Birria Ramen made with locally foraged chantrelle mushrooms, from Mis Tacones. Photo credit: Mis Tacones.
It’s back! World Vegan Month 2025 is happening in Portland throughout the month of November. Now in its third year, this is a great opportunity to try and experience the variety of vegan and plant-based offerings in Portland, through dishes made especially for this occasion.
Last week I had a chance to spend some time at Alchemy Cider for an enjoyable Halloween Happy Hour gathering. It was nice to see colleagues and see the Alchemy space, which I’ve been curious about since it opened this past summer. There were cider flights (I did not partake, though I heard they were very good), we got to tour the production facility, and ended our time with some delicious pizza from nearby Dimo’s. Here’s some of what I saw.
Jawfish, a restaurant that is about “celebrating the flavors of the Pacific Northwest,” will open in the old Shilo Restaurant space at what was the Shilo Inn on NE Airport Way. This will be a standalone restaurant on hotel property, and they look forward to offer something exciting to the area, which is mostly home to other hotels and big chains—and a large stone’s throw from the incoming In-N-Out slated for NE Airport Way and Holman. Additionally, Le Petit Chef, an immersive dining experience, will operate at this location.
The spread at Next Level Veggie Grill. Photo credit: Next Level Veggie Grill.
Next Level Burger relaunches as Next Level Veggie Grill. I saw this pass through an influencer email list I’m on, but saw that Rachel Saslow at Willamette Week covered the change. Basically, last year Next Level Burger acquired Veggie Grill, a fast-casual vegan competitor of theirs, and had a business baby. Now there’s burgers and bowls, and much, more. It kind of reminds me of Laughing Planet.
The first location to transform will be on SE Hawthorne and 42nd Avenue, with a grand opening party this Saturday, October 25 from 11am to 1pm. Read more on WW. 4121 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
Over the summer I had heard talk about Dream Deli—it’s a new deli that is influenced by the owners’ Jewish and Italian heritages, opening on SE Division Street. I was definitely intrigued, and wanted to learn more—in part because if there’s one thing Portlanders are clamoring for, it’s a Jewish deli.
I reached out to Jessie Levine, one of the owners, who brought along John Bissell, the other owner, to our conversation. Here is what I learned from them.