So much so that when I first visited Italy, it felt familiar because I’d eaten here. Experience a Roman Piazza Atmosphere at Piazza ItaliaĮstablished in 1996, before the Pearl District had been developed, Piazza Italia is among the more authentic international dining experiences in the city. My Picks for the Top 10 Portland Restaurants 10. So, without further ado, here’s my list of the 10 best restaurants in Portland and why! They include Kachka, Hà VL, Pho Nguyen, Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Le Pigeon, Tasty, Luc Lac, Yama Sushi and Izakaya, Expatriate, PDX Sliders, Proud Mary, and De Noche. I also have a few honorable mentions that almost made this list. Jack, Murata, Magna Kusina, and Oma’s Hideaway, to name a few. This can be a simple and elegant dish or a monumental achievement in culinary expertise that blows me away.įull disclosure, while I’ve eaten at a lot of restaurants in Portland, there are a few that I haven’t gotten around to that might have made this list otherwise. There has to be at least one menu item that stands out as truly incredible. Some of my favorite dining experiences worldwide have been in places like Vietnam, sitting on low plastic chairs on a sidewalk when it’s 90 degrees at midnight, but the energy made eating the food better.

Fanciness isn’t a requirement, but vibe is. The way a place feels can make or break the food. Even if I don’t love everything on the menu, I can accept this as personal preference, so long as the execution is perfect and the rest of the menu can carry the weight of a few misses. The menu has to be incredible across the board. The criteria for this list require that each restaurant meet three key points: Food I didn’t include food carts, bars, breweries, or coffee shops unless one of them was able to deliver on a truly exceptional dining experience based on my three criteria listed below. So it took a bit of a brain dump so as not to forget any great spots. It’s easy to be distracted by every new spot opening up. This is in part due to its wide range of high-quality international cuisines that respect the flavors and dining experiences of their nations of origin so that an authentic experience can be had.Īs well as the food truck scene that creates a lower barrier to entry for talented and creative cooks to express themselves and make a living, the demand for new and interesting food makes it possible for creative expression to be marketable throughout the greater Portland area.Īs a Portland native, developing a top 10 list of the best restaurants in Portland was quite difficult. Portland is one of the most exciting food cities in the US.

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