NEW OPENINGS AND RETURNS
Joe's Burgers
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This local burger joint chain opened a location in Sherwood in mid-December, with a menu of burgers and veggie burgers, hot dogs, fries, salads, fish and chips, BLTs, and crispy chicken.
Sherwood
Pickup, delivery, dine-in
The Meadow
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The specialty food purveyors launched a new location in the former Pastaworks
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space in late November. Shoppers can find gourmet goodies ranging from cocktail bitters to salts to chocolates, as well as items not available at the store's North Mississippi flagship shop, such as wine, vermouth, and pantry ingredients.
Kerns
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Patras Gyros
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This Greek spot opened in Vancouver's Hazel Dell neighborhood in late December, serving spinach feta pie, falafel bowls, Greek fries, gyros, loaded hummus, and more.
Vancouver
Pickup, delivery, dine-in
The Queen's Head
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Drag performer Daniel Bund debuted this English-style pub and lounge, which hosts drag and burlesque performances, in the former Tryst
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space at the end of November.
Old Town-Chinatown
Pickup, dine-in
Samurais Sushi and Thai
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This restaurant slinging sushi rolls, poké, nigiri, sashimi, teriyaki, curries, fried rice, and noodles opened in Tualatin in mid-December.
Tualatin
Pickup, delivery, dine-in
FUTURE OPENINGS
Gabbiano's
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David Sigal and Blake Foster, the duo behind the cocktail pop-up Zoo Bar, plan to open this Italian-American restaurant in Concordia on Wednesday, January 12. You can look forward to a menu with chicken parmesan, mozzarella sticks, duck marsala, and other comforting dishes.
Concordia
Gigantic Brewing
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The craft brewery Gigantic Brewing plans to open a taproom in the former Hawthorne Fish House
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space this summer or fall. The location will be the brewery's first to feature a restaurant, with internationally inspired bar snacks.
Hawthorne
Mis Tacones
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The queer Chicanx-owned vegan taqueria pop-up Mis Tacones, known for its tacos, tortas, papas nachos, and Cali burritos, plans to launch a brick-and-mortar in the former Tiffin Asha space on Killingsworth next month.
Vernon
CLOSURES
Boy Howdy
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This cart specializing in spiedies (a sandwich originating from Binghamton, New York, featuring marinated, grilled cubes of meat on a sub roll) announced via Instagram this week that it is closed until further notice. No further details were revealed, but the announcement read, "Check back here for updates. Hopefully we'll see y'all soon!"
Sunnyside
Dóttir
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The Icelandic restaurant inside the KEX Hotel
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closed after New Year's Eve. An announcement on Instagram read, "It’s no news that this year has been hard for everyone in a myriad of ways, and we at KEX are in no way immune to the difficulties of the pandemic. When we first opened Dóttir in November 2019, PDX came out en masse and we were so stoked for the love and the chance to prove ourselves. We only got 4.5 months to do so before the pandemic shut us down. We reopened for the third time 15 months later in June of this year. A lot has changed in that time and we realize it’s time for us to make some changes as well." The hotel will remain open, and a new restaurant concept will move in sometime this year.
Kerns
Hammy's Pizza
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The beloved carryout and delivery pizzeria closed its doors on December 29. Willamette Week learned via a Reddit post that the pizza parlor, known for its cheeseburger pizza and late-night hours, would be shuttering after 14 years of business.
Hosford-Abernethy
OTHER FOOD NEWS
Kachka moves toward a new pay structure
Bonnie and Israel Morales' ever-popular Eastern European restaurant Kachka
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is eyeing a more equitable pay structure for 2022. This year, the restaurant hopes to put a 22 percent service fee into place in lieu of tipping. The business is also covering insurance premiums and creating a profit-sharing program for employees.
Ken Forkish sells bakery and pizzeria
On December 31, star baker Ken Forkish announced via his email newsletter that after twenty years, he is retiring and will be selling his businesses Ken's Artisan Bakery
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and Ken's Artisan Pizza
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—two of the crown jewels in Portland's culinary scene. General manager Theo Taylor, pastry chef Randy Dworkin, and front of house employee Melissa Joubert, who have all been working with Forkish for years, will take over the bakery, and Carina Lounge
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owner Peter Kost is taking over the pizzeria. Forkish promised Eater Portland that fans shouldn't see significant changes, saying, "People shouldn't notice I'm gone."
New owners at P's and Q's Market
Another beloved Portland institution is handing over the reins: P's and Q's Market
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co-owners Emily Anderson and Paul Davis announced via Instagram this week that they are stepping aside from their charming upscale grocer to spend more time with their son and that new owners Tarl and Eric will be taking over the business.
Break-ins at local restaurants
Some local restaurants have been reeling from break-ins this week. The vegan spot South x Northwest
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shared a photo of its smashed window on Instagram, while the bakery DB Dessert Company
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showed that its door had been busted into.
POP-UPS AND EVENTS
For Esmé Pop-Up
Past Event
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Welcome 2022 with this pop-up from Luna Contreras and bartender Michelle Ruocco, featuring wood-fired Mexican bar snacks and cocktails.
Cafe Olli, Monday, 5 pm
Street Disco Cave À Manger
Remind
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Each week, the pop-up Street Disco's "cave á manger" will serve up "French-Americanish" small plates, vermouth, natural wine, and tunes inside Cup & Saucer.
Cup and Saucer, Friday-Saturday and Monday, 6 pm-12 am
SPECIALS
Doe Donuts
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The vegan donut shop has debuted its lineup of January flavors, which includes sour green apple fritter, blueberry pancake old-fashioned, "The Millionaire" (a take on millionaire's shortbread with chocolate cake donut, caramel glaze, chocolate drizzle, shortbread cookies, and sea salt), blue raspberry pop tart, orange creamsicle, almond pistachio baklava, "All or Nothing" (a donut filled with cookie butter and topped with chocolate glaze and raw cookie dough), pink lemonade, and a savory tofu scramble donut with vegan cheese and sausage.
Hollywood District
Pickup, delivery
Salt & Straw
The artisan ice creamery is putting a new twist on its annual "Veganuary" flavor series this year by rolling out five seasonal flavors, all inspired by cupcakes. The lineup includes Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (carrot juice ice cream with spiced carrot walnut cake chunks and cream cheese frosting), Petunia's Rainbow Sprinkled Babycakes (vanilla oat ice cream with sprinkles, strawberry jam, and pieces of birthday cake cupcakes from Petunia's Pies and Pastries, Coconut Cream Pie with Lemon Curd (coconut ice cream with toasted coconut cupcake pieces and lemon curd swirls), Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcake (chocolate ice cream with roasted Oregon hazelnuts and pieces of vanilla cupcakes with chocolate ganache), and Renewal Mill's Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake (fleur de sel-spiked oat ice cream with dark chocolate cupcakes and salted caramel frosting, made in collaboration with the climate-friendly baking company Renewal Mill).
Nob Hill, Vernon, Lake Oswego, Richmond
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