Heavenly Creatures Archives - Bridgetown Bites

February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

Small Bites: Cocina de Mary, Tariffs, Shorebird Bakery, and More

Chiles at Cocina de Mary. — Photo credit: Cocina de Mary.

Welcome, Cocina de Mary. This is another case of two restaurants operating in one space at different times. RJ Skillets is there from 8am to 3pm (starting 10am on Mondays) and Cocina de Mary operates 5pm to 9pm (closed Mondays). They offer Guatemalan food: cuchitos, a type of tamal; churrasco; hilachas, similar to ropa vieja; pepián; and tayuyos, similar to pupusas. They also offer familiar dishes like quesadillas, fried plantains, empanadas, burritos, and more. They officially opened on Friday, February 6. 2529-B NE Alberta Street, Portland

January 23, 2026January 23, 2026

Small Bites: End of Wilderton, Donuts, Good Measure, and More

The end of Wilderton is a sad state of affairs. Here's their final product. We will miss them. — Wilderton during a more colorful time.

The end of Wilderton. Bummer news about this NA distiller in Hood River. They closed their tasting room in August 2025 and the distillery will close at the end of January. One of the founders, Brad Whiting, said this: “We endeavoured to find a new steward of the brand for the past several months, but alas none worked out so the brand/IP etc will be shelved in the hopes to be resurrected at some point in the future. The distillery and tasting room are now closed and decommissioned.” More details here.

August 26, 2025August 26, 2025

Dirty Drinks Are Happening in Portland

Sweet Nothings, one of this weeks Dirty Drinks in Portland. — One of this week’s Dirty Drinks: Sweet Nothings from Scotch Lodge. Photo credit: Scotch Lodge.

Yesterday I became aware of something called “Dirty Drinks.” This nationwide bar and beverage fundraising campaign from Zero Foodprint focuses on the issue of soil health. Ten Portland food and drink businesses are participating this year.

June 5, 2025January 4, 2026

Strawberry Shortcake Week 2025 Starts June 9 in Portland

Strawberry shortcake from Take Two during Strawberry Shortcake Week in Portland, Oregon. — A favorite strawberry shortcake of mine from last year, made by Take Two bar.

Strawberry Shortcake Week 2025 is from June 9 to 15. It’s a week of restaurants offering their version of strawberry shortcake, inspired by James Beard’s strawberry shortcake recipe. Last year’s Strawberry Shortcake week was fantastic—full of taste treats—and I expect this year’s to be, too. Over 40 locations will be participating this year.

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025

The 2025 James Beard Awards Semifinalists in Portland

2025 James Beard Awards Semifinalists announcement.

I was happy to see the 2025 James Beard Awards semifinalists list released today. And not only did Portland represent well, but chefs from other cities in Oregon were recognized, too. From Portland to Eugene to McMinville and beyond, our beautiful state shows how much we have to offer the world of food, dining, and edible creativity.