Portland: A Budget Foodie’s Heaven on Earth

Posted on 28. Nov, 2010 by Guest Poster in Destinations, Guest posts, North America

I haven’t been to Oregon since I was a little kid, but this article just intensifies my suspicion that I need to get myself back there.

Portland, Oregon, is a town known for its immensely reasonably standard of living. I’ve officially moved there three times over the past 10 years, but each time I move, a job or school has pulled me away from my favorite city prematurely. People who have been there understand my relentless attempt at relocating. Good public transit, great coffee, amazing microbreweries, easy access to nature, and tons of bookstores. What more could you want?

During my time in Portland, I’ve fallen in love with another of its attractions: food. Unlike many food meccas, much of the best Portland cuisine costs less than a single cocktail in London or New York. One theory says that chefs who are priced out of bigger cities like San Francisco and New York come to Portland to develop their talent at a lower cost of living. Whatever the explanation, Portland certainly feeds its visitors well. If you are interested in culinary ecstasy without blowing your budget, Portland is the spot for you. Here is a rundown of the best of Portland’s budget food culture.

Food Carts
The food carts are an absolute must in any trip to Portland. These stationary trucks contain kitchens and friendly proprietors who serve up fresh home cooking. The best Vietnamese food I’ve had in my life is from a cart in the cluster on SW 9th and Alder, where the average price of an entree (which is big enough to last two meals) is $7.

The Portland Food Cart website is an excellent guide to food cart awesomeness.

Farmer’s Markets
Nearly every city with enough liberals has a farmer’s market. Portland has several, the king of which is the Saturday market at Portland State University. The place is a veritable wonderland of breakfast food to warm you up (the tamales are my favorite), coffee to energize you, and vegan baked goods if you’re feeling naughty. There’s also live music, happy children playing, and of course tons of gorgeous, local produce, meat, honey, jams, herbs, and cheese. If you’re visiting Portland, try to stay a vacation rental so you have a kitchen, because–take my word for it–you’ll be sorely tempted to stock up at the market.

The Saturday market (March – December, 9am – 2pm) is top of my list, but there are plenty of markets to keep you busy throughout the week.

Happy Hour
Given Portland’s reputation for down-to-earth wholesomeness, it has a surprisingly thriving happy hour scene. Most restaurants and bars offer amazing food specials to accompany early evening drinks. The helpful website UrbanDrinks.com keeps encyclopedic-like notes about happy hours across town. You can search by time and location, and even see a list of all the happy hours going on right now. It’s always happy hour somewhere in Portland.

A few of the best spots are Crush, The Doug Fir Lounge, and Clyde Common. For people on a super budget, check out The Tube ($2 drinks and inexpensive vegan food 5-10pm) and Vita Cafe (more veggie and vegan deliciousness). If there’s any doubt that Portland is serious about happy hour, the 5th Quadrant has all-day happy hour on Saturdays and Sundays.

Brunch
Brunch is an opportunity for restaurants to show off their talent at a lower price, and in Portland the brunch scene is thriving. You may have to wait to get a table, but nearly every establishment offers a cup of coffee while you wait.

My favorite places include the indoor/outdoor Tin Shed, diner-style Zell’s, the sophisticatedCafe Nell, and The Place to See and Be Seen, Mother’s Bistro.

Rebecca lives in San Francisco and is the founder of Inhabit Vacations, a site that helps travelers find hidden gem vacation rentals.

Tags: blogsherpa, oregon, portland, USA