and more. They officially opened on Friday, February 6. 2529-B NE Alberta Street, Portland

Trap Door Brewing will open in Brush Prairie. Located about 25 minutes north of Portland, Brush Prairie will be home to a new location of Trap Door Brewing. The Washington Beer Blog reports that, along with a taproom, the new spot “will feature a Portland-like food cart pod. It will provide the community with a much-needed option for dining and relaxing, offering an expansive, indoor-outdoor, family-friendly beer garden atmosphere.” They are aiming for a fall 2026 opening. NE 119th Street and NE 112th Avenue, Brush Prairie

Nico’s Ice Cream has closed. A Bridgetown Bites tipster messaged me with the question, “Did all the Nico’s close?” I texted Nico to ask and he replied, “We have closed, yes.” I have asked for more information, and if/when I receive that I’ll share it with you. I really enjoyed Nico’s Ice Cream on both NE Fremont (which closed a while back) and on NE Killingsworth and am sorry to see them go. I wish Nico only the best. 1615 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

Tariff talk. KOIN spoke with Joel Gunderson of Heavenly Creatures about the issue of tariffs and how it intersects with the Portland food world—and the worries surrounding the ups and downs. Lately the blanket 15% import tax for all foreign trading partners has been on his mind. “Do we raise prices right now? Do we raise prices ahead of tariffs? Do we wait and see?—Keep calm, carry on and everything?” he asks. “Or do we absorb some of the costs as well—split the costs?” Read more here. 2218 NE Broadway, Portland

Highland Spice Cafe recently had their grand opening. This local Ethiopian cafe offering Kafiex coffee and Ethiopian food on the weekends, including sambusas, tibs, shiro wat, and more. Their grand opening was Saturday and Sunday February 14 and 15. They recently applied for a liquor license, too. 5416 N Vancouver Avenue, Portland

Captain’s Galley is moving to Gresham. They’ve been at the Chop Chop Food Carts pod, but have decided to head to Gresham. “Following careful consideration, we have determined that relocating the cart to Gresham is in the best interest. The new location will be The QUAD.” This pod is behind Gresham High School. They hope to be open by Tuesday, March 3. 58 NE Burnside Road, Gresham

Syrup Kitchen & Cocktails will open in the old Akadi space. That’s Chef Fatou’s original spot there on NE MLK. The restaurant looks to open Summer 2026. 3601 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland

SÔI opens this weekend. We reported on this last year, a new place to eat from the Pho Hung folks there in CORE. They offer a BYOP: build your own phở setup.

They’ll be celebrating on Saturday, February 28 with some swag—first 50 customers receive a SÔI tote bag. And throughout the day (10am to 9pm) every customer is automatically entered into their giveaway for a chance to win a SÔI gift certificate. There are two of them, one for $50 and one for $100. Plus there will be a dragon dance by White Lotus Dance at 2pm! 3612 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland

I Heart Portland dinner series from Chef Gabriel Pascuzzi starts in March. This is a new monthly chef collaboration series, “designed as a love letter to the city’s dining community.” Chef Pascuzzi is bringing in nationally recognized chefs into the kitchens of Bistecca and Hey Luigi (here’s our coverage of their opening last year) for one-night-only multi-course menus. Here’s what to expect over the next few months”

• Sunday, March 15: Chef Brother Luck. He is the chef and owner of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs, CO. He received Beard Awards nomination, and participated in Food Network’s Chopped and Top Chef.  
• Sunday, April 12: Chef Brittany Cochran. She is Executive Chef at Stagioni in Charlotte, NC, which is part of the Moffett Restaurant Group. She has cooked at Michelin-starred restaurants and is a contestant in the upcoming Top Chef season 23.  
• Sunday, May 24: Chef Joe Sasto: He has cooked at Cotogna, Quince, and Lazy Bear in San Francisco. He has written a cookbook, Breaking the Rules: A Fresh Take on Italian Classics that is out now. Fun fact: He created Tantos, a puffed pasta chip; and co-founded Ripi, a premium frozen ravioli brand.

This series offers Pascuzzi’s vision: that national chefs want to cook here in Portland, home to a vibrant and exciting food scene in the U.S. 2145 NW Raleigh Street and 2175 NW Raleigh Street, Portland

More NOLA is coming to Portland. Nolia, a new food cart, is opening soon in Portland, offering dishes like red beans & rice, crawfish étouffée, and seafood gumbo. And while their new location isn’t totally clear, they did indicate that this photo may be a preview. If so, they’ll be neighbors to a really sweet bar, a pork-focused truck that can’t move, and a new BYOP spot.

Food from NOLA and Southern Louisiana seems to be catching our collective eyes these days, from the great work of Chase and Maggie at Ma Cher, to the amazing Bonnie at Gris Gris Kitchen, to the special NOLA menu during the week between Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day at Palomar, to a newcomer that reached out to us and has a series of pop-ups in development, and now to Nolia. It’s exciting! Exact address unconfirmed

Mikiko Mochi Donuts will join the Pop-Up Program at PDX. Happening in March, the “Pop-Up Program gives small, local businesses the space and support to grow right here at their hometown airport with a one-year residency.” Awesome news! Mikiko Mochi will open in the old Missionary Chocolates kiosk there at PDX. 7000 NE Airport Way, Portland

Baguette Bros is coming to Tualatin. I’m not sure when this place is going to open but their menu includes a variety of sandwiches: Lemongrass Pork Sandwich, a ham & cheese, and a Bacon & Egg Sandwich, to start—plus baos and boba. 7028 SW Nyberg Street, Tualatin

Meet Xue Hai Li. He has cooked at Taste of Sichuan for the past decade. ToS took some time to interview him, which you can read on their Facebook page. One of the questions they ask him is “Can you guess how many dumplings you’ve made in your life?” His answer: “Several hundred thousand.” 16261 NW Cornell Road, Beaverton

Suul Suul Korean Street Food will close. That makes sense since Inssa Gastropub is moving into this space. Suul Suul Korean Street Food will become—join?—Sool Korean Kitchen. Sool has been established at this location for a while, so perhaps they are joining forces in Vancouver. 512 NE 81st Street, Suite J, Vancouver

Cup Coffee will go from pop-up to mobile cart. This duo has been popping up with, among others, Balong and Salvie Donuts over time, and now they are looking to get their own mobile cart:

“We can’t wait to showcase our full offerings soon (including espresso!), as we’re currently working on licensing for our mobile coffee cart! Soon our coffee cart and fun menus will be available for special events and pop-up’s.” You can sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on their progress in this direction. Meanwhile, head to Azn Zine Fest this Saturday at Fubonn and stop in at Balong from 10am to 5pm to enjoy their coffee. 2850 SE 82nd Avenue #27, Portland

Ruthie’s has a new menu. It debuted this week—the salt and vinegar bar nuts and the barley salad sure look good. 3532 SE Division Street, Portland

MASA pastries at Exquisite Creatures. Starting Monday, March 3, head to Exquisite Creatures to enjoy the vegan treats from MASA pastries. “Same laminated love. Same MASA energy. Just a new place to experience it.” 537 SE Ash Street, Portland

Cherry Blossom Matcha Cream Latte at Soro Soro. This little Korean coffee shop has a new special drink perfect for this time of year as we anticipate the return of the cherry blossoms. I don’t know about you but I’ve been seeing various flowering trees starting to show off their beauty around Portland. Spring is coming. 2250 E Burnside Street, Portland

Ramadan Pop-up at Kismayo. This Somali restaurant on the west side near the suburbs is doing a Ramadan pop-up Saturday night from 6pm to late. Food and drink—karak, mojitos, and milk cakes provided by The Blush Cart. Limited quantities, so first come, first served. 10075 SW Barbur Blvd # 6-B, Portland, OR 97219

Everyone should be able to enjoy tiramisu. This is a traditionally dairy-heavy cake, but if you are vegan and/or gluten-free, Tiny Moreso is here for you. Each portion serves two and is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, cashew-based mascarpone and whipped cream, with a cocoa dusting. Pre-order by March 9, pick up Friday, March 13 or Saturday, March 14. Order here. 4520 NE 42nd Avenue, Portland

Woodblock Bakery is now Shorebird Bakery. And they are moving! They are not sure where yet, and are currently looking for a space needing a good bakery of coffee shop. They love the Irvington area and would love to stay there.

So why did they change their name: “‘Shorebird’ is structurally an homage to our cousin bakeries, Sea Wolf and Oxbow: a little animal + a little water = a name for a little bakery. It is philosophically a nod to all the delightful little birds that scamper and wade and dabble at the water’s edge, going busily about their business and bringing small joys to their audience.” Location TBD

Oregon City Market opens in March. This locally-owned micro grocer will open in downtown Oregon City. It’s owned and operated by Jana Daisy-Ensign and Tim Ensign, two Oregon City locals. They are pretty accomplished in the world of food, too. Here’s a section of their About page:

“For more than 20 years, we’ve worked alongside local farmers, makers, and artisans throughout the Pacific Northwest, building respected careers in the craft beverage industry. Along the way, we’ve operated a small family farm, raised two amazing children, and developed hands-on experience across retail grocery, purchasing, merchandising, sales, marketing, consulting, and small business management.”

They want to offer “friendly service, premium products, and accessible pricing.” Their soft open is Tuesday, March 3, with a grand opening Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8. 610 Main Street, Suite A, Oregon City

Vya opens today. This is a new tapas and paella restaurant in the old Palomar space. The menu is “inspired by the energy of bustling, everyday barras in Barcelona” and the kitchen is helmed by Chef Connor Gallaher, who cooked at Urdaneta. He also spent time in India and Southeast Asia, as well as the Basque region and Madrid. Paella is a main attraction at Vya, along with their a la carte menu of tapas. I’m particularly intrigued by the vegetarian/vegan paella made with kombu shiitake dashi, piquillo peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, and garofalo beans.

The beverage program includes Spanish and Portuguese wines, sangria, classic and craft cocktails, as well as some NA options. It is led by Vya’s Beverage Director Ashley Iler Burson, alongside Bar Lead Cass Schaedler, who holds a Level 1 Sommelier certification and WSET Level 1 certification in spirits.

They welcome you to come by, linger over their food and drink, be social, and just have a really good time. Reservations are now available on OpenTable; walk-ins are welcome, too. 959 SE Division Street #100, Portland

Ponto officially opens Wednesday, March 4. They specialize in Korean salt bread—plain and with toppings. It’s light and airy (some compare it to Japanese milk bread or a French brioche) and shaped kind of like a straight Italian cornetto). They’ve been doing some soft opening days, and when they officially open next week they’ll start with Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to 1pm. They’ll also do two bakes, one at 9am and one at 11am. You can get drinks there made with Stumptown coffee, too. 1483 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Sando Dango pop-up on Sunday. It takes place at Fumi, which offers “handmade all natural incense, work by local artists, vintage clothing and objects sourced in Japan and the US, and more.” Soen is behind the popup on Sunday, March 1 from noon to 2pm (or until sold out), and will be serving up :

• Tamago Sandos: convenience-story style egg salad sandwiches made with local pasture-raised eggs, yuzu kosho butter, and buckwheat soba
• Dango: rice flour dumplings with toppings like PNW-grown azuki beans, kinako (soybean flour) with Okinawa brown sugar, and cardamom coconut anko (azuki bean paste). 4007 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland

Timing of Doug Fir Lounge opening. FYI, looks like they are aiming for a fall 2026 opening. 301 SE Morrison Street, Portland

And, ICYMI like I did, Ken’s Artisan Pizza will be an owner of The Drake. This is a hotel in Bend, and of the three owners, one of them will be the owner of Ken’s. More in the Central Oregon Daily News. 801 NW Wall Street, Bend

Uncle Ryan’s BBQ will open in Plaza 205. They’ll open in what was the Fujiyama Sushi space, which closed in the past month or so. They are located diagonally to the west of the new 99 Ranch. Opening date TBD. 10308 SE Washington Street, Suite C-102, Portland

Remember: The west side CSA Share Fair is Saturday. Head to the Helvetia Farm Market tomorrow from 10am to 2pm for the annual CSA share fair. Who knows, you might come home as a CSA subscriber by the end of the day! 23137 NW West Union Road, Hillsboro

Two former Shari’s, two new restaurants. Two local Shari’s restaurants are transitioning to two new restaurants. In North Portland, across the way from the Delta Carts Food Pod will be Sumo Sushi, an AYCE kind of sushi joint (their liquor license application was filed recently with the City of Portland). Then in Gresham, Huckleberry’s will occupy a former Shari’s, too. Huckleberry’s offers “Southern Cookin’ with a California twist.” Honestly, after looking at the menu, I’m not sure what is “California” about it—maybe the inclusion of avocado? Stranger things have happened. 9730 N Whitaker Road, Portland and 881 SW Highland Drive, Gresham

Phaya Thai Express starts a big pause today. Today is the final day of service for this popular fast-casual Thai restaurant from the mind of Nan Chaison (Norah, Mestizo, Kati, Libre), as they take a “big pause.” They said, “This isn’t goodbye. You’ll definitely see us around—especially at the Thai Festival in July (stay tuned for the dates!).” I look forward to seeing what happens post-pause. 4334 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

85°C Bakery Cafe in Salmon Creek soft opened yesterday. This Taiwanese bakery, named because the founder believed “the perfect brewing temperature for espresso coffee is 85º Celsius,” soft opened yesterday up in the Vancouver area. They offer “freshly baked breads, delicate pastries, cakes, and your favorite handcrafted drinks.” People are pretty excited to see them open.

Soft opening hours are 10am to 5pm until Saturday, March 7, and 8am to 5pm starting Sunday, March 8. 14019 NE 10th Avenue, Suite 616, Vancouver

Early bakeries of Sellwood and Westmoreland. That’s the name of a history article published in The Bee, written by Dana Beck. There’s the Sellwood Bakery, the Patrick Owens Bakery, The Modern Bakery, and more. Multiple locations

The Mercury’s Sandwich Week starts Monday. From Monday, March 2 to Sunday March 8, you can enjoy $10 sandwiches from a whole heck of a lot of places. I counted 90 entries, which do include some duplicates, but still—it’s a lot! Multiple locations

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Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Rhinestone Celebrates One Year In Portland Tonight With a Pop-Up (Just Like Old Times)
Pan Kobo Is Dedicated to Making Shokupan in Portland
Portland Dining Month is Back in 2026
Purim 2026: Tasty Treats and Celebrations in Portland