Tag: coffee

Portland runs on coffee. ☕️

There are over 200 roasters in the Portland area, including Extracto, Heart, Coava, Stumptown, Oblique, Rocky Butte, Futura, Water Avenue, and more.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (November 29)

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! We had a very chill holiday and made turkey chili along with traditional sides. And welcome to the official start of the holiday season! Remember: shopping local is good; and The Benson Hotel unveils its gingerbread masterpiece on Tuesday, December 3.

FIKA pops up Friday to Sunday. Head to the Stark Street Holiday Sale today, tomorrow, and Sunday to check out the work of 10 local artists, one jeweler, and delicious baked goods by FIKA, AKA the wonderful local bakerJoe Futschik. I’m particularly fond of his empanadas because of their irresistible flaky pasty. 11am to 6pm each day. 2809 SE Stark Street, Portland

The best cheddar in the world comes from Oregon. The World Cheese Awards 2024 happened earlier this month and the Tillamook Maker’s Reserve 2014 Extra Sharp White Cheddar cheese won the Trophy for Best Cheddar Cheese. Cheeses from 47 countries competed for the award. Over at Allrecipes, they include this tidbit:

“Tillamook was awarded two bronze accolades for its Tillamook Farmers’ Collection English Style Sweet Cheddar (another of my favorites) and Tillamook Farmers’ Collection Hickory Smoked Extra Sharp White Cheddar. The hickory-smoked Cheddar also won “Best USA Cheese Any Variety” in the International Cheese and Dairy Awards (ICDA) competition earlier this year. “

Lone Star Burger Bar will open next to Podnah’s BBQ. On Tuesday evening, a tipster emailed me with “I checked out the Lone Star Burger pop up yesterday at La Taq and was told they will be converting La Taq full time into a burger spot by mid-December. The burgers were great and were thick pub style.” I inquired with La Taq about these changes, but received no response.

But no worries—Michael Russell at The Oregonian is on it. Burgers are moving in but the bar remains, and they are looking to adjust their cocktails to be compatible with “more of a steakhouse vibe.” They will re-open as Lone Star Burger bar on Wednesday, December 4. 1625 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

Super Joy Coffee Lab is under new management. Topher Ou posted on the Super Joy Instagram that he has moved on from the company he founded:

“Superjoy is now under new management, and I am no longer involved in its operations. This decision was mutual and made with deep respect and love for the business. While stepping away wasn’t easy, I’m extremely proud of what Superjoy has grown to represent and the many lives it has touched. I sincerely wish this community cornerstone all the best in the future and truly hope it continues to thrive.”

He is still passionate about coffee and will continue to roast and experiment with techniques and creativity. As he says, this is not goodbye, but the start of a new chapter. Best of luck to Topher on his new path. 1401 SW Yamhill Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Face Plant Wants To Take Down McDonald’s
Win Big: Shop Small This Holiday Season

Additionally, over on Benable, I created a couple of lists this week: Signature Foods of Oregon and Underground Portland: Bars, Tunnels and More.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (November 22)

The Paladins League is in their soft opening phase. Back in August I wrote about The Paladins League, opening in the old Alameda Hop/Alameda Brewing space. There you can enjoy “analog games of all kinds … a warm community space, tasty food and drink, and a family-friendly atmosphere.” And they are now open—soft open, that is! Limited hours for now, as they work on their final menu and service offering.

The hours between Friday, November 22 and Wednesday, November 27 are Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 5pm to 9pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 10pm. Closed Monday. They have a 500-game library and food: sliders, fries, milkshakes and adult beverages. 4765 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Bánh Mì Nam Lộc has closed. Over in Montavilla, a neighbor reports that Vietnamese deli Bánh Mì Nam Lộc on 82nd Avenue has ended their run. The reason? The owners retired. The place was known and loved for their bánh mì, seafood pancakes, beef soup, iced Vietnamese coffee, among other things. They will be missed. 328 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland

The Rip City Bar Network. The Portland Trailblazers launched the Rip City Bar Network this week.  25 bars and restaurants, mostly around Portland—but also Beaverton, Hillsboro, Fairview, Happy Valley, Oregon City, Springfield, Sherwood, Salem, Newport, and Astoria. will show the Blazers’ games. Also “Trail Blazers-related events, discounts for season ticket holders and be a place where fans can enjoy away games.” Check out the full roster on the Trailblazers NBA website. Various locations

PUSH X PULL has opened a new cafe location. And that would be inside of their roastery in SE Portland! “We’re excited to be able to drink coffee with you around our roaster once again, in a new space with some new gear.” Check it out, but only on weekdays from 7am to 2pm, as they are closed on weekends. 1700 SE 6th Avenue, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Learn To Cook Burmese Cuisine This Weekend
Eat Chimney Cakes at Devilishly Delicious Delights in Roseway
An Early Site Visit at the James Beard Public Market

The Scandinavian Christmas Goat Market is happening next weekend, too.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (November 8)

Trails End bar is open. There’s a new bar that has opened up in the old Cavern space on SE Hawthorne. I actually lost track of them at one point because apparently Instagram and Meta shut down their original Instagram page; I discovered their new one today. It’s brought to you by the folks behind The Standard and the Bottle Rocket Burgers food cart. Their soft opening was last night. 21+ only. 4601 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

Goodbye Jim & Patty’s. We wrote about their fundraiser in September, and they raised close to $41,000 but ultimately closed it down. “In light of what’s going on in Appalachia, we want to withdraw. Our concerns are nothing compared to what those folks are going through.” On a personal note, I have had family affected by the floods, and Helene’s disastrous effects really are astonishing and heartbreaking.

One piece of good news from Jim & Patty’s is that they are putting together a cookbook. When I was there today enjoying my last Pig Newton, I wondered to myself, “Could I figure out how to make one of these?” Maybe I won’t have to, maybe it will be in the cookbook…

Head to their NE Fremont location on Sunday for a party: “We’ll be in a celebrating mood on Sunday and we’d love to share the day with you. Grant Law is going to provide some live acoustic music, and we’re not sure what else is going to happen…” They will close their doors at the end of business on Monday, November 11. 4951 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Frybread Fest is Saturday. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month at Frybread Fest, which will feature … free frybread from Javelina (while supplies last). There will also be Native American vendors, storytelling and drumming, and cultural tables. Saturday, November 9, 11am to 5pm at Director Park. 815 SW Park Avenue, Portland

Sebastiano’s at Wellspent Market. Stop by Wellspent Market this Saturday from 10am to 1pm to bask in the tastiness fof Sebastiano’s in a pop-up event. Pick up your Big Sweet Woofer pastry box (order here), sample their new Calabrian Chili Marmellata, savory crostatas, and other sweets as available. Caffe Apertivo will feature non-alcoholic drinks from Puff Coffee and Wilderton Spirits. It’s gonna be great! 3402 SE Division Street, Portland

Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:

Chop Chop Food Pod Is Open
Top 5 Posts on Bridgetown Bites, October 2024
Broadway Pizza Shoppe Will Open on NE 15th Avenue
The East Side Dining Guide Is Here

And our Thanksgiving guide keeps getting updated throughout the month.

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Small Bites: Día de los Muertos and Diwali, Openings, Closings, Food Carts, and More

A colorful rangoli.
Example of a colorful rangoli.

Pan de muertos sources in the Portland metro area. Today and tomorrow is Día de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead, an important holiday in Mexican culture. This is when it is believed that spirits of the dead come to visit, as the veil between the dead and the living has thinned. The sweet pan de muerto is a traditional food for this holiday, and The Oregonian put together a great list of where to find them in our metro area. Check it out. Various locations.

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Friends Share Cà Phê Opens November 3 in Portland

Banh mi and phin coffee.
Photo credit: Friends Share Cà Phê

Friends Share, a community space in outer southeast Portland located in a former dispensary, opened their doors on Saturday, October 12 after months of planning and work. Among the activities happening there is a Sunday pop-up called Friends Share Cà Phê—a “slow drip” social cafe inspired by Vietnamese coffee culture. Their launch is this Sunday, November 3.

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