Snapshots from Portland: Eat, Drink, Cycle, Repeat
Christina is a friend of Experi and a fellow Pacific Northwestern food lover. A native of Seattle, she developed her penchant for food and travel young, learning about cooking through her mother’s catering business. She travels every chance she gets, touring all of Italy, France, Argentina, India, as well as some of the best gourmet spots in the United States. She documents her travels, recipes, and foodie lifestyle on her blog, foodie with a life, and on Instagram. Her blog has become a collective of recipes, travel notes, insider tips, and advice for anyone wanting to eat well, travel widely, and lead a full life. Check out her other guest posts 7 Restaurants Less Traveled: Italy and Snapshots from Barcelona: Eat, Drink, Stroll, Repeat.
There are so many unique vintage shops, punk dive bars, food carts, furniture stores and farmers markets to explore, the city of Portland, Oregon is best enjoyed on a bicycle. You need to be where the action is, street side and mobile, like a local. In this second Snapshots travel journal, pedal Portland from brunch to dinner!
You’ll be all smiles with a romaine salad!
Tusk
Self-proclaimed “aggressively sensational” Middle Eastern dishes of bountiful salads, homemade dips, and plates to satisfy the hungry carnivore. Order the Instagram-worthy hummus with warm flatbread to start, then sift through the offerings. Brunch boasts both sweet and savory fare, such as Pistachio Gooey Butter Cake vs. The Cypriot plate, halloumi cheese, beef skewer, fried eggs, pickled peppers, and an herb salad. The space is bright and enjoyable, with white walls, brass accents and carefully curated cacti.
A peanut butter cookie and espresso in the sunshine.
Pearl Bakery
Portland is known as a town that’s into food. And coffee. Prepare for a day of tax-free shopping in the Pearl District with a stop at Pearl Bakery. Sip a macchiato and munch on a pain aux raisin made with locally sourced butter. The space is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but always smells of freshly baked yeasty bread and buttery, flaky sweets.
Buying leeks by the bundle to roast with Champagne.
Farmers Market
Did you know there are more than 40 farmers markets in the Portland metro area? On any given day you can stroll through an open-air market, ripe with hyper-localized produce, small-batch specialty foods, and food carts that span the globe! Choose to ride your bicycle to a quaint neighborhood market. Portland is a bike-friendly town with many bike paths to support the whole family, just make sure to bring a backpack for your loot!
A packed patio and loads of delicious pies!
Ken’s Artisan Pizza
Twenty-four bicycle parking spots accommodate guests, along with a menu boasting 15+ wines by the glass. Put your name on the list as there is guaranteed to be a wait and they don’t take reservations, but good news, you’ll have time to watch locals leisurely stroll SE 28th. Peruse the menu while you wait; the Wood Oven Roasted Vegetable Plate is a star with seasonal offerings charred to perfection. Pies will depend on your preference, but Pomodoro Royale is a solid choice as a riff on the classic Margherita. The staff is chatty and welcoming and the dining room hums with activity like a well-timed performance.