Portland food news and views
It’s just about a week now until St. Joseph’s Day—March 19—and that means the arrival of delicious zeppole in Portland. Eating this pastry, along with the sfinge that is hard to find here, is one of my favorite memories from living in Queens, and I’m always happy to tell you about where to get them in our fair city each year.
Here’s where you can find zeppole in Portland this year.
Continue reading “They’re Here: Zeppole in Portland for St. Joseph’s Day”
ICYMI: Stumptown Fil said we’ll have six more weeks of winter. And that’s despite Feb 2 being the start of spring on the old calendar. Guess that means there’s more time to complete your Winter Soup Bingo card. Multiple locations
Continue reading “Small Bites: Stumptown Fil, Citrus, Pears, Irene’s, and More”
Tomorrow—Friday, January 30, 2026—is a National Shutdown day across the country, in response to the killings by ICE. The campaign’s subtitle is “No Work. No School. No Shopping. Stop Funding ICE.” It’s a kind of general strike.
However, in Portland there are a lot of small businesses that simply can’t shut down for the day, due to economic reasons. And while “no shopping” might mean “don’t spend your money anywhere,” it’s generally understood to mean that shopping at small, independent businesses is ok.
Continue reading “National Shutdown: Restaurants Open and Helping in the Portland Metro”
Cider Bite will close. After a decade in business, Portland’s oldest cider house will close; their final day of service will be Sunday, October 19. Founder Jeff Hanneson posted about the closure on their website:
“The decision to close did not come lightly. Like many small businesses, we have faced unprecedented challenges over the past few years-from COVID restrictions, multiple break-ins, and incidents of vandalism, to dramatically rising operating costs and a significant decline in tourism and downtown foot traffic that has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our beloved city has struggled to regain its vibrancy and to overcome the barrage of negative national media coverage and public perceptions of safety. With our lease set to expire at the end of October and the landlord requiring higher rent and expenses under a long- term agreement, we were unable to secure an acceptable and sustainable extension that would allow us to continue.”
Prior to the closing they will host some special events and will be selling some of the business’s ephemera. Sorry to see them go. 1230 NW Hoyt Street, Portland
Continue reading “Small Bites: Cider Bite, Salmon Homecoming, Bergerac, and More”
I saw the news about the arrival of the new olive oil from Sebastiano’s—the 2025 vintage—and I got really excited. Then I got an email from Dan, one of the owners, inviting me to come by and taste this new olive oil. I was more than happy to do so, and here is what I learned.
Continue reading “New Olive Oil From Sebastiano’s Has Arrived in Portland”