Skip to main content
1. Erizo
215 SE 9th Ave., Suite 101, 503-206-8619, erizopdx.com.
The earnest young chefs behind this new sustainability-focused prix fixe spot have made "by-catch" and "invasive species" the center of their culinary universe—and it might be the most extraordinary seafood restaurant the city has seen in nearly a decade.
Read the full review: Erizo's Eco-Conscious Seafood Is Some of the Best Portland Has Seen in Years.
2. Yonder
4636 NE 42nd Ave. Suite A, 503-444-7947, maepdx.com.
Superstar Southern chef Maya Lovelace's long-delayed permanent home for her exalted fried-chicken pop-up Mae's is finally open. There are a lot of candidates for the best fried chicken in town, but Lovelace's buttermilk-brined, impossibly juicy birds are hard to argue against.
Related: Our Most Anticipated Restaurant and Bar Openings for 2019.
3. Wild North
930 SE Oak St., 971-808-1202, wildnorthpdx.com.
The dishes at our 2019 Cart of the Year are things you'd normally expect to dress up and make a reservation for—stuff like barbecue pork roulade, lamb tartare and rabbit Bolognese in a sourdough bread bowl. But while the presentation is upscale, the preparation is decidedly Old World. Nearly everything is fire-roasted, lending a rustic quality even the most blue-collar palates would find warmingly familiar. And though the food is on a different tier than what you'll find at most carts, the prices aren't much higher.
Related: Wild North's Fire-Roasted, Nose-to-Tail Menu Pushes the Boundaries of What a Food Cart Can Do.
4. Eem
3808 N Williams Ave., Suite 127, 971-295-1645, eemportland.com.
The restaurant from the superstar trio behind Hat Yai, Matt's BBQ and the Shipwreck cocktail pop-up has finally arrived, and it somehow manages to exceed all expectations. The white curry with brisket burnt ends is a dish so rich and nuanced it's almost without precedent, while the chopped barbecue fried rice is another mashup that's bafflingly simple yet unbeatable in flavor.
Read the full review: Eem Brings Together a Trio of Portland Food Heavyweights for Thai Barbecue That Somehow Surpasses the Hype.
5. Tope
15 NW 4th Ave., 503-770-0500, thehoxton.com.
Finally, Portland's rooftop bar scene is making some headway. Tope's perch on the ninth floor of the Hoxton Hotel offers an excellent vantage of the city's eastside that pairs well with its playful cocktails and casual noshes. Avoid the tacos and go for the tlayuda, a "Oaxacan pizza" that's one of the better communal foodstuffs you'll find at a post-work chips-and-margaritas joint.
Read the full review: The Hoxton's Rooftop Bar Has Refreshing Cocktails, Great Views and Good Vibes. Just Skip the Tacos.