The Wandering Series: Portland, Oregon
We are travelers at heart. We could describe every detail of our travel experience and how it changed us and steered us toward this path of intentional living, but that is a story for another day! What we will tell you is this: travel is at the core of what we do. We go places, we explore, we take it in, we come back changed. For us, travel is inspirational, it’s aspirational, and we find just as much joy in the journey as we do in the destination. Traveling with intention unlocks a world where appreciating and celebrating life always comes first.
That being said, the Pacific Northwest will always be home and we’ll always have a special kind of love for its beauty. We are really excited to host our 13th Supper on the West Coast next week! Over forty percent of our guests will be joining us from out of state for this Supper and we are thrilled to partner with Alaska Airlines to share the wonders of our city with you. There is nothing better than coming together with an airline that calls this region home and is driven by the same values as we are: authenticity, discovery, care, and human connection.
Whether you’re joining our table this time around or you’re visiting our hometown in the future, we hope you make lasting memories that make you want to come back. If a visit to Portland is not on your horizon yet, we highly suggest you start planning! Alaska has the highest number of nonstop flights out of Portland International Airport, so it'll take you no time to get to us! We'll even share our favorite cup of tea with you if we're in town!
Do share your travel experiences with us, travel stories are the best stories!
In Partnership With
A guide to some of our favorite spots in town
PSU Farmers Market
This is where we start our weekend. An early stroll through the market, breakfast on the grass (crepes, bagels, tamales, samosas, pizza, biscuits, pastries, you name it!). With a e heart and a basket overflowing with seasonal produce, we would not change this tradition for the world! If you are in Portland on Saturday morning, we definitely recommend going to farmers market at PSU, you won't find a livelier, more colorful and more delicious way to spend your morning!
RESTAURANTS
Take it from locals in a city where most of us are willing to wait over an hour for a table for dinner on a Monday evening, or even two hours for our favorite weekend brunch spots, we love going out to eat in Portland! We hope you get the chance to experience some of our city's food treasures where the best food, freshest ingredients and incredible flavors are really worth the wait. From breakfast to dinner, below are some of our favorite restaurants in Rose City!
Don’t forget to check out the food carts while you’re here, too! There are hundreds of them and they play a major role in Portland's renowned food scene. from N Mississippi to SE Hawthorne, including East Burnside and many other destinations, you can easily find a pod near you. You could even go on a Food Cart Tour, should you want to learn more about the food cart culture in Portland!
Last but not least, you must treat yourself to ice cream. Make sure to stop at Salt & Straw and Ruby Jewel, or Eb & Bean if you are more into frozen yogurt and amazing toppings!
Broder
Oh, do we love our weekend brunches! Head to Broder for Scandinavian delights. Our favorite? Danish pancakes with seasonal compote (drooling!). With locations in Southwest, Southeast, and North Portland, there’s really no excuse for you not to have a Norwegian feast during your stay! We recommend you get there as soon as they open so you don't have to wait for a table!
Maurice
Okay, friends, let’s talk about the perfect spot for lunch! Maurice is the cutest little place in the intersection of Downtown and The Pearl District. This modern pastry luncheonette, as Maurice describes itself, is a french inspired gem. Expect short, handwritten menus and small portions of food with incredibly mouthwatering flavors! Dry flowers hanging on the ceiling and fresh loaves of bread behind the counter really make Maurice a charmer!
Luce
Tucked in a corner on East Burnside street, this small but mighty Italian restaurant with a storefront look, checkered floors included, is going to surprise you when you take the first bite! We highly recommend the pappardelle with rabbit, although we’re sure you’ll enjoy anything on the menu. The staff at Luce is great at pairing wines, too, so don’t hesitate to ask.
Shallom Y’All
This is where dinner's at! If Mediterranean cuisine is your jam, you mustn’t leave Portland without dining at Shalom Y’all, where freshly baked Israeli pitas await! Order several plates to be shared family-style (just as we like it!), let the food flow to your table! If you order only one thing on the menu, make it the Hummus “Pitriyot”, the silkiest hummus with maitake mushrooms, dill, and paprika. It will not disappoint.
COFFEE SHOPS
When it comes to coffee, we are definitely proud of our roasters! After all, Portland is the number 1 city for coffee connoisseurs, according to this study. There’s certainly more than a handful spots where we really, truly enjoy our coffee, we're sharing some of our favorites below.
Heart
If you’re a coffee lover yourself and have looked into the coffee scene in Portland, then you've probably heard of Heart! Enjoy a great cup of coffee in one of their mid-century modern inspired coffee shops and take a bag of Portland roasted beans home, so you revive the memories of your stay every morning.
Upper Left
If we were listing our favorite lunch spots, Upper Left would definitely make that list! We suggest you go here somewhat hungry and choose something from their toast menu, we go there often and we still have a really hard time choosing just one! Would you go for a cream cheese-cucumber toast, or a turkish eggs one? Both are just as delicious and picture-perfect! Oh, yes, they also roast their coffee on site and their cold brew is just on point!
Smith Tea
Alright, Smith Tea is not a coffee shop per se, but let’s not forget that the tea scene in Portland is not to be overlooked and Smith Tea is at the forefront of it all! Steven Smith Teamaker’s founder played a key role in the revival of the tea industry in the U.S. If you are a tea fan, you will love Smith Tea’s tasting room, where not only can you see the entire variety of high-quality teas they produce on site, but you can also look at their process happening right behind the bar, as you order a lovely cup of hot tea or even one of their teas on tap. It is quite an experience!
Spella
A coffee shop honoring the Italian espresso. Just a few blocks from Pioneer Square, in downtown Portland, Spella is in fact a place for real coffee drinkers. This shop probably only fits six standing people at a time, mostly locals! You’ll be nicely surprised when you see the baristas wearing a charming uniform with pride. If you’re lucky, you may be served by Andrea, the founder himself! Do note that the caffe is only open Monday through Friday, from 7:30 to 3:30. We dare say they serve the best affogato in town. If you are in Portland during the week, you won’t regret paying a visit!
SHOPS
Most foodies would agree, ingredients' are really the foundation for the most wonderful and memorable dishes! We know when you're not likely looking for ingredients when you travel, but just in case you are in the neighborhood or you're feeling more like a picnic at the park, check out two of our favorite Portland stores for high-quality ingredients! P.S. If you make it to Jacobsen Salt, make sure you try one of their caramels as part of your tasting experience (they are so good!)
Providore
What can we say? We love Providore! It is the perfect place to find great meat and cheese for a delightful charcuterie board, wonderful bread loaves, a great selection of wine, fresh produce and delicate flowers! You may not need to do any grocery shopping if you’re only on a short stay in the city, but you can surely have a gourmet lunch at Providore and enjoy a good glass of wine or a beer!
Jacobsen Salt
Most foodies would agree, ingredients' are really the foundation for the most wonderful and memorable dishes! We know when you're not likely looking for ingredients when you travel, but just in case you are in the neighborhood or you're feeling more like a picnic at the park, check out two of our favorite Portland stores for high-quality ingredients! P.S. If you make it to Jacobsen Salt, make sure you try one of their caramels as part of your tasting experience (they are so good!)
Notary Ceramics
If you love ceramics and soft tones, you must stop by Notary. Sarah, the owner and artists, has a lovely eye for design and her pieces are really inspiring. We can’t get enough of those matte gray and brown clay pieces, they are just so gorgeous! Every time we step in, we feel transported to a simpler, more intentional world.
When you're done with all the dining and shopping and feel ready to escape into peaceful nature, step into one of the many parks in the city. Portland is one of the 10 cities with the best park system in the U.S., with only a handful ahead of us! Head to the dense Mt. Tabor Park to hug a tree, to Laurelhurst Park to sit by the pond and watch the ducks or have a lovely picnic. Why not visit the International Rose Test Garden? This is Rose City, after all! Treat yourself to a trip to the Japanese Garden after a stroll through Washington Park. Access to nature and green areas within the city is really one of the many reasons why we love calling this home.
Whether you're in Portland for a day or for several, we hope we make a good impression! Share your favorite places and what you like about them, we're always on the hunt for new treasures in our ever-evolving city!
This post is sponsored by Alaska Airlines. Content is property of Secret Supper. All opinions are our own.