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Nostrana

Open since 2005, multi-James Beard Award-nominated chef Cathy Whims’s flagship restaurant still turns out some of the city’s best Italian food. Feast on wood-fired thin-crust pizzas and a 2.5-pound Florentine-style bone-in ribeye, plus seasonal pastas and mains in a lodge-like space with soaring vaulted ceilings and festive hanging lanterns. Toast the meal with a celebratory cocktail—Thrillist dubbed Nostrana “Portland’s capital of the negroni.”

Kachka

When it opened in 2014, this trailblazing restaurant launched the country’s Eastern European culinary renaissance, garnering raves from Bon Appétit, Eater, GQ, and more. A decade in, Bonnie and Israel Morales’s ode to their roots is still a hotspot for its famed horseradish-infused vodka, zakuski (snacks) like caviar and roe, and clay pot rabbit. Decked with colorful posters and tablecloths sourced from Belarus, the inviting, bi-level space is one you’ll want to return to again and again.

Mediterranean Exploration Company

This marquee restaurant from hospitality giant Sesame Collective goes big on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors. The menu is meant for sharing; order crispy lamb hummus with fluffy pita before moving on to signature dishes like chermoula-rubbed shrimp cooked in an open hearth in the industrial-chic space. Playful cocktails like a Turkish coffee martini add to the always-festive vibe.

L'Orange

One of the New York Times's 50 favorite restaurants of 2024, L'Orange charms with its refined, Pacific Northwest-influenced Mediterranean small plates and superbly curated wine in a homey, cozy atmosphere. The combo quickly captivated local critics and diners, who show up in droves for dishes like roasted garlic soup with grapes or poached and grilled cauliflower with curried granola. It all obviously pairs beautifully with owner Jeff Vejr's large, varied selection.

Canard - Burnside

At Le Pigeon’s relaxed next-door sibling, multi-award-winning chef Gabriel Rucker (James Beard, Star Chefs, and more) leans into French bistro vibes. Dig into playful hits like foie gras dumplings and duck egg-topped pancakes that earned the restaurant accolades from Eater, Portland Monthly, and Wine Spectator. Eat at the marble chef’s counter for a front-row seat to the action or linger over a glass of wine from the top-notch, French-leaning list on the shaded patio.

Oma's Hideaway

A disco-style dining room, whimsical sea-inspired wallpaper, and vintage 1970s lamps—Oma’s Hideaway is a maximalist escape from the acclaimed Gado Gado team. The standout Southeast Asian menu is a love letter to James Beard Award-nominated chef Thomas Pisha-Duffly’s grandmother and the region’s hawker fare. Start with fruity house jello shots topped with mango boba before digging into standouts like wonton mee (yellow noodles with pork belly) and salted egg yolk curry fries.

Magna Kusina

Magna Kusina is one of the most exciting Filipino restaurants in the country, thanks to James Beard Award-nominated chef Carlo Lamagna. In a lively dining room decked with vibrant art and hanging plants, feast on traditional street foods with a modern twist, like housemade squid ink noodles topped with Dungeness crab. Add in playful cocktails like an ube-infused grasshopper, and it’s easy to see why this bold spot was named The Oregonian's 2021 restaurant of the year.

Le Pigeon

When Le Pigeon opened in 2006, it put Portland on the culinary map. The best seats in the intimate, brick-walled dining room are at the chef’s counter, where you’ll get a front row view of multi-James Beard Award-winner Gabriel Rucker’s dazzling, French-forward dishes. Cap the evening with playful desserts that could include foie gras profiteroles or a glass from the luscious Oregon- and French-centric wine list.

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• James Beard Award

  2013

• James Beard Award

  2011

República

República has been a critical darling since it opened in 2020, garnering raves from Bon Appétit, Eater Portland, and more. Sit in the sleek and intimate dining room to dine on chef Jose Camarena’s ambitious, Mexican-forward dishes—think seared, tobiko-topped scallops in a foie-infused masa “cone”—accompanied by personal anecdotes and historical details about dishes from attentive servers. An excellent Mexican-leaning drinks program rounds out the singular experience.

Han Oak

Han Oak has been a smash hit with critics from GQ and Portland Monthly since it opened in 2017, thanks to James Beard Award-nominated chef Peter Cho’s shareable Korean tasting menus. The feast starts with banchan—including Cho’s mom’s kimchi—and moves through heaping platters of bulgogi and koji-cured coppa before ending with bingsoo (shaved ice) and, if you're lucky, boisterous late-night karaoke.

Gado Gado

James Beard Award-nominated Gado Gado is what celebratory dreams are made of, thanks to owners Thomas and Mariah Pisha-Duffly’s colorful Indonesian feasts. Order hit dishes like the flaky Malaysian roti à la carte, or go all in on the family-style “rice table” experience for a sampling of curries, grilled meats, and clove-scented rice served on vintage plates. Enjoy it all in the charming dining room with custom bird-and-fish wallpaper or on the outdoor patio with patterned rugs and tablecloths.

Hayward

After a day of tasting Pinot in the Willamette Valley, Hayward in the Mac Market warehouse is where you'll want to post up for dinner. Led by chef Kari Shaughnessy, the team breaks down whole animals, pickles vegetables, bakes sourdough, and crafts a simple but ambitious menu that makes it a standout in the region. The restaurant even snagged a James Beard Awards nomination in 2024, shining a spotlight on McMinnville's culinary bounty.