Five Must-Visit Portland Shops and Markets to Get Your Spring Picnic Goodies

As long as you’ve got a blanket and grass, these stores have every cheese from nondairy to European artisan standards.

Perfect Picnic Pairings (Lukas Kubeja)
By Gabriel Granillo

Spring picnic season is upon us. Dust off those Pendleton blankets and rinse out those Columbia coolers and lunch bags. We’re taking you on a tour around Portland for the best shops and parks for prime picnicking.

Edelweiss Sausage & Delicatessen

3119 SE 12th Ave., 503-238-4411, edelweissdeli.com. 9 am–6 pm Monday–Saturday.

This longtime Brooklyn neighborhood staple is a no-frills European market, with handcrafted meats and sausages made in store. It also sells a bevy of cheeses, sweets, wines, beers and chocolates sourced straight from Germany and other European countries. As at a true deli, don’t forget to grab a ticket, especially if it’s busy. Pick up bier sausages and bratwursts if you have the equipment to barbecue; otherwise, you’ve got cured salamis and pepperonis for an easy picnic. Don’t sleep on the freshly made coleslaw and German potato salad ($5.50), which both deserve a spot in your snack spread. If you’re in a rush, Edelweiss also offers hot sandwiches, sausages and schnitzels to go.

Picnic spot: Brooklyn Park or Powell Park

Négociant

655 NW 21st Ave., 503-384-2946, negociantpdx.com. 11 am–9 pm Monday–Saturday, noon–6 pm Sunday.

From the name itself, which means merchant in French, to the quaint cafe inside, the French vibes at Négociant are trés bien. Shop ahead online and grab one of the party trays that serve anywhere from three to 15 people depending on the size (and run $75–$210). Or you can visit the cheese counter and talk it up with the cheesemongers for a more tailored curation. The market features a vast selection of wines (as well as a wine club collaboration with Bar Diane) and locally sourced goods, or you can grab something from the cafe menu, which has sandwiches, like the brie and huckleberry preserves on a baguette ($10), and sweets, like the caramel pecan tart ($10), ready-made for your picnic. Do yourself and your picnic buddies a favor and pick up a couple of slices of the unmissable burnt basque cheesecake ($12 a slice).

Picnic spot: Couch Park or Washington Park

Cultured Kindness

1217 SE Stark St., 503-683-2487, culturedkindness.com. 11:30 am–4 pm Sunday–Friday, 10 am–5 pm Saturday.

For many vegetarians and vegans, cheese is often the last and hardest thing to give up. Such was the case for Cultured Kindness owner Justin Miller, but once he cracked the code, i.e., making nondairy cheese himself, he turned that passion into a business. Now, Cultured Kindness offers specialty cashew-based vegan cheeses made in house, like the wheels of Pepper Jill (a twist on pepper Jack cheese) or Smoked Good-ah! ($11 each). The shop also has housemade cheesecakes and paninis. For your charcuterie board, Cultured Kindness sources vegan salamis, crackers and treats, or it can help build one for you based on your budget. It also has nifty coolers for purchase for those warm spring days.

Picnic spot: Revolution Hall

Milk Glass Mrkt

2150 N Killingsworth St., 503-395-4742, milkglassmrkt.com. 11 am–6 pm Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–4 pm Sunday.

Nancye Benson, co-owner of Milk Glass Mrkt, says day trippers and hikers often make a quick pit stop to this North Portland shop to pick up road snacks and campground goodies. In addition to its rotating housemade pastries and breads, Milk Glass Mrkt offers several grab-and-go treats from its cooler. “This was basically made for picnicking,” Benson says of the cooler, which offers everything from sandwiches and salads to wines and beers. The shop also offers staff-curated party snack boxes ($40), as well as foodie-approved oils and vinegars, tinned fish and cured meats, and salts and spices. Don’t forget to treat yourself to some soft serve ice cream, in a cone or sundae, with rotating seasonal toppings (don’t miss the shell made of artisanal chocolate and coconut oil).

Picnic spot: Peninsula Park or Arbor Lodge Park

Cowbell

231 SE Alder St., 503-946-8485, cowbellpdx.com. Noon–6 pm Wednesday–Sunday.

The cheesemongers at Cowbell import all kinds of tasty goods and specialty items from across the U.S. and Europe, with an emphasis on traditional artisan cheeses. While they mostly wholesale to restaurants and cafes, their shop, a simple but homey brick-walled garage in the Central Eastside, offers everything you need for your afternoon in the sun. They sell hand-selected charcuterie boards ($62–$195) and picnic boxes (prices vary), as well as rotating daily sandwiches based on what they got and what’s hot. Sandwiches sell out fast, so be sure to come early. If the sandwiches are gone, you can always pop over to The Fried Onion next door for a New York-style glizzy. Just don’t let ‘em know if you’re a Red Sox fan.

Picnic spot: Colonel Summers Park

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