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1. Smith Teamaker
500 NW 23rd Ave., 503-206-7451; 110 SE Washington St., 971-254-3935; smithtea.com. 10 am-6 pm daily.
All we can say is THANK GOD that stubborn heat dome has clamped down over the South and not the Pacific Northwest. Nobody wants to relive the misery brought on by 2021′s record-breaking heat wave. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of oppressive temperatures in the forecast; however, we’re entering the hottest part of the season, which means you’ll need to find ways to cool off. Smith Teamaker has an idea: a new Summer Chill Down menu. The lineup includes five iced teas along with three seasonal flavors (blackberry, coconut swizzle and agave sunshine), an iced matcha latte, mocktails, and even two different varieties of ice cream floats. Get ‘em through Aug. 31.
2. John’s Marketplace – Hall
3700 SW Hall Blvd., Beaverton, 503-747-2739, johnsmarketplace.com. 11 am-8 pm Sunday-Wednesday, 11 am-9 pm Thursday-Saturday.
Formerly parched downtown Beaverton has been swimming in beer for the past few years. The area has outlets for two breweries as well as a handful of beer bars. Joining the perennial beerfest is John’s Marketplace, which opened its third location on the edge of Old Town in April. Most everyone is here for a pint paired with the well-charred, quarter-pound smash burgers, including beer nerds sporting branded swag and moms clad in Lululemon with children in tow. Join them under the beer banners in the taproom before perusing the bottle shop for something special to take home.
3. Breakside Brewery Beaverton
12675 SW 1st St., Beaverton, breakside.com. 11 am-10 pm daily.
Just when the patient beer fans in Beaverton were beginning to give up hope that Breakside would ever actually open a long-planned taproom in Old Town, the company suddenly announced June 11 that the facility was ready for eager drinkers. The outpost isn’t complete, but you can now enjoy a roughly 150-seat beer garden and suds poured from Breakside’s retro Winnebeergo, which will serve as the temporary outdoor bar until the 80-seat interior is completed. Order a classic like Wanderlust or the refreshing Mexican Lager (especially when temps top 90 degrees) and raise a glass to this powerhouse brand’s latest expansion.
4. Tocayo at Palomar
959 SE Division St., #100, 971-357-8020, barpalomar.com. 2 pm-sunset Saturday-Sunday. 21+.
Palomar is the latest spot to get in on the “restaurant within a restaurant” trend by turning its rooftop bar into a pop-up taqueria. Tocayo, which is the Spanish term for two people who have the same name, is a nod to owner Ricky Gomez and chef Ricky Bella, who combine their love of Cuban cocktail and Mexican drink cultures in this project. Expect plenty of fruit flavors in everything from a mule with roasted coconut water to a frozen guava margarita to a pineapple-infused gin and tonic, so if a south-of-the-border vacation isn’t in the budget this summer—escape with a drink instead.
5. Toro Mexican Kitchen
1355 NW Everett St., Suite 120, 503-673-2724, toropdx.com. 4-10 pm Sunday-Thursday, 4-11 pm Friday-Saturday.
The former Tilt space in the Pearl District is empty no more. Toro, a Mexican eatery operated by the ever-expanding Urban Restaurant Group (Bartini, Brix, Swine), has transformed the dark, industrial-themed space into an airy cantina. The initial food offerings we’ve sampled have all been satisfying—but the delightful surprise was the lengthy cocktail list. Early favorites were the sunny Passionfruit (vodka, passion fruit puree, pineapple juice and a Tajín rim) and Ocean (vodka, lemongrass and basil syrup, cucumber), which is a shade of turquoise so alluring you’ll wish you could swim in it.