Skip to main content
[YOUR RIGHT TO PÂTÉ] The bottom of every receipt at Olympic Provisions contains an important political statement: "You've got to fight for your right to Pâté." Perhaps this is true, but it's an easy battle at this meat-forward restaurant, which has arguably the best charcuterie plates in town, as well as lunchtime sandwiches stacked high with Italian sausage, and a few main courses so rich that it verges on the ridiculous. The braised beef short ribs with potatoes and jus, for example, looks like the world's most obscene Christmas pudding. And who knew roasted romaine hearts with fresh basil pesto could be so decadent? That sense of excess extends to the offerings from of the impeccable salumeria: Behold a 13-stem salami bouquet for $175, the perfect Saint Valentine's Day gift for bears and tigers. But Olympic Provisions is nonetheless remarkably restrained in its atmosphere. The Northwest outpost is a white-walled room beneath the Fremont Bridge, while the original location, tucked into a restored commerce center in industrial Southeast, is sleek and dim; it'd be almost austere if you didn't count the cured hams hanging from the ceiling pipes. REBECCA JACOBSON.
Too full for dessert? Grab some chocolate salami—available in Spanish, French and Italian styles—to go.
The Directory: Our 100 Favorite Restaurants in Portland
By Neighborhood: Southeast | North/Northeast | Westside | Suburbs
2014 Restaurant of the Year: Kachka
Top Five: Old Salt, Ataula, American Local, Expatriate
Counter Service Spots: Latin | Asian | Italian | Sandwiches | Burgers
Wine Bars | Beer Lists | Veg-Friendly | Gluten-free | Elsewhere in Oregon
WWeek 2015