Portland food news and views
A new coffee shop is getting ready to open Parkrose, aptly called Parkrose Coffee Shop. They are located on NE 105th Avenue about a half-block south of NE Sandy Blvd and will bring excellent coffee, tea, pastries, a lovely remodeled space, and a huge back patio (HUGE).
Continue reading “Parkrose Coffee Shop Will Open in Portland”
A new casual cafe called Bennett’s Best Bites is going to open later this spring on NE Sandy Blvd near 20th Ave, in the small shopping center than includes Phở Gia and Airlink. Offering sandwiches, salads, desserts, and more, owner Matt Bennett hopes to offer tasty homespun food in the heart of the Kerns neighborhood.
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A new lounge is opening next to the Hollywood Theatre, who owns and operates it, called Bar Hollywood. It is in the space that was formerly home to Vivienne, which ended their time there in late 2023, and subsequently moving to the Alberta Arts District. Bar Hollywood is described as “David Lynch-themed.”
Continue reading “Bar Hollywood Opens in Portland”Reeva turned 3 this week. When I saw the post from Reeva, one of Portland’s great food trucks, that started out as “Dear Reeva Family,” I thought, “Nooooooooooo, don’t close!” Thankfully, I had it all wrong—they were there to tell us that yesterday was their three-year anniversary!
At the end of the post they said, “As we celebrate this milestone, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s ahead. Here’s to more good food, great company, and unforgettable moments. Thank you for being part of our story!” Here, hear! Love having them in the Roseway neighborhood. 7727 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland
There are still tickets for Sabor de Primavera. At the writing of this article, you can get tickets for the 7pm to 8:30pm of this event on Sunday, April 6. From the good folks at Veganizer, this is a fundraiser they call, “Spring Fiesta to Benefit Growing Gardens.” Growing Gardens cultivates “healthy and equitable communities through the experience of growing food in schools, backyards, and correctional facilities.”
There will be six Mexican restaurants participating: Chelo, Chilango, Machetes, Mis Tacones, Ice Queen, and Libre. You can see what they are planning to serve, plus buy tickets, which are $88 + fees. 920 NE Glisan Street, Portland
En Vida has closed. Over on Bluesky, I was told that En Vida has closed their location on NE Fremont Street. “Unfortunately this has been confirmed by the owner,” said the public tipster. On the En Vida Instagram they also state, “we are permanently closed.” The silver lining is that you can get their food at TPK Brewing—En Vida’s plate of arepitas de queso was one of my favorite bites from 2024. 1303 NE Fremont Street, Portland
Food & Wine ranks Portland as the fourth best place in the US for coffee. Food & Wine has an annual award called the “Global Tastemakers Award”—this is its third year, so it’s fairly new. It celebrates “very best in culinary travel around the world” and the number of cities included is at 165. There’s a lot of content on their landing page, so normally you’ll be clicking a lot, but KOIN extracted what Portlanders want to know: how the city fits into these rankings.
It’s only about the coffee in this case; Portland was not included in lists of top U.S. food, drink, and restaurant cities. Nine cafes/roasters were mentioned in the list: Stumptown, Heart, Cathedral, Hypnos, Good Coffee, Capitola, Prince, Never, and Upper Left. Feel free to leave your favorite in the comments. Multiple locations
Stories you may have missed this week on Bridgetown Bites:
Taste of Szechuan Has Opened in the Old Eastern Cathay Space in Portland
Food Waste Prevention Week in Portland
The 2025 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Finalists in Portland
Passover 2025 in Portland
We’ve also updated our Easter roundup. Fat Milo’s and Sabor Del Rio Cafe are both now open. And remember: Food Waste Prevention Week starts Monday.
A new Mexican restaurant called Paqui Modern Mexican will open in the old Arrowood location. It’s still a mystery as to why they closed, but the bottom line is that this storefront is going to have a new tenant in its good-sized property, which extends all the way to the corner of NE Sandy and 59th.
Continue reading “Paqui Modern Mexican Will Open on NE Sandy Blvd in Portland”