Small Bites: Il Corso, Melons, The Italian Job, and More

Panzanella salad at Il Corso.
Panzanella salad. Photo credit: Il Corso.

Il Corso is for lunch. They’ve changed their hours, which are now noon to 7pm, Tuesday through Saturday. “Our new menu is definitely what you want for a nice comfortable lunch or your Power Lunch with friends!” Their new chef, Keenan McDonald, has created this new menu.

They have 10 wines by the glass, 5 cocktails (including one NA), beer, cider, NA wine and beer, and soda for drinks. The Il Corso food menu has a nice variety: Marconas and olives, a panzanella salad (you can add burrata to that, too), cured meats and cheese, and “The Tony”—crispy Mortadella, melted Provolone, Dijon mustard, herb aioli, all on brioche with chili crisp. 1204 NW Glisan Street, Portland

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2026 Portland Salad Week Restaurant Specials Are Here

Peach Burrata Salad from Fresh Love.

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 during Salad 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.

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Small Bites: Ancestro Brunch Returns, Feast Utopia, Camp, and More

Ancestro brunch returns with delicious dishes like this with eggs, tortillas, filling, and mole.
You could eat brunch there this morning. Photo credit: Ancestro.

Ancestro brunch returns. As they said, “dinner is taking a little nap for now” (it may return periodically) and they are focusing on brunch at the moment. Head there—they are inside Commensal Fermentation—Thursday through Sunday from 9am to 1pm for their delicious brunch offerings. 3901 N Williams Avenue, Suite A, Portland

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Small Bites: Bridgetown Bites Is Nine, Cholados, and More

Bridgetown Bites is nine!

Bridgetown Bites is Nine. Happy birthday to Bridgetown Bites! Today is this blog’s 9th birthday. We’ve been reporting on the Portland food and drink scene since 2017—with an increased effort starting about two and a half years ago. But this whole time we’ve worked hard to showcase the range of eating and drinking options in Portland and the metro area, with an emphasis on independently owned businesses—restaurants, bakeries, convenience stores, CSAs and farmers markets, cafes, bars, food carts, and more.

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