Judith Rich is a writer and co-contributor to Bridgetown Bites. She’s been a proud Portlander since 2014 and is now raising two Portland natives who are budding foodies. Judith loves cooking at home and experimenting with new recipes, as well as checking out new and tried and true Portland restaurants. She loves a good food adventure (together with Meg Cotner!)
The Yum Mama salad from Gin Thai Brasserie, which we ate and loved earlier this week.
Well, today marks the final day of 2026 Portland Salad Week. It’s been a great week, and we’ve especially enjoyed being introduced to a number of new-to-us salads. For today, we bring you recommendations from local content creators and you, our readers. Plus a few final thoughts and lessons from Salad Week, including some on the elephant in the room.
The Bridgetown Bites crew loves venturing beyond Portland in search of great salads. Last year, we expanded into the Willamette Valley and had a great time, while this year we crossed the river for a Salad Week road trip to visit our neighbors in Vancouver, Washington. Meg and I explored four restaurants, most of them clustered around the Waterfront and the Downtown districts, an easy trip from Portland and well worth the visit.
Welcome to 2026 Portland Salad Week, one of our favorite annual traditions at Bridgetown Bites! It’s a chance to celebrate the incredible restaurants and small businesses that showcase the abundance of fresh, local produce our lovely state has to offer. And we’re excited to spotlight the 2026 Portland Salad Week restaurant specials for you to enjoy over the next five days.
At these restaurants you’ll find familiar favorites that have been with us from the beginning alongside some wonderful newcomers, each serving up a salad worth checking out. We hope you’ll discover a few new favorites and get out to experience them for yourself.
Many of these featured salads will be available duringSalad Week: Monday, July 20 to Friday, July 24, while others will remain on menus longer, giving you more time to enjoy the season’s fresh flavors. A map of the participants can be found here.
Enjoying a sunny Father’s Day at Kah-Nee-Ta Hot Springs in Warm Springs
Father’s Day 2026 in Portland is right around the corner, the official day being this Sunday, June 21. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Dad, or your favorite father figure, Portland offers plenty of diverse options. Whether he prefers a laid-back afternoon at a brewpub, wine tasting in Willamette valley, a relaxing soak at a hot springs resort, or catching a soccer match at a food cart pod, there’s something for every kind of dad.
Joe Futschik, founder and creator of FIKA making his chorizo potato cheddar empanadas
At Bridgetown Bites, we’ve long been fans of FIKA desserts, a sweet (literally and figuratively) cottage bakery tucked into the heart of inner SE Portland. Founder and creator Joe Futschik is the talent behind an impressive lineup of treats—from yeasted pastries and scones, to empanadas, cream buns, cakes, tarts, cookies, and an array of handmade truffles. One scroll through his menu gallery and you’ll find yourself fully tempted. Joe’s creations are perfect for celebrations, gatherings, or simply treating yourself!
We recently had the chance to visit Joe in his charming home bakery, where we got to see his craft and creativity on full display. It was also great to sit down with Joe for a more detailed chat about his growing business. Read on for a delicious deep dive into FIKA.