Small Bites: Billy Ray’s Dive Bar, Eyesore, Gelato, and More

Billy Ray’s Dive Bar opens Saturday, August 1. From a press release: “After decades in the iconic location at the old red house at 2216 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Billy Ray’s Dive Bar is moving around the corner to 835 NE Broadway.” This is the old Black Water Bar space.

The move’s origins have to do with lease issues. They–owners Mark & Paula Hylland, also of The G.O.A.T. Bar (closed, now part of The Mule Bar), The Mule Bar, and Mousetrap Tavern—bought the business from Billy Ray in 2023 when Billy and his family decided to move to Tennessee. Billy had sold the bar property and surrounding properties to Harder Mechanical and negotiated a 3-year lease for the bar. The Harder Mechanical people were not interested in renewing the lease, so the Hyllands decided they needed to find a new location for the bar.

In late 2025, they found the location on NE Broadway and have been working on it since early 2026. The building was a bar, which was in their favor, but it also needed a lot of work. The age and condition of the building were a concern, so the buildout involved updating major systems to make the place truly functional. “We are excited to combine the aesthetic of the old, while having new mechanical systems that work well,” said Hylland.  

All their current bartenders will be moving over to the new space. They’ve built out a pinball room and pool room just like the old location. There’s a small outdoor patio, “so regulars have a spot to watch Jeopardy on a nightly basis.” 835 NE Broadway, Portland

Ranch Pizza has closed in Hillsboro. They were temporarily closed a couple of times, and now they are permanently closed there. A loss for Hillsboro’s downtown; we’ll see what’s next in there (stay tuned). 142 SE 2nd Avenue Hillsboro

Fremont Fest is tomorrow. This is their 40th anniversary of running this street fair, and they have a theme for this year’s fest: Through the Ages. There will be live music, decorations, costumes, local artists, makers, food vendors, and more—over 200 vendors in total. It’s very family-friendly and a good time. NE Fremont Street between 42nd and 51st Avenues, Portland

Pasture PDX is closing. A Bridgetown Bites tipster sent me a photo of a sign posted at at their shop. Here’s the text:

“On to greener pastures. This will be the last week Pasture will be serving sandwiches. Join us for a goodbye party August 9th (RSVP on our website), 3pm to 8pm ($35). What’s included:

“Plenty of food and N/A Beverages. 1 Raffle Ticket (Get a chance to take home one of Pasture’s Tables, among other things…) Beer/Wine Available for Sale. Pasture Furniture, Pasture Mugs, Pasture Pickles, and Pasture Hot Sauce Available for Purchase.”

Very sorry to see them go. 1413 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Otto Gelato & Espresso opens tomorrow. This is a new gelateria and coffee shop next to Pizzeria Otto in Lake Oswego. Clark Hale, the owner of Pizzeria Otto, is working with the folks from Spella Caffè and Pronto Gelato (Andrea Spella and George Kaden) to bring their coffee and gelato to LO. More on The O. 995 Mercantile Drive, Lake Oswego

Graze Craze has opened in Salmon Creek. Owner Tracie Jellison, who retired from a career in banking, decided to open a location of this franchise that offers grazing-style dining. “As I looked for a new career after leaving banking, I wanted to do something fun and close to my heart and this was an obvious choice,” said Tracie. “We offer an amazing array of healthy and tasty options for the perfect touch in any gathering.”

That includes boards, boxes, and convenient grab-and-go options. They use Boar’s Head® meats and cheeses with fresh fruits, vegetables, house-made dips, crackers, and sweet treats to complete these grazing boards. And the people that put them together? They are called “Grazologists®.” 14313 NE 20th Avenue, Suite A 102, Vancouver

Amaterra Winery and Sokol Blosser are No. One and Three. We got the news that outer Southwest Portland winery Amaterra has been named the No. 1 Winery Restaurant in the country in the 2026 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Additionally, Farm & Forage at Sokol Blosser Winery in Yamhill County came in at No. 3 in this ranking list. You can see the full list here. Big congrats to both! 8150 SW Swede Hl Drive, Portland and 5000 NE Sokol Blosser Lane, Dayton

The Meadow celebrated 20 years this month. They announced it on social media and celebrated with a party last weekend. I learned in that announcement that they have a shop in NYC (and around the corner from Prince Street pizza and their Spicy Spring slice), too, which I was perviously unaware of. I love The Meadow in particular for their delicious unsweetened chocolate bars. Their first shop is the one on N Mississippi.

“We’ve been a valuable part of the entrepreneurial story of hundreds of small makers and had a lasting impact on thousands of growers and workers around the world. We’ve stuck it out through a 2008 financial crisis and a pandemic, weathered holiday snowstorms and summer heat waves, and persevered through more personal and business challenges than I care to remember.” Happy 20th, friends. Multiple locations

Rosy’s Fruit Stand and Kitchen sounds good. I read this tip from a neighbor: “Great Central American food counter inside the Daily Deals at SE 146th & Stark. We had the Belizean rice & beans with fried plantain, and steak tacos on hand-made tortillas with fresh cilantro and delicious hot sauce! They have Guatemalan options, too.” 600 SE 146th Avenue, Portland

RIP Vince Torchia. Vince was the owner of Sheridan Fruit. He passed away on July 11, 2026. He was 90-years-old. You can read his obituary, here. He worked at Sheridan Fruit for over 60 years after a time in the U.S. Air Force.

“Vince’s passion for people, hard work, and quality was at the heart of everything he did. He was always willing to go the extra mile for customers and employees, and his kindness, leadership, and dedication touched countless lives.” Online

Fine O’ Char is new and celiac-safe. This is a new food cart at Oregon City Brewing Company that is a, “family-run food truck serving 100% gluten‑free comfort food. Celiac‑safe, cross‑contamination‑free, and cooked fresh every day.” They offer things like fried chicken, rice bowls, fish and chips, some grilled meats, loaded fries. corn ribs, and more.

The cart was started by Chef Varanya, the former Chef de Cuisine at Kann. She worked alongside Chef Gregory Gourdet for over seven years. She opened Fine O’ Char on Thursday July 23. 1401 Washington Street, Oregon City

Foodvilla has launched their espresso bar. After doing a big makeover earlier this year, Foodvilla continues to add new things to the store. Last Saturday they launched their weekend espresso service, which you can enjoy every Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 2pm. 6316 NE 33rd Avenue, Portland

Fillmore Trattoria has closed. They says their closure is “due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.” They were open for over a decade and would love to be open for more time—it is in the realm of possibilities that they could reopen. They wrote, “We will be taking the next month to assess our options for reopening.”

They encourage you to keep tabs on their socials for updates on their plans. Also, “For any questions or if you just wanna say hi 👋🏻 please email us at spencerandemma24@gmail.com.” 1937 NW 23rd Place, Portland

A collection of Vancouver pizza joint brochures. Fun to see this collage of olde tyme pizzeria restaurant brochure fronts. I was immediately drawn to the “Pizza Palace” one, as that was the name of a popular pizzeria in my old Astoria, Queens neighborhood (Pizza Palace Ditmars RIP, tho). Online/Reddit

Affogatos in LO. Roseline has been doing affogatos at their NE Davis spot in Portland, but they are taking the show on the road to the Lake Oswego location today from 1pm to 5pm. You’ll find “espresso, gelato, and good company.” Gelato is from Pinolo Gelato, matcha is from Mizuba Tea, and coffee is from, of course. Roseline. Small gelato scoops will also be available. 16398 Boones Ferry Road, Lake Oswego

Jim’s Ice Cream in Hillsboro is closing. This is bummer news for Hillsboro. The property owner is going to sell the property and therefore not renew Adrian’s lease. Apparently they have Jim’s Ice Cream to thank, as “the evaluation has been inflated due to the presence of my business.”

Additionally, they were closed for about a year after a car hit the building in 2024. Adrian’s walk-in freezer has been giving him trouble—like $20K to $30K amounts of trouble. He wrote on their website:

“The last 8.5 months of business has been the best we’ve ever had. Our renewed success after reopening comes directly from the support of this amazing community. I can’t thank you all enough, from the bottom of my heart. You’ve really shown up when we needed you most.”

They have no plans to move to another location. Their employees are losing their jobs. (Are you hiring?) Everything is for sale. Final day open is Sunday, August 23. 658 SE 10th Avenue, Hillsboro

The Rambler says goodbye to Christian. He is stepping down as the owner of The Rambler after being in this position for 11 years. There will be a big to do to send him off in style on Saturday, August 1 starting at 7pm. “It’s been super real, but as I love to say… LATER NERDS!” 4205 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland

Donuts and ice cream on Sunday. Salvie Donuts and Butchukoy’s ice cream will pop up together at Balong, home to great breakfast sandwiches. This Sunday from 8am to 2pm you can try cheese & corn, ube, salted egg yema, or Kalesa coffee ice cream; and on the donut front there’s pandan coconut, sweet corn glaze, mango glaze, chocolate glaze, cinnamon sugar, as well as cinnamon sugar donuts holes, candied bacon, and yema caramel. 2580 SE 82nd Avenue #27, Portland

Ma Cher will close. They announced it earlier this week: “Next week will be our final week of our Ma Cher Residency at Cafe Olli.” The are looking ahead to their next chapter, aligning their work with their values, seeing what makes them happy, and heading in the direction that they believe will allow for long-term success. And that means closing down their restaurant business. They may do some supper club action in the future, though.

And you can still buy Maggie’s salad dressing—follow her dressing project on Instagram. 3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland

Best Coffee is moving. They’ve been open in the Portland Food Hall downtown but now it’s time to move. They have until November on their lease and then they need to be out. Wherever they land, they are looking to add more live music to their operation. They do not have a space yet, but if you know of one, Marley would love to hear from you. 827 SW 2nd Avenue, Portland

ICYMI, Robo Taco has closed. Last weekend was their final weekend of regular service. It sounds like owner Jason Price basically needs a break after 15 years of blood, sweat, and tears. “I need freedom from this to live my life away from the shop,” he said.

And then, “If there is a bright side to this, it’s that I am taking time off of prepping and running the shop in order to (hopefully) return with a better bag of tricks for you to enjoy in the future.” So, perhaps there will be a v2 of Robo Taco in the future. 607 SE Morrison Street, Portland

The Noshpit closes its doors today. Their rent is going up and, as owner Jeff Jones says, “we swung for the fences with a plastic bat.” I remembered the beginning, when they opened, and I’ve been doing this for long enough that I’m seeing the ending, when they close; it’s surreal.

Jeff also said, “This dream isn’t sustainable at at its current size, but rest assured we’ll be back in another form.” He’s going to consider opening a food cart. All the best, Jeff. Sorry it didn’t work out there. 1914 N Killlingsworth Street, Portland

Mark your calendar for the Melon Ball. On Sunday, August 9 from 10am to 3pm head to Providore for Rubinette Produce’s annual Melon Ball. Stop by, taste the spread of melons. Doug Adams of Grand Fir Brewing will be making a Melon Mocktail, too.

And remember: Even though the Honeydew is the money melon, at the Melon Ball you’ll likely run into a melon unique to Rubinette in our fair city. See you there! 2340 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Eyesore has closed. This is sad news—the Eyesore coffee cart in the Irvington sunroom was a beautiful corner of Portland. Beck says, “We would love to take this time to say how much fun it has been serving this community and getting to meet so many wonderful, incredible, kind people …. This is not the end for eyesore, but truly just the beginning! Stay tuned to see where we pop up next.” 2206 NE 14th Avenue, Portland

The Last Rodeo celebrates one tomorrow. The Last Rodeo is one year old and they’ll be celebrating all day with $10 El Jimador maragaritas, a bunch of prizes, a special collab ice cream between them and Luna’s Ice Cream, and DJ Queasy & Amo (4pm to 8pm). 6637 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland

Parkrose Grocery held a press conference. Those present included Sabina Urdes, community organizer; Hector Marquez, Executive Director of Historic Parkrose; Don McKeever, owner of the former Grocery Outlet and the one who wants to open the independent grocery store in Parkrose; Jamie Dunphy, D1 Councilor and President of the City Council; and Lily Burnett, owner of Parkrose Coffee Shop. Watch it here:

The Switchback Saloon (FKA Landmark Saloon) is open. As Landmark, it operated for 16 years. As Switchback, it started its life on Friday, July 24. I have a very specific memory of this space as the first time I had Matt’s BBQ chili tacos during a chili competition. Anyway, Jacob Loeb at Montavilla News wrote about Switchback Saloon—check it out. 4847 SE Division Street, Portland

l’Orto Nostrano + Purple Hands + Pink Tiger Game Night … tonight! On Friday evenings (through September) from 5:30pm to 8pm, Nostrana hosts events in l’Orto Nostrano, their nearby garden. There’s wine, craft cocktails, great pizza made there onsite in the pizza oven, all in a casual setting. This Friday they welcome Pink Tiger Games, maker of Purple Hands, for a game night.

$20 wine tasting fee in advance (reserve via Tock), $25 at the door. If you’re not having wine, no tasting ticket is required; walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged; leave your high heels at home. 721 SE 14th Avenue, Portland

Saint Burrito is now in the Gorges Brewery kitchen on Rainbow Road. They had been at Pod 28 for the past eight years, and now they have moved just around the corner onto Rainbow Road. What you’ll find at the new space: “We are excited to be able to offer more menu items, expanded seating, and a curated experience for our guests.”

The Gorges aspect might be a little confusing—it was for me, at first. On the south side of SE Ankeny is the Gorges Beer Co Rainbow Road Pub, and that’s where Bon Temps Poulet sets up shop (in front of the pub). On the north side there has been a Gorges Beer Co, too, and it will reopen as Gorges Cantina (FKA The Trailhead). Saint Burrito will be operating out of that kitchen.

They had planned to open yesterday, Thursday, July 30, but ran into some issues and have been delayed. They hope to open as soon as they can.

Finally, what will happen to their spot at Pod 28? The Pod is going to be seeing renovations and improvements to the space. I had some Thai food there over a couple of months ago and the guy told me that carts will be displaced for a time. So, I imagine they are waiting to get through construction before they fill that vacant vendor space. 2705 SE Ankeny Street, Portland

The James Beard Awards is looking for a new home. Yes, that’s right—the James Beard Foundation is looking for a new home for the James Beard Awards. This new location would host them from 2029 to 2033. Previous hosts have been Chicago and NYC.

The James Beard Foundation launched the campaign on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 with a formal Request for Information (RFI) process; the deadline is 2pm PT on Friday, August 7, 2026. A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process starts Monday, August 17, 2026 with responses due at 2pm PT on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. They’ll evaluate all submissions from October 1 to the end of the year, with a decision in early 2027.

From the press release: “Hosting the James Beard Awards® represents a unique opportunity for a city and region to showcase its culinary identity on the national stage, drive tourism, strengthen its reputation as a premier food destination, and welcome the country’s leading voices in food and hospitality.”

Portland—where James Beard himself was born, the home to the future James Beard Public Market, and a city with James Beard Award winners for many years in a row—seems like a very good city candidate. I hope the City of Portland, Travel Portland, and the James Beard Public Market folks are all in a confab about this, working to “make it so,” to quote Jean-Luc Picard. Online

Salad Week thank you. Thanks to all who went out and ate a salad at our restaurant participants, made salad at home, and were not scared away from this excellent dish. We in Oregon have been very fortunate to not have much in the way of problems with that parasite (I’m talking about cyclorspora here). Here’s to Oregon remaining a safe space for salad.

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Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Sazanami: Sustainable Omakase in Beaverton
Grant’s Philly Cheesesteaks Reopened in Their Old Sandy Blvd Location
Pronto Gelato’s Second Location Will Open on NE 28th Ave in Portland
Beer Paradise Taphouse Has Opened in Vancouver [Photos]
The Corner Shop To Open in Former Cal’s Pharmacy Space in Portland
Marée Will Open in the Former Dame Space in Portland