Where Should I Eat?

If you are visiting Portland, or live here and want to try something new, here’s a list of great options, divided by neighborhood.

“Where should I eat?”

This is the number one question people ask me and it’s comes from visitors and locals alike.  Texts, e-mails, phone calls, people I meet around town…
“I’m in Portland for one night, where should I eat?”  
“It’s our anniversary, where should we eat?”  
“We are going to be in the _______ neighborhood, where should we eat?”

The options are sometimes overwhelming, so I’ve decided to put together a list of suggestions.   These are not the hottest new places, but rather Portland’s tried and true.  The restaurants that have weathered the storm, so to speak.  But my number one tip:  If you don’t know where to go, head for SE Division Street.  The street from SE 12th Ave  all the way to 50th Ave is  packed with restaurants in all price ranges.  You are sure to find something delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
So without further ado… here is my list… divided by quadrant:

Downtown/Southwest: 
          Breakfast: Tasty n’ Alder, Mothers Bistro, Blue Star Donuts
          Lunch: Grassa, Lardo, Kenny & Zuke’s, Blueplate Lunch Counter
          Dinner: Little Bird, Clyde Commons, Departure
          Drinks: Multnomah Whiskey Library, Pepe Le Moko, Departure, Luc Lac, The Rookery

Southeast:
          Breakfast: Lauretta Jean’s, Broder, Genie’s Cafe, Slappy Cakes
          Lunch: Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Bunk Sandwiches, Boke Bowl
          Dinner: Ava Genes, Pok Pok, Xico, Apizza Scholls, Le Pigeon
          Drinks: Horse Brass Pub, Hopwork Urban Brewery, Rum Club, Base Camp Brewing

Northeast:
          Breakfast: Pine State Biscuits, Pip’s Original Donuts, Helser’s on Alberta, Tin Shed Cafe
          Lunch: Killer Burger, The Sudra, 24th & Meatballs, 
          Dinner: Beast, Ox, Toro Bravo, Aviary, Ned Ludd, Bollywood Theater
          Drinks: Expatriate, Noble Rot, Breakside Brewery, Hele Pele

Northwest/Pearl District: 
          Breakfast: Stepping Stone, Byways Cafe
          Lunch: Little Big Burger, Lompoc Tavern, TILT
          Dinner: Olympic Provisions, Paley’s Place, Ataula
          Drinks: Teardrop Lounge, Deschutes Brewery, 10 Barrel Brewing

North:
          Breakfast: Sweedeedee, Gravy
          Lunch:  Tienda Santa Cruz, ?Por Que No?, Ecliptic Brewing, Fire on the Mountain
          Dinner: Tasty N’ Sons, Lincoln
          Drinks: Saraveza, Prost!, Widmer Brothers Brewing
 
A couple notes: Many of these places are open for lunch and dinner or have multiple locations so if you can’t squeeze everything in, check hours and locations.  
This is just the very tip of a large iceberg.  There is new stuff opening all the time.  For the best new spots, check out Eater’s Heatmap.  Bon appetite!