News

Chef Naomi Pomeroy Is Closing Her Iconic Restaurant Beast and Starting a New Concept In Its Place

Beast, the Portland fine dining destination that made owner and chef Naomi Pomeroy a nationally recognized culinary star, is no more.

The Restaurant Group Behind Paddy’s, Produce Row and Gin Alley Is Opening a Pizza Shop

Pacific Crust Pizza Company, located on Northeast Alberta Street and 27th Avenue, will open for delivery this Thursday, Oct. 15. You can also pick up a pie to go in the building that formerly housed the Station Pizza Pub. The new shop comes from the team at Independent Restaurant Concepts group, which also runs seven other properties, including Paddy’s, Produce Row and the new Gin Alley.

Kachka Has Closed Its Alfresca Parking Lot Pop-Up but Is Preparing to Reopen Its Russian Market

Kachka Alfresca’s cabanas saw their last dinner service earlier this month, but you can now purchase the restaurant’s famous dumplings at 18 Portland-area New Seasons Markets. Morales is also preparing to reopen Lavka to in-person shopping rather than curbside pickup and online ordering only. Additional safety precautions are still being put in place, but in the coming weeks you can expect new offerings, like mushroom stroganoff meal kits and Ruskie Zakuski Experience trays that recreates the prix fixe procession of small plates that should be paired with vodka, generously, that was available in the restaurant.

A Berliner-Style Doughnut Shop Is Opening in the Former Blue Star Flagship Location

Fills Donuts is set to open Friday, Oct. 16 in Blue Star Donuts’ former downtown flagship and 1237 SW Washington St. The business is a joint venture between pastry chef Katherine Benvenuti, who also runs the ovens at the recently-reopened Bakery at Bar King; Leather Storrs, founding chef of Noble Rot; and Kurt Huffman restaurant group ChefStable.

Lebanese Dining Favorite Nicholas Restaurant Is Moving to a New, Larger Space After 33 Years

One of Portland’s oldest Lebanese-Mediterranean restaurants is getting ready for a big move. Nicholas will relocate from its longstanding home on Southeast Grand Avenue to 1109 SE Madison in 2021. The building was formerly occupied by Mad Son’s Pub until 2017 and Madison’s Bar & Grill prior to that.

Ahead of Rainy Weather, Eastside Hotel Kex Closes Its Restaurants Again While Higgins Reopens Indoor Dining

As we head into the first forecasted soaker of a weekend this fall, a number of restaurants are making moves ahead of the weather—some are reopening indoor dining rooms while at least one is calling it quits, at least for now. Kex, the first spinoff of an upscale hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland, that launched last November, will be shutting its doors for the remainder of the year. The temporary closure includes both onsite eateries, rooftop bar Lady of the Mountain and ground-floor restaurant Dóttir.

Restaurants and Bars Can Continue to Serve Customers on Pop-Up Patios This Winter

The Portland Bureau of Transportation has announced that it will allow those businesses to continue operating their outdoor pop-up patios through March 31. The agency’s Healthy Business permits, which it rolled out in May to allow food and beverage operators to set up dining areas in parking spaces and alleyways due to the pandemic, are still set to expire Nov. 1. However, restaurant and bar owners can apply for the Winter Healthy Business Program starting today. Both the application and the permit are free.

Imperial, a Cornerstone of Chef Vitaly Paley’s Hotel Restaurant Empire, Has Permanently Closed

One of the pillars of downtown Portland’s dining scene has been taken down by the pandemic. Imperial, WW’s 2015 Restaurant of the Year, quietly announced on its website that it was permanently halting service, Eater PDX first reported.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Federal Relief Bill for Independent Restaurants Inches Closer to a Vote

Today, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer announced that his federal relief bill, which would provide tens of billions of dollars to independent food and drink establishments, should be voted on as early as this week by the U.S. House of Representatives as part of a broader COVID-19 relief package. Blumenauer, who is a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, was joined at a news conference by a couple of the city’s well-known chefs, Naomi Pomeroy of Beast and Han Oak owner Peter Cho, as well as Erika Polmar, chief operating officer of the Independent Restaurant Coalition.

Portland Is Hosting the Next Season of “Top Chef”

After 17 seasons, our city that for years has made national headlines for our vibrant food culture and well-renowned chefs is finally being showcased in the Bravo network program, Top Chef. Filming is currently underway in Portland for the next series of episodes, which are scheduled to air in 2021.

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