Rosemary’s guidebook
My favourite coffee shops
Great coffee with grungy, typically Portland staff, clientele and interiors. Great to combine a stop here with the Mt Scott recreation center.
20 locals recommend
Space Monkey Coffee
5511 SE 72nd AveGreat coffee with grungy, typically Portland staff, clientele and interiors. Great to combine a stop here with the Mt Scott recreation center.
Excellent, ferociously strong coffee in a modern, slick setting. No wifi on weekends.
170 locals recommend
Heart Coffee Roasters
2211 E Burnside StExcellent, ferociously strong coffee in a modern, slick setting. No wifi on weekends.
All over town but has to be done. Closest available is at the Woodstock New Seasons, which does Stumptown Coffee but is not a proper Stumptown cafe.
347 locals recommend
Stumptown Coffee Roasters
4525 SE Division StAll over town but has to be done. Closest available is at the Woodstock New Seasons, which does Stumptown Coffee but is not a proper Stumptown cafe.
The Great North
7373 N Burlington AveIf you're in St John's.
Buried in one of America's oldest planned communities, this historic place has great coffee and a reading room.
60 locals recommend
Palio Dessert and Espresso
1996 SE Ladd AveBuried in one of America's oldest planned communities, this historic place has great coffee and a reading room.
Cheap local eats
You can't beat the $1.25 al pastor or carne asada tacos at Brother Express.
58 locals recommend
Cartlandia
8145 SE 82nd AveYou can't beat the $1.25 al pastor or carne asada tacos at Brother Express.
Great bonus with this area is the inside areas of the Mercado, which features a food market and lovely little bar called Barrio. Outside, wide choice of Latin American food - which can be eaten indoors.
125 locals recommend
Portland Mercado
7238 SE Foster RdGreat bonus with this area is the inside areas of the Mercado, which features a food market and lovely little bar called Barrio. Outside, wide choice of Latin American food - which can be eaten indoors.
Cha Lua Deli
5913 SE 82nd AveCheap and good ban mi, Vietnamese coffee etc. Nice enough to eat in.
Pho Van
1919 SE 82nd AveGreat fresh Vietnamese place at good prices and very nice inside.
Grotty location but restaurant quite nice inside and good, good value food. $1 taco Tuesdays applies to both eat in and takeout!
Villa Hermosa Mexican Family Restaurant
8202 SE Flavel StGrotty location but restaurant quite nice inside and good, good value food. $1 taco Tuesdays applies to both eat in and takeout!
Sketchy location between two used car dealerships but very authentic, with lots of Vietnamese people always eating there. Not great for vegetarians, as they use a lot of unidentifiable meat ingredients such as pig's blood, pork knuckle etc and don't have tofu. Free tea and nice staff; open 9am-9pm, closed Weds.
Bún Bò Huế Restaurant
7002 SE 82nd AveSketchy location between two used car dealerships but very authentic, with lots of Vietnamese people always eating there. Not great for vegetarians, as they use a lot of unidentifiable meat ingredients such as pig's blood, pork knuckle etc and don't have tofu. Free tea and nice staff; open 9am-9pm, closed Weds.
Sushi Myoga
9351 SE 82nd AveCheap, clean and fresh. Happy hour 1-3pm: think $2 sushi rolls...
Best rooftop cafe
Gorgeous sunsets, free Wi-Fi, casual atmosphere, full bar, indoor and large outdoor area, get your Stumptown coffee from downstairs and take it up there.
974 locals recommend
New Seasons Market
1954 SE Division StGorgeous sunsets, free Wi-Fi, casual atmosphere, full bar, indoor and large outdoor area, get your Stumptown coffee from downstairs and take it up there.
Best parks for running
Brentwood Park, Mt Scott Park, Mt Tabor, Powell Butte.
Run up to and around this small park for a fairly quick workout. Continue to Mt Tabor for something much more strenuous.
21 locals recommend
Mt. Scott Park
Southeast Harold StreetRun up to and around this small park for a fairly quick workout. Continue to Mt Tabor for something much more strenuous.
Myriad dirt path running trails offering various degrees of elevation.
405 locals recommend
Mt Tabor Dog Park
2219 SE Lincoln StMyriad dirt path running trails offering various degrees of elevation.
My favourite restaurants
A mix of local and less local venues.
Sensational vegan Thai place. The Massaman curry is divine. $8.95 lunch special; delectable cocktails.
62 locals recommend
Kati Portland
2932 SE Division StSensational vegan Thai place. The Massaman curry is divine. $8.95 lunch special; delectable cocktails.
Bollywood Theater
2039 NE Alberta StGreat interiors and authentic Indian street food, full bar.
Gino's
8051 SE 13th AveHistoric, family-run Italian restaurant. Good for a special occasion.
Has to be done for the pork ramen. There's a smaller branch inside Pine St Market.
31 locals recommend
Marukin Ramen
126 SW 2nd AveHas to be done for the pork ramen. There's a smaller branch inside Pine St Market.
Clean and very pleasant neighbourhood sushi spot. Great value lunch special: $8.95 sushi roll and ramen combo.
19 locals recommend
Shoko Sushi
4807 SE Woodstock BlvdClean and very pleasant neighbourhood sushi spot. Great value lunch special: $8.95 sushi roll and ramen combo.
Tiny, cosy and smart Spanish style taqueria - sit at bar or small tables. Delicious tacos. Closes by 7pm.
25 locals recommend
El Gallo Taqueria
4422 SE Woodstock BlvdTiny, cosy and smart Spanish style taqueria - sit at bar or small tables. Delicious tacos. Closes by 7pm.
Extraordinary building - great stop on Hawthorne.
351 locals recommend
McMenamins Bagdad Theater and Pub
3702 SE Hawthorne BlvdExtraordinary building - great stop on Hawthorne.
Historic school gets turned into pub. Fun going from room to room. Soaking tub is a further bonus.
538 locals recommend
McMenamins Kennedy School
5736 NE 33rd AveHistoric school gets turned into pub. Fun going from room to room. Soaking tub is a further bonus.
Probably the best McMenamins restaurant and a nice stop on the way back from Columbia Gorge / Hood River.
203 locals recommend
McMenamins Edgefield Winery Tasting Room
2126 SW Halsey StProbably the best McMenamins restaurant and a nice stop on the way back from Columbia Gorge / Hood River.
AVIV
Israeli vegetarian.
XLB
4090 N Williams AveGood value Chinese soup dumplings and more.
Cheap downtown eats
A choice of Portland's best eats including Marukin Ramen, Checkerboard Pizza, etc. There's a Salt and Straw here too.
115 locals recommend
Pine Street Market
126 SW 2nd AveA choice of Portland's best eats including Marukin Ramen, Checkerboard Pizza, etc. There's a Salt and Straw here too.
Brewpubs
Assembly Brewing
6112 SE Foster RdThis is handy if you're transiting through Lents MAX station just behind.
21 locals recommend
Zoiglhaus Brewing Company
5716 SE 92nd AveThis is handy if you're transiting through Lents MAX station just behind.
Ecliptic Brewing
825 N Cook StRogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery
928 SE 9th AveHopworks Urban Brewery
2944 SE Powell BlvdMt. Hood Brewing Co. Tilikum Station
401 SE Caruthers StCool restaurant part of which is in an old train carriage.
Migration Brewing - Glisan
2828 NE Glisan StBreakside Brewery - NW Slabtown
1570 NW 22nd AveOccidental Brewing Company
6635 N Baltimore AveStormBreaker Brewing St. Johns
8409 N Lombard StMcMenamins St. Johns Theater & Pub
8203 N Ivanhoe StInstead of touring all of Portland's brewpubs, Loyal Legion helpfully provides 100 different Portland and Oregon beers on tap, in one place. Nice old building in cool area and its own Loyal Legion lager is only $4 a pint.
28 locals recommend
Loyal Legion
710 SE 6th AveInstead of touring all of Portland's brewpubs, Loyal Legion helpfully provides 100 different Portland and Oregon beers on tap, in one place. Nice old building in cool area and its own Loyal Legion lager is only $4 a pint.
Coopers Hall
404 SE 6th AveOver 30 Oregon wines on tap and good food.