Presented for open debate.
Here is my list of places most likely to endear Portland to newcomers/visitors. Comments and suggestions for addition are highly encouraged (I suspect my thought on Voodoo Doughnuts will elicit some feedback!).
The short-list:
Barista (best cappuccinos in town)
Stumptown (arguably the coffee heart of PDX)
The Green Dragon (beer selection, outdoor seating, and beer specials during happy hour)
Full Sail Brewing (food specials during happy hour)
Prost (German beer & food)
Hot Lips Pizza (slice and a pint for 6 bucks all day every day)
Bakery Bar (one word: Jammers! with good baristas to boot)
Random Order Coffee (cream pies)
Dutch Brothers Coffee (highly presentable drive-through coffee, numerous locations)
Namaste (excellent Indian buffet at a great price)
At length:
There are two locales I STRONGLY recommend putzing around in. The first is what I call the cappuccino axis which extends along Alberta Street between Barista and Caffe Vita, or from 17th Ave to 30th Ave. Other points of interest along this street:
1700 NE Alberta
Random Order Coffee (wicked-good cream pies and other tasties)
1800 NE Alberta
La Petite Provence (patisserie)
1824 NE Alberta
A quick disclaimer RE the axis: I hold the two ends of this axis are the best cappuccinos in town, even though Barista doesn't roast their own beans and Vita is based in Seattle. It's not a particularly popular position to hold in the ultra-local circles prevalent in PDX (which is the FAA code for Portland International Airport and as synonymous with Portland as is the 503, the local area code). The local competitors for this prize will be listed later.
The second locale is Woodlawn, which is significantly more compact and lower-quality for coffee but uber-cool. On the corner of Dekum and Durham are the following businesses:
800 NE Dekum
808 NE Dekum
820 NE Dekum
In Woodlawn Park, one block west of the Corner Saturdays and Sundays
Also spitting distance from the Corner is
Peninsula Park (rose garden and fountain)
Corner of N Ainsworth St. and N Albina Ave.
And with honorable mention due to its proximity to the water is the area where I currently sit in front of
Bean and Tree Coffee
315 SW Montgomery St.
Full Sail Brewing (formerly the McCormick and Schmick's Pilsner Room
307 SW Montgomery
There are also numerous boutiques and other little bistro-type establishments along this section of the Greenway.
Alright, now for the businesses:
Coffee:
Of particular note, one of the most significant businesses in Portland is Stumptown Coffee whose Annex at 3552 SE Belmont runs a free cupping daily at noon and a smaller one daily at 2 pm. Stumptown is one of the earlier and by far the most successful third generation (Starbucks was the second generation) coffee companies in Portland. Giving credit where credit is due, much of the below information was aided by the Espresso Map (which is not entirely up-to-date, so you may wish to call the individual establishments not listed below before traveling).
2921 NE Killingsworth St.
or
1465 Ste B. NE Prescott
1028 SE Water Ave
1300 SE Grand Ave (easily the coolest looking space in town, sharing space with a bamboo carpenter)
Heart Roasters
2211 E. Burnside St.
Coffeehouse Northwest (Brewed Stumptown when last I visited, but apparently beginning to roast their own as Sterling Coffee Roasters)
1951 W Burnside
Bipartisan Cafe (brews Stumptown)
7901 SE Stark
Albina Press (brews Stumptown)
4637 N Albina
or
5012 SE Hawthorne
Bakery Bar (brews Stumptown)
2935 NE Glisan
Case Study Coffee (brews Stumptown and does lots of cold brew)
5347 NE Sandy Blvd.
Beer:
The three places who don't primarily serve their own beer but are phenomenal are:
The Green Dragon (great outdoor seating with 50 beers on tap)
928 SE 9th (corner of SE Yamhill and SE 9th)
Horse Brass Pub (popular among YAFers and close to the our meeting)
4534 SE Belmont
Prost (GREAT German fare, or at least beer)
4237 N Mississippi
My fave own-brews:
5115 NE Sandy Blvd
2828 NE Glisan
2944 SE Powell Blvd.
Numerous others listed at Pubcrawler by searching for "beer places" in "portland" "OR"
Doughnuts and other bakery types
Another disclaimer: everyone will tell you to check out Voodoo Doughnuts at 22 SW 3rd Ave, but their lines are long, their quality only good, and their fare too eclectic for me, but people will insist you haven't been to PDX without having a Voodoo, so be advised. My faves are:
Doughnut World (way out in Gresham and highly convenient to my house)
720 NE Burnside Rd.
Gresham, OR 97230
Annie's Donut Shop
3449 NE 72nd Ave (near the corner of Sandy Blvd. and Fremont St.)
Pacific Pie Company (I haven't been there yet, but I had a taste yesterday and it's legit)
1520 SE 7th Ave
Cupcake Jones (ridiculously good stuffed cupcakes on a rotating menu)
307 NW 10th Ave.
Bike shops:
Clever cycles runs a rental program where you can test pretty much everything they sell before buying. They specialize in internal hub bikes and folding bikes, both of which are pretty handy for urban commuting. The coops will have much better prices and even a few second-hand bikes.
Citybikes (annex)
734 SE Ankeny St.
908 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Bike Gallery (numerous locations, downtown:)
1001 SW Salmon
Restaurants:
Namaste (Indian)
8303 NE Sandy Blvd.
Pho Van (Vietnamese)
1919 SE 82nd Ave
Other PDX resources:
Portland Transportation bike map (painfully slow to load, also available in paper copy for free at bike-friendly stores throughout the city)
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