Al + Al
THINGS TO DO
WE LIKE IT HERE SO MUCH
And we miss you so much! This is our attempt to offer you a sampling of our best-of lists so you can have the greatest time possible during your visit and make plans to come see us again very, very soon. Expect additions and anecdotal updates as we continue to eat and explore. If you're able, we encourage you to extend your visit by a few days before or after our weekend festivities to enjoy the magical PNW's most abundant season.
EAT HERE
AKÂDI west african FLAVOR! must haves: akara, pastel, wings, and the jolof coconut meal AVA GENES premium pasta & the best beans and toast. the folks who grow the beans retired, so once they're gone they're gone. our fingers are crossed for you! APIZZA SCHOLL'S go early and make at least 1/2 of your pizza the salami + green olive. enjoy with a radeberger pilsner. BLUTO’S this counter spot has some of the creamiest hummus we’ve ever had! get a wood-fired pita per person. add chocolate tahini magic shell & pistachios or olive oil & salt to your soft serve! BURGERVILLE the PNW’s quick burger spot. alex likes the walla walla onion rings & marionberry shake. CARTOPIA & HAWTHORNE ASYLUM FOOD CART PODS portland has heaps of food cart pods and we say: try as many as you can! these 2 particular culinary collections are right around the corner from each other, so go with an appetite. we recommend the slavic dumplings @ pelmini pelmini and the "guns" (crispy potatoes) @ chicken n guns.
EAT HERE ALSO
CHEESE & CRACK SHOP it took us a long time to try this because of the name, but it's truly decadent soft serve and sundaes. allison says do not pass on the namesake sundae & alex never doesn't get the banana pudding. if you get a cone, opt for topping it with a choco cowboy hat. DEVIL'S DILL kristen said she'd come back to portland exclusively for the turkey sandwhich. days later, she texted that she was still thinking about it. a premium afternoon is taking one to go & heading to mt. tabor park or laurelhurst park. DIMO'S APIZZA indebted to john & laura for this rec! while dimo's always plays bad music, they have really excellent new haven style pizza. start with the tri colore salad & follow with the hail mary or cacio e pepe pie. EEM alex said this was one of the best meals of his entire life. that's that. HORSE BRASS PUB best shareable fish and chips, huge beer menu, seasonal bread pudding w/ cream, & darts allison used to throw when she lived here 15 years ago
DON'T NOT EAT HERE
KACHKA russian food for your soul with 20 infused vodkas! steph says the herring under a fur coat is a must-try. KEN'S ARTISAN PIZZA yes, this is the 3rd pizza place listed & you'll thank us for it: woodfired, sourdough, neopolitan. Go Tues-Thurs! THE MONT chicken & waffles for breakfast on the treehouse back patio NAVARRE you never know exactly what'll be on the menu because it's whatever the farm drops off that week, but you CAN trust it will be absolutely delicious OMA'S HIDEAWAY fun rotating menu inspired by street food of singapore & malaysia. two words: corn fritters! PAADEE go with a group, order most of the things, share! SWEEDEEDEE we just love it here, especially in the sunshine! Get there early, grab a coffee, and enjoy a very good baked good while you wait for a table. follow with a stroll down Mississippi Ave. TUSK ellie ate here with us the first time and if you know her & allison you know they sometimes actually cry over good food and this is what happened
DRINK HERE
ANGELFACE just know what you like and they'll do the rest BELLWEATHER the seasonally rotating menu of cocktails & food at this cozy spot make it a neighborhood standout DIVISION WINES this community wine shop and tasting room just feels good to be at! friendly, unpretentious, knowledgeable owners happy to chat all things vino. DOUBLE DRAGON excellent evening atmosphere with even better playlists and a killer bahn mi (the veg version!) EXPATRIATE soooo mooooody! HI-TOP TAVERN good drinks, good patio, good popcorn (try the zaatar option!) HOLY GHOST this upbeat spot has their own private label mezcal, ranch waters, and a great spicy marg — plus a handful of low ABV and zero-proof cocktails OLD FRIENDS coffee AND ice cream - you simply MUST get an oatly affogato or (and!?) a cold brew float SOMEDAY cool, easygoing, well-curated space and menu; run by brent and hailey's very sweet new neighbors! WONDERLY creative spirit-forward cocktails that are some of the best we've had here
PARKS N REC
CATHEDRAL PARK & ST JOHNS BRIDGE one of our favorite bridges in the city where we start our most traveled hike! begin on the St. Johns side at Cathedral Park. walk over the bridge and up the stairs of the Ridge Trail for a view of Mt. Hood, Mt. St Helens, and Mt Adams! keep going to thread together the Wildwood Trail, Trillium Trail, and Hardesty Trail for a green daydream. FOREST PARK this huge, 5,200 acre native NW forest is within city limits and has 80 miles of trails! SPORTS This is a soccer town, so if you can make it to a Thorns or Timbers game, you should! Or, if you want a premium local experience complete with giant hot dogs, celebratory Venga Boys cover chants, and an infamous mascot — get tickets to a Portland Pickles game! WASHINGTON PARK & ROSE GARDEN Washington Park is next to Forest Park & includes the must-see (and smell!) International Rose Test Garden plus the Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and trails up to Pittock Mansion for a panorama of Portland and beyond.
AROUND TOWN
HOLLYWOOD FARMERS MARKET we start a lot of our saturdays here with a collard green burrito, tamale, or freshly fried somalian sambusa (*chefs kiss*) before grabbing groceries. really lovely neighborly feel and EXCELLENT dog watching. POWELL'S BOOKS powell's is very grand and if you like books even a little bit (or enjoy the smell of fresh notebook paper, iykyk) you really shouldn't miss it! grab a map to find your genres & enjoy more time there than you originally planned on. WHERE TO WANDER most Portland neighborhoods have their own strip of restaurants & retail and a really nice afternoon is picking somewhere to stroll around without a plan. if that's your idea of a good time, we recommend: SE HAWTHORNE AVE from SE 30th to SE 39th SE DIVISION ST from SE 30th to SE 50th NE ALBERTA ST from NE 11th to 31st N MISSISSIPPI AVE from N Skidmore to N Fremont NW 23RD from NW Westover to NW Thurman St
PLACES TO FIND GOOD THINGS
VILLAGE MERCHANTS a weekly stop if allison has her way, Village Merchants is a magic marketplace of secondhand treasures. our house is full of kitchenware, glassware, and lamps from here plus other lucky finds like a pristine food dehydrator from the 60s, comfy free-standing hammock, and a good chunk of our wedding decor. other spots we like poking around include: ARTIFACT MAGPIE VINTAGE MEMORY DEN VINTAGE MALL NORTHWEST UNION PROGRAM SHOP VINTAGE VENDOR MARKET TIP TOP VINTAGE
SHORT TO MEDIUM DRIVES THAT ARE VERY WORTHWHILE
CANON BEACH simply *iconic* Oregon coastline a pretty 90min drive away COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE + WATERFALL CORRIDOR if you do one thing, make it this! the breathtaking Gorge starts an easy 30min out of town where the river widens and mountainsides rise. On the way over, pop off at exit 22 to travel the historic columbia river highway & waterfall corridor (though we're not sure anyone but us calls it that?). Multnomah Falls is huge and has the most themepark energy of all the falls in the area. if you enjoy that - stop there! if you'd rather a little less people and a little more waterfall, skip it and explore Latourell Falls, Wahkeena Falls, and Oneota Falls. cross over the river at Bridge of the Gods and head to Hawkins Winery on the Washington side for a stunning view of Mt Hood. Then, take the actual highway (84) on the way back - at sunset if at all possible - and marvel at our awesome earth. HOOD RIVER + THE FRUIT LOOP www.hoodriverfruitloop.com WILLAMETTE VALLEY WINE TRAIL