Portland food news and views
News, analysis, and current topics in the world of food.
Photo credit: Pacific NW CSA
Along with farmers markets, CSAs are a great way to access local, sustainably-grown food, and they’re not just for summer—many farms offer winter shares, too. This means you’ll get all sorts of delicious foods of the season—think brassicas (broccoli and Brussels sprouts), alliums (onions, garlic, leeks), and hardy greens like radicchio.
Continue reading “Get Your Winter CSA Shares + a Potluck”
Vivienne back in 2017.
I knew Vivienne, the little cafe next to the Hollywood Theatre, was going to make some changes (i.e., the end of brunch) but I didn’t anticipate they would be on as high a level as they are. On Friday, September 3, Vivienne’s owner Robin Wheelright sent out an email announcing the changes—departing from being a full-time cafe and turning into a culinary bookstore to be located in what has been their dining room.
Continue reading “Get Ready for Portland’s Newest Culinary Bookstore from Vivienne”As we muddle through what feels like a perpetual pandemic, it continues to be important to get vaccinated against COVID-19. This, along with masks and social distancing, are our best weapons (or, tools, for a less aggressive vibe) to fight this virus. If you haven’t gotten your COVID vaccination yet, consider heading to Fairley’s Pharmacy for your jab. They have the Moderna vaccine available for you, and the folks at Rosebridge Coffee, located inside the pharmacy, are offering a free small cup of coffee (beans roasted by Heart Coffee Roasters), cold brew, or milk tea while you wait to get vaccinated.
So get your shot—and a shot of caffeine—all at the same time. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. 7206 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
Beautiful lemon loaves. Photo credit: Bee’s Cakes
As you may know, Bee’s Cakes is now occupying the space at the northwest corner of NE Fremont and 72nd Avenue. It’s currently operating as a wholesale bakery but there are cafe/retail plans in the works (interior renovations continue). However, Rebecca Powazek (the upbeat force behind Bee’s Cakes) announced that she’s doing a retail bakery pop-up event on Saturday, September 4! So exciting!
Continue reading “Head to the Bee’s Cakes Cafe Pop-Up in September”Need a custom vegan cake? Ben & Esther’s, Portland’s own vegetarian (soon to be vegan, I believe) bagel shop, can make your vegan cake dreams come true. In their own words: “Need a custom vegan cake for your next event? We got you! Shoot us an email at info@benandesthers.com and let us know what you’re thinkin’!”
Blind Ox Fremont is closing. According to their Facebook page, they are closing their Fremont location due to “failed lease negotiations.” People are super bummed. Join them for a last hurrah at this location (their N Interstate location remains open) on Saturday 8/29 and Sunday 8/29 for $2 pints, $8 growler fills, 50% off packaged beer.
Delta dashes indoor dining hopes for Pip’s. The folks at Pip’s posted on their Instagram, “Our dining room is closed and we are offering to-go only. This will be our business model for the foreseeable future. It is frustrating, it’s not how we hoped things would go, but it is the reality.” We respect their decision and are grateful that they have made it through the COVID-19 pandemic so far! Their donuts and chai remain excellent, so go get some to-go.
Bee’s is still wholesale but you can find her stuff all over the place. Rebecca of Bee’s Cakes reminds us that they are still a wholesale bakery, but with definite plans to open as a cafe in the future (interior renovations continue). Meanwhile you can find her pastries at a lot of spots around town, including Sullivan Gulch’s Steeplejack, Roseway’s Rosebridge Coffee, and Parkrose Heights vegan coffee house Jet Black Coffee Company.
