Tap Season 2026, a two month celebration of Tualatin Valley breweries, cideries, and taprooms, launched last Thursday, January 15. This is a great opportunity to get to know the Valley’s craft beer and cider scene, thanks in part to the organizing efforts of Explore Tualatin Valley, the local DMO/tourism group. They’ve created a digital passport, planned a launch party, helped bring a collaborative brew to life, and gathered some alpacas.
The spread at Next Level Veggie Grill. Photo credit: Next Level Veggie Grill.
Next Level Burger relaunches as Next Level Veggie Grill. I saw this pass through an influencer email list I’m on, but saw that Rachel Saslow at Willamette Week covered the change. Basically, last year Next Level Burger acquired Veggie Grill, a fast-casual vegan competitor of theirs, and had a business baby. Now there’s burgers and bowls, and much, more. It kind of reminds me of Laughing Planet.
The first location to transform will be on SE Hawthorne and 42nd Avenue, with a grand opening party this Saturday, October 25 from 11am to 1pm. Read more on WW. 4121 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland
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
And there you have it—Salad Week 2025 has come to an end. We had a great time planning, researching, tasting, and enjoying salads in the Portland metro area, and sharing it all with you. Here’s our 2025 Portland Salad Week recap, plus our readers’ salad recommendations.
Welcome again to the first day of Portland Salad Week! With summer in full swing, there’s no shortage of fresh and flavorful salads across the Portland metro area. While most restaurant menus feature classic market greens, which are lovely this time of year, this week brings something extra special: well-crafted Salad Week restaurant specials by local restaurants.
