Four Things I Learned This Week in Portland Food (January 17)

Big pizza news. I learned from the Willamette Week that Old Town Brewing (NE) will welcome Baby Doll to their kitchen. This will be Baby Doll’s second location. Fun fact: Adam Milne, who owns Old Town, also owns Baby Doll, which he bought in 2021. No indication in the article if they are up and running now, but it’s full of other great info—check it out. 5201 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Portland

LA Street Dogs at Niños Birrieria. I was over at the Niños Birrieria cart at Upright Brewing Station yesterday after a meeting and saw they just added what they call “LA Street Dogs” to the menu. They start out as a hot dog, are bacon-wrapped, with the addition of bell peppers, onions, mustard, mayo, and ketchup; jalapeño on the side. You can get them as a combo with fries. 7131 NE Prescott Street, Portland

Toro has temporarily closed. This Mexican restaurant on NW Everett has closed their doors and will reopen in spring 2025. During the closure the culinary team will travel to Mexico to honor “the traditions, techniques, and ingredients that make Mexican food so vibrant and diverse.” Look for an updated menu and redesigned space when they do reopen. 1355 NW Everett Street, #120, Portland

Sandy’s Myanmar Cuisine has left CORE. This is a big loss for CORE and for those of us who enjoyed their food there. No indication as to where Sandy’s Myanmar Cuisine will land—or if they will expand again beyond their catering work—but we will stay tuned to find out. They closed as of January 10. 3612 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland

Bonus: Pan Roast special. I mentioned Pan Roast last week as one of the vendors going into the Flock Food Hall. This weekend you can enjoy a sneak peek of one of the dishes they plan to offer only at Flock, but at their Oak Tree Station location: a loaded clam chowder bread bowl. On top of their New England-style clam chowder are prawns, clams, and a whole lobster tail. That’s quite a meal. Stop by Oak Tree Station this Saturday and Sunday, January 18 and 19, to enjoy, until sold out. 5900 NW Friberg-Strunk Street, Camas, WA


Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Restaurants Opening in Portland in 2025: What We’re Looking Forward To
Estes Residency at Broder Nord in Portland Starts Next Week
Getting To Know Speedboat Coffee in Southeast Portland
Valentine’s Day 2025 in Portland: Food and Drink

Also of note: We are starting to update our Portland Area Cultural + Food Festivals list. At the start of the year, details are always at a minimum, but we will update it throughout the year.

Valentine’s Day 2025 in Portland: Food and Drink

Dove with a rose for the Rose city.

It’s almost that time—Valentine’s Day 2025 is right around the corner. Lots of places are doing special dinners and meals, and we’ve gathered them together here for you. And don’t let V-Day just be for romantic couples! Loving yourself and your friends is just as valid on this day of love.

These listings all take place on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, unless otherwise indicated.

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Getting To Know Speedboat Coffee in Southeast Portland

Walking up tow Speedboat in Portland, Oregon.

Late last year, I heard that Speedboat Coffee was moving to a new location, so I stopped in on their opening day in December. They made me a really good cup of coffee and super tasty croissant breakfast sandwich—one of the best I’ve had lately. But what I didn’t know is that they make their own baklava! That definitely hooked me, so I wanted to learn more about them.

I reached out to them with interest and curiosity, and here is what I’ve learned about Speedboat Coffee, so I thought I’d share it with you.

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Estes Residency at Broder Nord in Portland Starts Next Week

Green pasta from Estes in Portland, Oregon.
Photo credit: Estes

Over the weekend I had a chance to chat with Patrick McKee of Estes, about their new residency at Broder Nord. They are starting up there next week, bringing all their deliciousness with them. Our conversation involved a variety of things, including time at Dame and what’s to come at the Broder residency.

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Restaurants Opening in Portland in 2025: What We’re Looking Forward To

Looking through the front door at Pleasure Mountain.

I thought I’d take a little time to share some of the restaurants opening in Portland in 2025 that I am particularly looking forward to. As we move further away from the pandemic—though COVID is not gone, by any means—I have hopes that its volatility that affected the city’s restaurants for too long is truly in the rearview mirror. And that other issues (like break-ins) can be addressed by our new city council. This year’s list includes a public market, a new coffee shop, Indigenous fine dining, and more.

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