It’s that time again—time to see the list of finalists of the 2026 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards. From this group, the winners will be picked and given their awards later in June.
Windows transformed, very pretty. Photo credit: Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery.
Back in January 2026, Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery announced that they chose to not to renew their lease that ends in June 2026. This means that they needed to find a new location, because they emphasized, “Wyrd is not closing.”
The good news is that they did find a new space. Fast forward to now and they are hard at work bringing their dreams to life in Milwaukie. Travis Sigler, Wyrd’s owner, and I had an email exchange over what is to come for Castle Wyrd, and here’s what I’ve learned.
Some of the sourdough breads I recently saw from Little T Baker at the recent plant sale at the Side Yard Farm.
April 1 is usually reserved for April Fools’ Day, but I have a better idea: Celebrate National Sourdough Bread Day on April 1 instead. Here in Portland you can immerse yourself in all things sourdough at the second annual Portland Sourdough Showcase, taking place at Steelport Knife Co. that afternoon. And it’s free to attend!
Gumba soft reopens Saturday. Great news! Gumba soft reopens at their new location tomorrow at 5pm. You can make your reservation on their Tock page. 2203 NE Alberta Street, Portland
In late February, a new tapas restaurant called Vya (pronounced “Vye-uh”) opened in the old Palomar space on SE Division. Paella—including a vegan version—is an important part of their menu. They also offer, of course, a variety of tapas, some desserts, as well as cocktails, wine, beer, cider, and no-proof drinks. We had a chance to try some, too.
I chatted with Vy and Steve Chao, the owners of Vya, to learn more about the restaurant, and here is what I learned.