Portland

Portland, United States

Portlanders respond eagerly to the summons of the city's unofficial motto – "Keep Portland Weird" – and although the real deal is miles away from the grotesque version famously portrayed by Armisen & Brownstein in "Portlandia", some of the TV show does ring true. There is a lot of whimsy mixed in with Portland's thriving food, beer and coffee scenes: the city isn't only the hometown of James Beard, after all, but a place where self-expression and creativity culminate in gems like wedding ceremonies performed at a doughnut shop, "brew 'n' view" movie theatres, or a vegan strip club.

Population:

645,291 (2019)

Currency:

USD

Emergency Numbers:

911

Opening Hours:

Newspapers:

Portland Tribune https://pamplinmedia.com
Monthly Portland (culture) www.pdxmonthly.com
Eater Portland (dining) https://pdx.eater.com
Portland Mercury (alternative) www.portlandmercury.com

The City

Portland has won accolades for everything from its dining scene (CNN has named it one of "the world's best city for street food") to its coffee culture, to the liberated, whimsical spirit of its residents that has been the drive behind many of Portland's creative endeavours. The latter have resulted in phenomena virtually unknown elsewhere in the country: take the "brew ‘n’ view" movie theatres, for example, that serve drinks during film screenings, or the food cart pods – clusters of food trucks with a fixed location, many of which have become so successful they quickly moved on to opening permanent brick-and-mortar locations.

The best way to get a feel for the city is to visit the famous Saturday Market, an open-air affair with live music, international foods, and works by local creators on sale; another great afternoon can be had simply cycling through the city, perhaps stopping at a craft brewery or two en route to one of Portland's hottest restaurants, of which there are an incredible many.

Do & See

Portland is green, fun, and, at times, weird: the city's collection of museums contains not only the esteemed Portland Art Museum but also quirkier exhibits, such as The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium, with its "alien autopsy table", or the Movie Madness museum with the shower scene set-up from "Psycho". While those two and more help "Keep Portland Weird" – as the city's unofficial motto goes – a thriving food, coffee, and bar scene make for seemingly endless exploration of world cuisines, craft brews, and coffee roasters.

Here are the best things to do and see in Portland, Oregon:

Restaurants

Local chefs famously make use of the incredible bounty surrounding Portland: many restaurants determine their week's menus based on what's fresh and seasonal at farms surrounding the city. Portland is also home to multiple James Beard award-winning chefs, many of whom are home-grown talent, while others travel here from across the country – case in point: celebrity contestant from Top Chef, Doug Adams, who brought his flavorful smoked meats in with Bullard.

And here are the top restaurants in Portland, Oregon in 2021:

Cafes

Portland is one of the world's biggest cafe cities, its name growing to become near-synonymous with "coffee culture" in the USA and beyond. An incredible brew is never too far away, whether it's a classic strong espresso or an all-out Peanut Butter Fudge Mocha (to be had at Jim & Patty’s Coffee).

Here are some of the best cafes in Portland: