Meg Cotner

January 21, 2026January 20, 2026

Tap Season 2026 Has Started in the Tualatin Valley

Beer flight for Tap Season 2026. — Photo credit: Explore Tualatin Valley.

Tap Season 2026, a two month celebration of Tualatin Valley breweries, cideries, and taprooms, launched last Thursday, January 15. This is a great opportunity to get to know the Valley’s craft beer and cider scene, thanks in part to the organizing efforts of Explore Tualatin Valley, the local DMO/tourism group. They’ve created a digital passport, planned a launch party, helped bring a collaborative brew to life, and gathered some alpacas.

January 20, 2026February 11, 2026

Valentine’s Day 2026 in Portland

Valentine’s Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, which means both daytime and evening celebrating and canoodling are fair game. Here is where you can enjoy your time together on V-Day—day or night—in a tasty way. Plus, some options are not dependent on being a couple. As Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing.”

January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

Small Bites: Phở, Electrica, Ma Cher, Bagel-ish, and More

Phở and spring rolls from Phở Gabo — Vietnamese beef pho with spring rolls. Photo credit: Phở Gabo

Eats History focuses on Phở. As Eats History founder Donnie Dodson writes, phở is “often described as Vietnam’s national dish, but it was not born in peace. It was shaped by colonialism, hunger, war, and a country slowly stitched back together, one bowl at a time.” Phở may very well be a signature dish of Portland, too, thanks to our Vietnamese immigrant community. Read the article on the history of phở on Facebook.

January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

Original Dream Pizza Has Reopened in Portland

Original Dream Pizza with a braided crust. — Photo credit: Original Dream Pizza.

Original Dream Pizza is open once again! They had to close their doors because of a fire last fall, and they were finally able to reopen earlier this month. This week I chatted with Amy Northrop, one of the pizzeria’s owners, to learn more.

January 14, 2026January 13, 2026

Rhinestone Brunch Launches This Month in Portland

Rhinestone brunch launches this Sunday, January 18!

This past weekend I was invited to stop in at Rhinestone to check out their upcoming brunch service at their new-ish brick and mortar. It was a chance to taste a variety of dishes and offer feedback before they opened it to the broader public. My friend Annie and I tried a handful of things and we enjoyed them quite a bit.