Food and Drink

Where to find the best doughnuts in Portland

I wish I got more. Photo: Meira Gebel/Axios

Doughnuts are one of Portland's defining foods. Sure, tourists go to Voodoo Doughnut to take pictures of the pink box, but the rest of us know where to find our favorites, sans long lines.

Meira here. I have a sweet tooth, so I don't discriminate. But my pick is hard to beat.

Meira Gebel
May 31, 2023 - Development

Downtown Portland awaits Ritz-Carlton's summer opening

An image of the Ritz Carlton skyscraper in downtown Portland.

The new Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, will be one of the city’s tallest buildings. Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland

The $600 million Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, at 900 SW Washington St. was slated to be partly open this month, and though that has not happened, the developers are sticking with their late-summer schedule for completion.

Why it matters: Developer Walt Bowen is betting big on the return of our once-bustling downtown, while city officials are hoping to use the new luxury landmark to lure Portlanders of all kinds — not just the top 1% — back to the city's center.

4 must-try rooftop bars in Portland

A photo of a rooftop view of the Willamette River in downtown Portland.

The view of the Willamette River from Departure. Photo: Courtesy of Departure

There's nothing better than enjoying a Pacific Northwest summer perched on a patio way up high, sipping on something refreshing. We're talking about rooftop bars here, people!

Why it matters: Lofty bars and restaurants are multiplying as new developments crop up across the city, fueled by consumers' desire for luxe social atmospheres with stellar views.

Ketchup inflation pushes up the price of BBQ

Illustration of a ketchup bottle with a dollar bill as the label.

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

With inflation still sizzling, most of the fixings for your Memorial Day weekend barbecue will cost more, especially condiments.

Why it matters: Inflation is not rising as rapidly as this time last year, but food prices are still pinching pocketbooks.

Emily Harris
May 22, 2023 - Business

Expensify wants to revamp downtown with food cart pod makeover

An artists rendering of a future food card pod from an arial view, with chairs and tables on a plaza lined by food trucks with colorful roofs and edged by trees.

Here's what the food cart pod might look like after renovations. Rendering: Courtesy of Expensify

The planned makeover of Portland's oldest food cart pod is intended to rejuvenate the neighborhood as well.

Why it matters: The global tech company that's investing, Expensify, is making a bet on a downtown block without expecting a significant financial return.

Food Fight: Matcha matchup

Bright green pastries with a dollop of creamy mousse and a drizzle of chocolate on top sit in a bakery case with a small pink sign that says matcha and yuzu, $9.50

Matcha mousse in the case at JinJu Patisserie. Photo: Courtesy of Collin Oldham

In the last edition of Food Fight, we tackled burritos. This time: matcha.

Emily's pick: My first real matcha thrill was years ago: an amazing shaved ice in Japan. (Also my first exposure to matcha Oreos.)

Find these edible wild greens around Portland

A photo of wild nettles growing, next to a photo of cooked nettles in a pan on the stove.

Nettles growing wild in Portland (left) and sautéed on the stovetop. Photos: Emily Harris/Axios and courtesy of Siobhan Gray.

If the bears are foraging, why not you too? Spring is prime time to find and eat wild greens.

What they're saying: Wild food expert and author John Kallas says it may seem strange to pick your salad from sidewalk cracks, but notes: "Edible wild plants are just regular foods — traditional foods that we've lost touch with."

"Foodie Snitch" Em Daugherty shares her last meal

Photo illustration of a place setting shaped like a skull and crossbones containing a photo of Em Daugherty.

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photo: Courtesy of Em Daugherty

You definitely know Em Daugherty. Her food and beverage content can be found on TikTok and Instagram under the guise of Foodie Snitch — where she shares her adventures tasting (and tattling on) Portland's ever-expanding restaurant and bar scene to her thousands of followers.

  • What started as a blog when she moved to Portland in 2015 from Medford amplified Daugherty as one of the city's top cuisine connoisseurs, and she's partnered with dozens of businesses and publications renowned in our town's darling food scene.
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