Portland's Vibe

You cannot experience Portland and not try Salt & Straw. They are self-described as a “Farm-to-Cone” ice cream shop, with their handmade ice cream produced in small batches using local, sustainable and organic ingredients. Consistently above and beyond the norm, this ice cream shop offers amazing ice cream flavors, some of which are quite unusual and all of which are high-quality and delicious. 

Lardo, which began as a food cart, is a great place to get a sandwich, amazing fries or grab a drink. They have 14 taps, house made specialty cocktails and a variety of non-alcoholic options. There are two Portland locations. 

Since its opening in 1995, critics and food lovers consistently recognize Paley's Place as one of the best restaurants in Portland. Chef Vitaly Paley has received nationwide recognition, including a James Beard Award, praise in the New York Times and several other publications, appearances on several TV shows and a victory on Food Network's Iron Chef America.

Beast is arguably the best restaurant in Portland. Numerous publications have given praise to the restaurant as one of the best in the city or country, and it certainly receives a lot of hype among Portland locals. Chef Naomi Pomeroy has been mentioned in Food and Wine Magazine and appeared on the T.V. show Top Chef Masters.

Carafe is a French bistro conveniently located in downtown Portland, They provide authentic French fare with Northwest flavors and seasonally inspired ingredients, spectacular service and expert wine pairings. Another understated but great aspect of the location is free valet parking and ticket validation. Up to two hours in a downtown garage for free with your meal: unbeatable.  And the food? Unreal. So why go there now? Carafe was recently purchased by a Portland restaurant group and will be closed for transition starting the 2nd of June. You must try their food before ownership changes!

Cruz Room offers innovative tacos, creative cocktails and excellent service.  It is lined with blocks of amazing restaurants offering peruvian, mediterranean, vegan, gluten-free, specialty coffee, the best ice cream ever...

Mint is a Pan American Bistro in close-in North Portland. Its attached bar, called "820", offers the full Mint dinner menu as well as an excellent happy hour menu and wide selection of cocktails and wines. It has a somewhat upscale feel, with mostly black furnishings and an interestingly curved bar.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Slow Food movement, perhaps you haven’t. It began in Italy as a response and reaction to the rise of fast food, supermarkets and large scale processed food. This movement promotes food consumption and production based on the simple principles of good, clean, fair and local products.