Small Bites: Phở, Electrica, Ma Cher, Bagel-ish, and More

Phở and spring rolls from Phở Gabo
Vietnamese beef pho with spring rolls. Photo credit: Phở Gabo

Eats History focuses on Phở. As Eats History founder Donnie Dodson writes, phở is “often described as Vietnam’s national dish, but it was not born in peace. It was shaped by colonialism, hunger, war, and a country slowly stitched back together, one bowl at a time.” Phở may very well be a signature dish of Portland, too, thanks to our Vietnamese immigrant community. Read the article on the history of phở on Facebook.

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Dry January 2026 in Portland: Mocktails, Zero Proof and More

Dry January 2026 in Portland: Into the Groove mocktail from Victoria Bar.
Into the Groove mocktail at Victoria Bar.

Tomorrow it starts: Dry January 2026 in Portland. This is a time of year when people take the opportunity to scale back on their alcohol drinking after the holiday season. It’s also a great time for those of us who do not drink alcohol on the regular to get out and try some new places and new booze-free drinks. For the sober-curious, it’s also an embarrassment of riches in a whole new world of drinking.

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Favorite Bites of 2025 in Portland

Welcome to our list of favorite bites of 2025 in Portland! While Bridgetown Bites is not primarily a restaurant review site, we do comment here on things we like. And, like most humans, we are happy to tell you what we think tastes good in Portland.

So here’s a list (and a map) of our favorites for the year—plus, some things we’d consider as superlatives in 2025. Enjoy!

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Small Bites: Loncheria Los Mayas, Soen, 28 Tigers, and More

The Fall Feast Salad at Fresh Love (part of a Small Bites list with Loncheria Los Mayas).
The Fall Feast Salad. Photo credit: Fresh Love.

The Loncheria Los Mayas truck has moved. I drove by the corner of NE Prescott and 42nd the other day and noticed that the Loncheria Los Mayas truck was no longer there. The property has been sold, too, in September 2025. However, I since learned that the taco truck folks have consolidated into their location on NE Alberta. And a neighbor said, “They will hopefully have a 42nd Ave location early next spring.” Meanwhile, enjoy their delicious Yucatecan food on NE Alberta. 2515 NE Alberta Street, Portland

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SNAP Meals: Where To Eat, No Questions Asked, During the Suspension of SNAP

SNAP Meals: A cornucopia of food
Food is a human right.

Note: We are in the process of updating this SNAP meals list with the most updated offers. some restaurants have decided to pause the program since SNAP was started up again, but you never know if it’s gonna stick…

A number of restaurants, cafes, and food carts in the Portland area are providing what we are calling “SNAP Meals”: They’re stepping up and helping feed folks who will lose their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, AKA food stamps) benefits starting in November. It is heartening to see this community effort and the generosity in our local food scene. We’ve put together a list of places—50 businesses making up 84 locations, at the writing of this roundup—where people can access food to eat while SNAP benefits are unfunded starting next month.

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