Category: Four Things

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Four Things I Learned This Week is a regular column published on Fridays, featuring four short entries of brief tidbits on Portland‘s food scene.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (June 13) in Portland Food

Lil Barbecue will open in Portland. The Oregonian has the details: “In a social media post Sunday, Ali Clem, owner of the Michelin-starred Austin barbecue joint La Barbecue, announced her ‘right and left hand’ man, GM and pitmaster Ben Vaughn, was ‘moving to Portland to start an extension of our beloved La Barbecue.’” Read more here, plus, here is their Instagram. Location TBD

Tréla celebrates 6 months. It feels like they’ve been around forever, but it’s true: Tréla has been in business for 6 months at the end of June. They are celebrating on Monday, June 16 with a new dinner and drink menu, and live bouzouki music from 5pm to 9pm. 6000 NE Glisan Street, Portland

You can now order Red Sauce Pizza at Tomorrow’s Verse Taproom. The Tomorrow’s Verse folks have partnered with Red Sauce Pizza so that you can order their pizza and eat it at the bar. The two businesses are less than a block away from each other, so it’s an easy run. “We have QR codes for you to order from at the bar, just order and they’ll run it over for you. It’s that simple.” 4605 NE Fremont Street, Suite #103, Portland

New menu items at Urdaneta. I’ve learned that Urdaneta has put together a new menu after their annual staff trip to Spain. It “reimagines traditional Basque bites through a seasonal Pacific Northwest lens.” Some of the new dishes are:

  • Tartare de Atún (tuna tartare) served in a savory squid ink cone.
  • Gofre Bravas, a crispy potato waffle play on patatas bravas (they’ve taken a potato waffle dotted it with Bravas sauce and green garlic aioli.
  • Hiramasa Crudo (yellowtail amberjack) with grilled pineapple and piparra (semi-sweet peppers) emulsion.
  • Conejo al Ajillo featuring chicken-fried rabbit with espelette honey and aji amarillo.
  • Additionally they are featuring a strawberry Basque cheesecake topped with a biscuit crumble for Strawberry Shortcake Week.

3033 NE Alberta Street, Portland

Reminder: The James Beard Awards are Monday. Next Monday is the day the James Beard Awards finalists gather together in Chicago for the Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony. There’s going to be a virtual press room and yes, I plan to be there. I am considering “live skeeting” it on Bluesky Monday afternoon/evening, but no promises. I’ll let you know. Here are the finalists from Oregon.

Stories you may have missed on Bridgetown Bites this week:

The Inaugural WasabiFest Is June 14 in Portland
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, May 2025
Opening Soon: Yellow Line Food Cart Pod, Navigator Coffee, and Alma in Portland
Enjoy Summer Nights 2025 in Parkrose in East Portland

The Portland Midsummer Festival and WasabiFest are Saturday. Strawberry Shortcake Week continues until Sunday. It’s also Father’s Day on Sunday, so happy day to the dads of all kinds. More events throughout the year can be found on our Portland Food and Drink Festivals and Portland Area Cultural + Food Festivals lists.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (May 30) in Portland Food

Oregon’s first Jollibee opens today. The Oregonian has reported on this story over the past few years, and the arrival of this popular Filipino fast food chain is finally here. They open today in a former Chevy’s in Hillsboro. Popular dishes include the spaghetti with hot dogs, fried chicken, and peach mango pie.

They’ll be open daily from 9am to 11pm. I hope they’ll have one of those big smiling bee-man mascots stationed outside the entrance, too. When I lived in Queens, the kids loved posing by the one in Woodside. 1951 NW 185th Avenue, Hillsboro

L’Echelle is open. They opened their doors in the former Woodsman Tavern space this past Wednesday, with a menu of French bistro fare using “the bounty Pacific Northwest’s best ingredients.” Head there Wednesdays through Sundays, 5pm to 10pm. No reservations for now, just stop on by. 4537 SE Division Street, Portland

Rad Magic Subs celebrates one year on Gladstone Street. This very popular vegan sandwich shop is having a party on Saturday, May 31 from 9:30am to 6pm. They’ll have sandwiches and salads, vegan cupcakes from 222 Pastry, plus a prize wheel. It’s year one on Gladstone, and four years total in the business. 2824 SE Gladstone Street, Portland

Strawberry Fest at Parkrose Coffee Shop. This weekend, Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1, the good people over at Parkrose Coffee Shop are celebrating the strawberry. They’ll have pints of strawberries grown at the Spada U-Pick Farms (they are located at NE 158th and Sandy Blvd), strawberry drink, strawberry pastry specials, and strawberry activities for the kids. 4826 NE 105th Avenue, Portland

Bonus: Nico’s Ice Cream will open at the Flock Food Hall. Great news for Portland’s ice cream lovers—Nico’s Ice Cream will have a summer residency at the Flock Food Hall until the end of August. The grand opening is today from noon to 10pm. After that you can see them Friday and Saturday, noon to 10pm; and Sunday, noon to 9pm. 917 SW Alder Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

No Sabo Will Take Over the Lilia Comedor Space in South Waterfront [with an update on the fate of Lilia Comedor]
Oui Presse Will Close in Portland
Slow Haste Coffee Joins Collector Bar Daily in NE Portland

This weekend a few place we’ve covered are opening: Sticky Wicket today, Slow Haste Saturday, and Eli Jo Coffee Stop & Shop on Sunday. The Veganizer Asian Market is also Sunday, and Oui Presse closes at the end of service Saturday.

CityFair continues and the Holi Spring Harvest Fest is Saturday. More events can be found on our Portland Food and Drink Festivals and Portland Area Cultural + Food Festivals lists.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (May 2) in Portland Food

The Deck opens May 6. I love this casual spot on a big floating deck on the Columbia River—you are right on the water, it’s pretty chill, and birds fly through the restaurant. They serve American food like bay shrimp salad, calamari, fish & chips, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and more (including fried cheese curds); beer, wine, cocktails, and mocktails. The views heading down the ramp to the restaurant are gorgeous, too. Plus, you can bring your dog.

They close down usually in September for the cold season, reopening in May, and this year opening day is Tuesday, May 6. They will be open every day 11am to sunset except on weekends for brunch, which starts at 9am and goes to noon. I’m looking forward to seeing them soon! 2901 NE Marine Drive, Portland

AKÂDI has a new menu. Yesterday, beloved West African restaurant AKÂDI launched their new menu, which you can find here. “Get ready to embark on a culinary journey with fresh flavors, innovative dishes, and delightful surprises that will tantalize your taste buds.” 1001 SE Division Street, Portland

Mexican lager fest “Put a Lime on It’ is tonight. Head to Mayfly today from 4pm to 8pm for Mexican lagers and tasty food. Beers are from 5440 Beer, Fort George Beer, Xicha Brewing, Lazy Days Brewing, and Loowit Brewing. Food provided by 4 Caminos (street tacos), The Street Corn Dude (elotes), La Oveja Negra (salsas), and Sweet Creature (chamoy). 8350 N Fenwick Avenue, Portland,

Lunch bistro menu at Coq Au Vin. This May, Rose and George at Coq Au Vin (which moved from NW Portland to North Portland last year) are adding a lunch service for the month. Coq Au Vin is a farm-to-table restaurant (Sea Breeze Farm is the farm) centered around traditions of French and Italian countryside homestyle cooking.

“Thursday through Sunday, enjoy an à la carte menu of the day showcasing our favorite spring flavors, paired with affordable, delicious wines by the glass. Walk-ins and reservations are welcome.” 938 N Cook Street, Portland

Bonus: Joe at FIKA will be popping up twice this weekend! On Saturday from noon to 6pm at The Spot Market (the old Ulta beaty space in Lloyd Center—entrance by Marshalls is the closest) and Sunday from 11am to 5pm at Stark Street Studios. Head his way for delicious pastries and other baked goods. 1241 Lloyd Center and 2809 SE Stark Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Living Room Coffee To Open in Living Room Wines in Portland
Screaming Sammies Is Back in Sellwood-Moreland
Bennett’s Best Bites Will Open on Sandy Blvd in Portland
3 Doors Down Will Re-Open in Portland

The Portland Cinco de Mayo Fiesta starts tonight at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and the Portland Night Market is tonight and tomorrow, too. Learn more in our Portland Area Cultural + Food Festivals page and our Portland Food and Drink Festivals page.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (April 25) in Portland Food

Judah’s Delicatessen is open. Late last year I learned that a new business called “Judah’s Delicatessen” was going to open in Portland. Originally described as a “Jewish delicatessen featuring house cured, smoked, and carved deli meats,” it sounded like maybe we’d get a new Jewish deli, something many Portlanders would like to see happen. As time went on, it became clear that their approach had adjusted to something more modest, and their eventual Instagram indicated that they are a “NY Deli style food cart PDX serving classic deli sandwiches and fare.”

They recently moved the cart into the Rose City Food Park with a menu of three categories: NY Deli Sandwiches, Burgers, and Sides. You’ll find pastrami, turkey on rye and a turkey club, a reuben, a “Rubenowitz,” a BLT and grilled cheese; some sandwiches can be purchase as “half” or “full.” Three burgers include a “Deli Burger” with pastrami on it. Looks like at some point they’ll have latkes, but fries, coleslaw, and sauerkraut round out the sides right now.

I have not been so I can’t vouch for the food, or how authentic to NYC it is. If you go, let me know what you think! I hope to stop by soon. 5235 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Virtuous Pie has closed. A Bridgetown Bites reader brought this to my attention, that this vegan pizzeria closed on Sunday, April 20. Founded by Vesal and Lia Loukas, they opened the first Virtuous Pie in Vancouver, BC, the second here in Portland. It was a hard decision for them to close, and they are grateful for the time they spent making pies in PDX. Here’s part of their farewell message:

“We’re proud to finish strong with Portland Pizza Week — one final celebration with the community that has supported us from day one … To our Portland community: you showed up for us, again and again. From first dates to family dinners, late-night cravings to vegan firsts — it’s been an honor to be part of your lives. We’re deeply proud of what we’ve built over the years, but the reality of today’s challenging climate has brought us to this hard decision.” 1126 SE Division Street, Portland

Rhinestone pops up on Sunday. Head to Deadshot this Sunday starting at 5pm for this tasty takeover. “Rhinestone, a Vegas/Western themed cocktail & food concept from long time industry friends Chef Graham Chaney & Bartender Trevor Thorpe, will be taking over Deadshot Lounge Sunday. After a killer first PopUp at Too Soon in February, we’re coming back with some new drinks, new snacks and the same attitude. Come hungry. Leave happy.” 2133 SE 11th Avenue, Portland

New bakery additions to the Montavilla Farmers Market. Starting on Sunday, May 4, some new bakeries are joining the Montavilla Farmers Market for their 19th season:

  • Delectable Delights: handmade milk cakes, cookies, and chai beverages popular in Somali culture (every other week).
  • Labyrinth Bread: stone milled, naturally-leavened sourdough bread made with whole grains. They are considered a micro-bakery. Note: The day before, May 3, is World Labyrinth Day.
  • Nate’s Oatmeal Cookies: vegan and gluten-free oatmeal cookies (every other week). Here’s our coverage from last year.
  • Propaganda Pastry: seasonally-drive cake by the slice made from local grains, foraged flowers, and farm herbs

You can see some photos of their work, here. SE Stark Street & SE 76th Avenue, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Old Pal Is Now Old Pal Kitchen + Market in Portland
Iliamna Salmon Shares Are Now Available To Order in Portland
Bar Hollywood Opens in Portland
Delta Carts Food Pod in Portland: An Update

The annual New Year in the Park celebration is this Saturday, celebrating Cambodian, Lao, Thai, and Burmese cultures. Filipino Food Month continues (here are some places to enjoy Filipino food in the area). And big congrats to the Kitchen Table Magazine folks—they met their crowdfunding goal!

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Four Things I Learned This Week (April 18) in Portland Food

Berlu Bakery looks to reopen in May. After closing last October with the silver lining of a future re-opening, that opening day is coming soon. The Oregonian reported on their impending reopening on SE Belmont in the Modera Belmont building, sometime in May. Some of the things you will see on their menu is bánh bò nướng, pandan waffles, salted egg coconut tart, and a BEC (bacon, egg, and cheese) but a bánh cuốn version.

Also, they’ll have some great neighbors: Hat Yai, Cozy Congee (which opened recently), Hit the Spot burgers, as well as the return of Pop Pizza. There is no specific date for Berlu’s re-opening, but when they do open it will be Thursdays through Sundays, 9am to 3pm. 661 SE Belmont Street, Portland

Cookie McCakeface is moving. Today is their last day downtown. After today, they will be closed until the first of May, “so we can move and get adjusted to working out of a new space.” That space? The Heist! 770 W Burnside, Portland (now), 4727 SE Woodstock Blvd No. 1, Portland (May)

Bajala’s final day is April 27. They are serving their last Baja-style fish and seafood tacos on Sunday, April 27. After that they move to popups. Tacos will be $6.50, open noon until sold out. 1845 NW 23rd Place, Portland

Harder Day Coffee Company opens on North Williams. Jinju posted about this on their Instagram. Today is the grand opening of Harder Day’s North Williams cafe (previously Happy Cup was in there). Enjoy $2 lattes during their noon to 2pm happy hour. They will be serving Jinju’s chocolate and carrot cakes, too. 3494 N Williams Avenue, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Flour Bloom Will Close in Portland
Souvlaki Queen Will Open in Downtown Portland
The Italian Summer Kitchen Book Release Is Today in Portland
Via Chicago Will Open in Old Cereus PDX Space in Portland
Original Dream Pizza Will Open on NE Glisan Street in Portland

Over at Lake Oswego High School they’ll be holding an Asian Cultural Fair on Saturday. Saturday also brings us the Baker’s Dozen Coffee Beer & Doughnut Festival and the Tea & Bloom Spring Tea Fair (which starts today). Filipino Food Month continues this month (here are some options), and Pizza Week goes on until Sunday, April 20. More details on these events ob our food festivals and cultural + food festivals pages.

Sunday is also Easter—hoping you’ve gotten your holiday treats! And this coming week are the openings of Matsunoki Ramen and Schilling Cider House.