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!)
Beyond spotlighting Portland’s incredible culinary talent in the world of salads, we wanted to mix things up by handing the reins over to a couple of local Portland kids for the day. We asked them to share their own playful takes on salad.
While these next two creations may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “salad,” we love how imaginative, whimsical, and fun they turned out. After all, they’re straight from the minds of a seven and nine-year-old, which makes them as authentic as they come.
Portland is bursting with reasons to explore what it has to offer, and its exciting food scene tops the list—especially when it comes to Portland’s greatest salads.
The Bridgetown Bites crew had a blast curating this lineup of must-try salads, featuring everything from beloved classics at iconic restaurants to creative newcomers and even standout food carts. You never know where you’ll discover the salad of your dreams, so we invite you to dive into this list all summer long and share your favorites with us, which may or may not be included below.
Welcome again to the first day of Portland Salad Week! With summer in full swing, there’s no shortage of fresh and flavorful salads across the Portland metro area. While most restaurant menus feature classic market greens, which are lovely this time of year, this week brings something extra special: well-crafted Salad Week restaurant specials by local restaurants.
When it comes to food opinions and expertise, there’s never a shortage of either in Portland. With so many talented people sharing their thoughts and insights about food, we asked some of the top Portland food influencers about their favorite salad recommendations in honor of Portland Salad Week. Here’s what they said:
My first strong salad memory was, of course, my mom’s iceberg lettuce with her family’s mayo-and-ketchup dressing, and much later the yet-to-be matched Caesar at Zefiro (sigh). I can’t resist any salad that Sarah Minnick has on the menu at Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, especially if it’s her mixed chicory salad with the most tender, colorful mix of organic greens, yellows and pinks from local sustainable farms. Right now she has spring garden lettuces with Point Reyes Blue Cheese, beets and toasted hazelnuts. (Watch her Instagram video about making salad, where she starts by mixing the dressing *in the salad bowl first* and only then adding the salad greens and giving them a toss).
One other I have to add is Mark Doxtader’s Kale Caesar at Tastebud in Multnomah Village, which is a meal in itself with breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic and anchovy aioli, also always sourced from local farms.
Summer is almost here, which means you’re more likely to visit your local farmers markets. Even though it’s tempting to leave the kids at home, we encourage you to reconsider and bring them to these kid friendly farmers markets in Portland. Not only does spring and summer provide the best opportunities for your entire family to sample fresh produce, farmers markets around Portland feature fun and engaging activities that get the whole family involved.
“Now that I’ve got said produce in hand, how do I prepare it at home so my kids actually eat it ,” you may ask? Our friends at PDX Parent have put together a few tips and activities that help you get those healthful veggies and fruits into your kiddos’ mouthes.
Here are our top picks for Kid Friendly Farmers Markets in Portland:
