So Portland is basically
split into 4 areas NE (younger/art area), NW (gentrified), SW (downtown) and SE
(‘real’ Portland), divided by the road Burnside that runs through horizontally
through the middle and the river that spilts east from west.
General…
It’s tax free shopping!!!
We spent most of our time
on West side
Worth going down the
whole of Burnside as we found loads of cool shops bars/restaurants we hadn’t
read about but also passed loads on buses.
Downtown/Pearl you can
easily walk around but good to cycle as you can get around other areas easily.
Buses are not particularly regular and there are no timetables anywhere but its
only $5 for a day travel pass on Trimet (includes trams and buses).
They love a happy hour.
Everywhere offers food/drink offers from approx 4-7.
Lots of small areas that
can be covered in a couple of hours max, it’s pretty spread out.
Saturday market (also on
on a Sunday)- personally wouldn’t recommend this. It’s quite like Camden market and we
didn’t spend long there.
NORTH WEST (Pearl/Nob Hill/China
Town)
NOB HILL.
(Basically NW 23rd). Pretty tree lined streets.
Restaurants…
Besaw’s - Go for brunch! Pork and Apple sausages are yum. Great quick service. Big queues
at the weekends apparently. Corner of Savier Street and 23rd- top
end.
Paper Source -
the stationery chain.
Urban Oufitters
Mac
Salt & Straw - amazing homemade icecream with inventive flavours you can try before
you buy!
PEARL
Absolutely loads of restaurants
including…
Mellow Mushroom(14th/Flanders) – great pizza
Rogue Ales -
not for food but serving lots of different own brewed beers and ales
Riffle -
Fish restaurant and nice drinks/cocktails. We didn’t eat here but looks great. More expensive.
Oven & Shaker – pizza and salads and cocktails. 1134 NW Everett Street
Andina -
Peruvian. Delicious unusual food- tapas style and traditional ceviche. Good
price for what it is. Relaxed slightly older feel to it.
BlueHour
- fancy restaurant. We didn’t go but it’s supposed to be amazing.
Little Big Burger - quick cheap burgers/chips and booze. There is a couple of these now.
Better than McDs.
Shops…
Powell’s
book shop - legend in Portland. Too much in there, unless you know what you’re
looking for it’s a bit overwhelming. Nice card offering for a bookshop.
Porch Light -
nice interiors, gifts, cards. 225 NW 11th
Jonathan Adler -
bright/kitsch homewares. 1165 NW Everett
Anthropology
Vintalier 412
NW 13th- vintage shop with small selection. Pop in if you’re walking
past.
The Good Mod. Great
vintage and new furniture. They ship internationally and met really nice
interior designer who worked there. She showed us the ‘work room’ where they
restore furniture. 4th floor of a warehouse so hunt the entrance
out.
West Elm Market- nice
interiors at good prices. Somewhere between Ikea and Anthropology.
OTHER
Aveda Institute-
if you fancy a cheap haircut or facial. Wouldn’t bother with manicure/pedicure
as pretty cheap elsewhere and place is chaotic.
Museum of Contemporary Craft- check out whats on before you go and pop into shop.
Washington Park-
where the Rose garden is. Non were in bloom whilst we were there but it’s
beautiful anyway. Japanese garden. Great views of Mount Hood in distance.
Hammer & Vine- West Burnside. We stumbled in on way to park. Nice gifts and cactus.
CHINA TOWN
Table of Contents. Cool ‘concept store’ with concept store prices (but potentially good
sale). Nice magazines. 33 NW 4th.
Hand Eye Supply. Next good to above. Mostly men’s ‘hard wearing’ clothes and cool
accessories and random bits and bobs.
SOUTH WEST (downtown/Burnside)
Restaurants/bars
Clyde Common-
In Ace Hotel on Stark. Recommended by everyone for brunch (fri-sun), lunch or
dinner. Delish!
Stumptown Coffee- local coffee that is very good and sold in lots of places but there is
a coffee shop in the bottom of Ace.
Kenny & Zukes- next door to Clydes. Food looked great. Modern diner feel.
Voodoo Doughnuts- we didn’t go as the queue was huge but legendary in Portland.
9th and Alder- Street Cart heaven. Loads of good food and CHEAP.
Definitely check out Whole Bowl-
that also now has a shop in SE apparently.
Tasty & Alder- 580 SW 12th we didn’t go but highly recommended to us for brunch.
Shops
Tanner Goods - 1308 BURNSIDE. Very cool menswear shop with magazines.
Polar-
Outdoorsy but cool menswear shop (next to Tanner Goods)
Yo Vintage-
314 SW 13th. Round the corner from the above. Small but great
selection of vintage and new pieces. Lovely shop assistant that gave us loads
of recommendations. They also have a ‘Staff picks’ sheet. English owner. Check the opening times before you go.
American Apparel- big shop near to these shops
Tender Loving Empire- probably my favourite shop in Portland. They sold cool cards, gifts
and bits and pieces. Lots of local products. Have own record label and release
albums with great artwork/cases called Friends and friends of friends, worth
having a listen to. Also seem to have a screen print studio. 412 SW 10th
Woonwinkel - Nice selection of home wares, with lots of Donna Wilson and the like. 935 SW
Washington.
Crafty Wonderland - Handmade goods from 130+ local artists 808 SW 10th
Pioneer Place
– where all high street shops are. Gap, J Crew, Forever 21, Victoria Secrets.
Nordstrom-
great selection of make-up
SOUTH EAST (Hawthorne- main
street. Division worth checking out too)
Restaurants/bars
Lardo-
great Sandwich spot and I didn’t try them but the dirty fries looked amazing.
More food carts opposite this also. Another one in downtown.
Pok Pok-
more difficult to find (SE Division). Unusual and delicious Thai place with
cocktails and Bourbon. Good reviews.
The Woodsman Tavern- we didn’t go but it was highly recommended (SE Division)
Dig A Pony-
736 SE Grand Avenue. We didn’t go. Apprently it’s cool and you can dance. Worth
checking out.
Shops
Palace
(828 SE 34th Street) bit tucked away but nice selection of
new/vintage.
Red light-
big and good selection compared to other vintage places. Seperated into garment
type so easy to search.
Lizard lounge-
vintage furniture
Really Good Stuff- completely full of junk and gems. Crazy selection of stuff.
House of Vintage- huge place and split into what I presume is lots of individual
sellers.
Vintage Pink - 2500
SE Hawthorne
Communion-
cool shop. Nice selection of designer ware.
Other
Laurelhurst Park- nice smaller park if you’re in the area.
Bagdad Movie theatre
shows movies for $2 on a Tuesday apparently. Look to see whats on.
NORTH EAST
ALBERTA
We only went here on the
last night as it was ‘Last Thursday’ when all the galleries, shops and bars etc
stay open late. Quite a yound crowd but families etc too. From May they close
street off to cars and gets very busy apparently.
Restaurants-
Bollywood Theatre- amazing looking and sounding inventive Indian food and cocktails whilst
they project Bollywood films on the wall. Regret not trying this!!
MISSISSIPPI
Another area that we
didn’t see but worth checking out also.
Double check with streets and where the action is happening.
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