Le Pigeon Archives - Bridgetown Bites

October 30, 2025October 30, 2025

Give!Guide 2025: Food Edition in the Portland Metro Area

It’s almost Give!Guide time! This annual fundraiser, produced by the Willamette Week and takes place between November 1 and December 31, helps raise funds for nonprofits in the Portland metro area. It’s a significant presence at Bridgetown Bites HQ each year, but we haven’t talked about it much here.

This year, we want to highlight the food aspects of the Big Give Days—there are three days devoted specifically to food, and six days that incorporate food elements into the prizes.

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.

January 2, 2025January 4, 2025

Zero Proof Portland: Dry January 2025

No Regerts zero proof cocktail from The Pocket Pub.

Welcome to Dry January 2025. It’s no secret that I’m a big non-alcoholic cocktail fan—AKA mocktails, dry cocktails, zero-proof, no proof. I gave up alcohol in 2018 during breast cancer treatment and I never looked back. So the growth of a robust zero-proof cocktail scene in Portland makes me pretty happy—as well as better access to NA beer. And know many readers here are also fans of this development.

Here’s our 2025 roundup of places that serve non-alcoholic cocktails, beer, and more in Portland, suitable for Dry January (or really any time). Our criteria is that a bar or restaurant has at least four developed mocktails. And if not, they offer other interesting NA options aside from mocktails and beer—they could be juices, teas, etc. We’ve also done the math and found that on the average, a non-alcoholic mixed drink runs about $8 each.

January 31, 2023January 31, 2023

The 10th Annual Chocolate for Congo Is This February

Now in its 10th year, Chocolate for Congo continues to work with Portland-area restaurants and bakeries to raise money to benefit Action Kivu and Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI)—non-profits investing in the women, children and communities of eastern Congo. Theo Chocolate has donated the chocolate, and desserts will be available throughout the month of February in Portland. The Never Again Coalition has organized this fundraiser.

February 15, 2022April 21, 2025

Participate in Chocolate for Congo in Portland in February 2022

I only recent became aware of the campaign, Chocolate for Congo, a month-long benefit for Action Kivu and Eastern Congo Initiative. These are two organizations that work to repair the harm done by years of violence and neglect in Eastern Congo by investing in the women, children and communities in the region. You can read about the Kivu conflict on Wikipedia for more background.

The benefit works like this: you enjoy chocolate at restaurants and bakeries in Portland throughout February and $1 from each dessert will benefit these organizations. You still have about half a month to participate!