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Sparkling Wine

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Looking for some spots that are a bit closer than France where you can enjoy some amazing sparkling wine? The Willamette Valley has you covered! There are several amazing wineries that use local grapes to make Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines that are delicious. There is even one that does exclusively sparklings (And yes, I am a member)! Here are some of our favorite places to sip some local bubbly.

Corollary

6451 NE Hilltop Ln

By appointment, Fri-Sun 11-3

Founded in 2017, Corollary’s singular mission is to explore the terroir of the Willamette Valley and it’s expression in sparkling wines. Currently developing Oregon’s first property dedicated solely to sparkling wines, they generally have around 5 offerings of sparklings they have made from grapes sourced from a variety of local vineyards.

Gran Moraine

17090 NE Woodland Loop Rd

Open Daily 11-5, reservations required

With an outstanding Blanc de Blanc (currently sold out, but new vintage releasing soon) and a delightful Brut Rose, you won’t want to miss this stop on your sparkling tour.

ROCO

13260 NE Red Hills Rd

Reservations available, Open Daily 10-4

Rollin Soles and Corby Stonebraker-Soles arrived in the Willamette Valley with a vision, and 35 years later are still producing wonderful and award-winning wines. Order the Diamond Experience to sample 5 outstanding sparkling wines, including a vertical of past vintages.

Sokol Blosser

5000 NE Sokol Blosser Ln

Open Weds-Mon 10-4, Reservations required

Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser planted their first vines in the Dundee Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) of the Willamette Valley 1971, and make wines of world class quality that are produced sustainably, mindful of the environment, and express the distinctive flavors of their hillside vineyards.

Bonus: Sparkling Wine in Portland

Not all of our favorite spots to sip bubbles are in wine country. There are some really stand-out spots in the city as well!

Arden

417 NW 10th Ave

Open Tues-Sat 5-9

While Arden’s sparkling list may not be the largest in town, it is incredibly well-curated. It doesn’t hurt that the food is also incredible!

Muse

2264 NW Raleigh St

Open Weds-Sat 4-10, Takeout Tues 2-6:30

Muse has a wonderful and ever-rotating collection of wonderful sparklings from around the world, served in a lovely intimate setting. The owner Christopher is super knowledgeable about all of his offerings, and always happy to help you choose the right one or even serve up a flight.

Where is your favorite place to enjoy sparkling wine? Let us know in the comments! Or if you are more interested in reds, check out our list of places to grab Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

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Are you looking to try some seriously delicious Pinot Noir? There are so many wineries in the Willamette Valley that I doubt you could ever try them all. We have been to quite a few! We always try to make it out to somewhere new when we head down to wine country and we are very frequently pleasantly surprised by the pinots that we taste. Here are the places that we recommend you try for a nice flight of Pinot Noir in no particular order.

Bergstrom Pinot Noir

Bergstrom

8115 NE Worden Hill Rd

Open by appointment only

Since 1999, their family and team have been working towards their vision of stewarding naturally and responsibly farmed, estate vineyard terroirs that best represent the diverse appellations of our world-class Willamette Valley. Serving Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah

Gran Moraine

17090 NE Woodland Loop Rd

Open Daily 11-5, reservations required

Shane Moore’s viticultural and winemaking choices shine a light on the monologue of Gran Moraine Vineyard, lifting its voice through precise early picks, extended native ferments and careful extraction. These choices bring to life the vineyard’s clean, vibrant energy, crunchy toothsome tannins, and perfumed character marked by citrus, heady floral notes, and herbs de Provence.

penner ash, pinot noir

Penner Ash

15771 NE Ribbon Ridge Rd

Open Daily 11-5pm, reservations required

In 1998, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash founded Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in the Northern Willamette Valley’s Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Bringing to life their shared vision, through years of hard work unyielding commitment, the pair built a reputation for lush, layered Pinot Noir, and community leadership throughout the valley.

Patricia Green

15225 NE North Valley Road

Open by appointment only

Located on a 52 acre property in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, Patricia Green Cellars is a unique winery because of our fervent dedication to particular sites in the Willamette Valley, and our truly collaborative approach to all aspects of the business.

alexana pinot noir

Alexana

12001 NE Worden Hill Rd

Open Daily 11-5pm, reservations required

Under the guidance of Bryan Weil as Winemaker and Evan Bellingar as Vineyard Manager, our farming practices are certified sustainable, are focused on elevating the quality, and telling the story of each vintage from the Revana Vineyard and top vineyards in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. 

Archery Summit

118599 NE Archery Summit Rd

Open Daily 11-4, reservations required

Gary Andrus launched Archery Summit in 1993, infatuated by Pinot Noir and the capacity the Willamette Valley seemed to have for it. The Dundee Hills in particular caught his eye, because it shares similar growing conditions with Burgundy, France, and some of the most acclaimed Pinot Noir vineyards on earth.

Winderlea

8905 NE Worden Hill Rd

Open Daily 11-4, reservations required

Crafting elegant, sensuous and age worthy wines for those who view the pairing of wine and food essential to their happiness and well being. Our focus is on making small lots of Pinot noir and Chardonnay that show the best characteristics of each vineyard.

Domaine Drouhin

6750 NE Breyman Orchards Rd

Open Daily 11-3, reservations required

Our estate winery in the Dundee Hills creates elegant, fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines forged from our family’s tradition of fine winemaking in France. For more than 30 years, the Drouhin Family has brought a wealth of hard-earned experience to their vineyards in the Willamette Valley, just southwest of Portland, Oregon.

Which Winery has your favorite Pinot Noir? Did it make the list? Let us know in the comments if there is anything we should be adding!

Breweries

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With Portland beer week coming up we figured this was the perfect time to highlight our favorite breweries once again! There are so many breweries in portland it can be hard to know where to start. While we haven’t tried every brewery, we have tried many of them. These are the ones that stood out!

Baerlic

2239 SE 11th

Open Daily 11am -10pm

They brew the beers that they love to drink and in a way that imparts the history, art and craft of brewing. They offer five year-round beers and an ever-evolving list of seasonal, one-off and experimental beers.

Ruse

4784 se 17th Ave

Open M-F 3pm – 9pm and Sat-Sun 1pm -10pm

They brew small batch, flavorful, and thoughtfully-crafted beers. They work with local artists and musicians to design beers paired with their art for concept events and beer releases.

Little Beast

3412 se Division st

Open M-F 1:30pm -9pm and Sat-Sun 12pm -9pm

Inspired by the “little beasts” that transform water, barley and hops into beer, they specialize not only in mixed culture fermentation, fruited, wild and wood-aged beers, but also in mastering classic styles for a consistently enjoyable and always approachable experience.

Breakside

Multiple Locations – NW, NE, Milwaukie, Lake Oswego

Open Daily 12pm -9pm

The brewery is known for its broad portfolio of award-winning, innovative beers. In 2019, Breakside became one of only a handful of employee-owned breweries in the country.

Von Ebert

Multiple Locations, NW and NE

Open M-Sat 11:30am – 10pm and Sun 11:30am – 9pm

They push the limits with their beer and let the Pacific Northwest landscape, culture, and people inspire them to produce award-winning hop forward IPAs and ales, German-inspired and modern American lagers, and mixed-culture Heritage Beers.

10 Barrel

1411 NW Flanders

Open Daily, Hours vary

This may be a Bend brewery, but it is a Portland staple. With a rooftop bar, innovative beers, delicious sours, and food to match.

Great Notion

2204 NE Alberta st #101

Open Daily 12pm -9 pm

This brewery is famous for its fruit forward hazy IPAs and they often experiment with what ingredients to add to them. They also craft sours and stouts that are based off of “culinary” inspirations

Cascade Barrel House

939 SE Belmont

Hours Vary, Open W-Sun

Their distinctive sour beer blends feature fruit forward, barrel-aged ales with an emphasis on project year-to-year variation. These beers offer a complex array of flavors derived from the acid, the fruit and the residual flavors present in the barrels in which they age. 

Which of these breweries are your favorite? OR did we skip yours? Let us know in the comments!

Market and Restaurant Combos

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As we know, Portland real estate can be expensive, so what better way to capitalize on your space than with a market and restaurant combo? These are wonderful places where you can enjoy a lovely meal in or grab some wonderful provisions to take home or both! Here is our list of best Portland Market and Restaurant Combos.

Coquine

6839 SE Belmont St

Cafe & Market Open Daily 9:30-2:30, Dinner Weds-Sat 5-10

Daytime casual café and market, Nighttime prix fixe New American dinner.

Flying Fish Company

3004 E Burnside St

Open 10-8 All Days except Tuesday

Fresh market with a focus on sustainable seafood and more.

Laurelhurst Market

3155 E Burnside St

Market Open Daily 10-10, Lunch 11-3, Dinner 5-10

Steakhouse and butcher shop with house-cured meats and unusual cuts.

Montelupo Italian Market

344 NE 28th Ave

Market Open Daily 8-8:30, Café 8-3, Dinner 5-8:30

Italian restaurant and market featuring deli, handmade pastas, and wine.

Petite Provence

4834 SE Division St * 3240 NE Sandy Blvd * 1824 NE Alberta

Division Mon-Fri 8-3, Sat & Sun 8-4 * Sandy Daily 8-3 * Alberta Tues-Sat 8-8, Sun & Mon 8-4

French Boulangerie and Patisserie featuring café, baked goods, brunch and lunch.

Portland Fish Market

4404 SE Woodstock Blvd

Open Daily 10-7, Fish & Chips Window 11:30-6:30

Fresh local seafood, specialty goods, and wine, plus a fish and chips window.

Ripe Cooperative

5425 NE 30th Ave

Weds-Sat 12-10, Sunday 12-5

Café and marketplace featuring fresh seafood, house made pastas, focaccia, and more.

Which of these market and restaurant combos are you most excited to check out? Let us know in the comments! And if we missed your personal favorite, be sure to reach out so we can check them out next!

Cinemas

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It’s Oscar Night and you know what that means…it’s time for a list of Portland’s Best Cinemas! Whether you are looking for the latest releases or experimental arthouse films, our list has got you covered for all of your cinephile needs.

Academy Theater

7818 SE Stark St

Historic theater in Montavilla neighborhood.

Bagdad Theater

3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd

McMenamins theater and brewpub in the heart of Hawthorne.

Cinema 21

616 NW 21st Ave

Independent art house movie theater showing a mixture of independent, foreign, and classic films.

Clinton Street Theater

2522 SE Clinton St

Historic theater with a focus on experimental and arthouse films, plus a weekly midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Empirical Theater at OMSI

1945 SE Water Ave

This theater at the science museum features documentaries, film fests, and IMAX blockbusters.

Hollywood Theatre

4122 NE Sandy Blvd

Historic theatre showcasing a mix of new and classic films, plus ongoing film series’ such as B Movie Bingo and Kung Fu Theater.

Living Room Theater

341 SW 10th Ave

Theater that’s 21+ in evenings offers indie films, recliners, & food & wine delivered to seats.

St John’s Twin Cinema and Pub

8704 N Lombard St

Casual first-run cinema that serves pizza and beer.

Which of these Portland Cinemas is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Kayo’s Ramen Bar

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Our Hot Spot of the Week this week is delicious N Williams Ramen spot – Kayo’s Ramen Bar! Full disclosure, this was an accidental find. We had intended to lunch somewhere else, but arrived to find that the outdoor seating was full to the brim with newly-seated patrons. However, sometimes the world works in mysterious ways, because the loss of that other dining experience led us to discover this absolute gem!

There are several standout features of Kayo’s. First, they not only have fantastic traditional ramen options such as Shoyu and Miso, but they also have many interesting and creative spins on the dish. You could choose a Curry Ramen or Wasabi Smoked Salmon one. If you are feeling really wild, maybe you will want to try out their Japon tacos! Another great feature is that you can choose the amount of gluten you are feeling up for. You can get the standard option of traditional noodles, substitute the gluten-free option of julienned zucchini and daikon, or even try out half and half!

We both thought that the TanTan Ramen sounded the best. Apparently many people agree, as this is their most popular option. We tried out the regular TanTan and the TanTan Mazemen (no broth) respectively as well as sharing an order of the Pork potstickers.

First off, let me say that those were the BEST potstickers. They were cooked perfectly, the flavors were on point, and we made a bit of a mess because of how delightfully juicy they were. I could eat them every. damn. day. The ramen was phenomenal as well. I adore Sichuan DanDan, and having a ramen version was a totally new experience for me. We both agreed that it was better with the broth rather than the Mazemen style. That is partly because the spice disperses better in the broth and partly because the broth was so delicious!

This place is such a great option right now especially. The patio is wide open and covered, with very well–spaced tables. Plus, ramen is the perfect dish for these days where the sun is shining, but still a chilly nip to the air. Check out their menu here.

Have you ever tried Kayo’s Ramen Bar? What should we order the next time we are in? Let us know in the comments!

Prix Fixe Menus

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Portland is a city for foodies. That is certainly no exception when it comes to fine dining. While our fine dining is served up a bit differently than you might find in New York or L.A., the food quality is just as high. In fact, we would argue that because you can show up in jeans and a t-shirt, our fine dining is even better. We have personally tried each of these restaurants, so if your favorite isn’t on the list, let us know in case we haven’t been yet! In no particular order here are our top 5 favorite prix fixe menus in the city!

Castagna

Chef Justin Woodward knows good food. He thoughtfully changes his menu with the seasons to make sure the flavors on your plate arrive at their peak freshness. His plating is also a work of art, with bright colors and thoughtful placements, he truly understands how to make the plate sing. This progressive restaurant is sure to leave you wowed.

Langbaan

Chef Earl Ninsom has created something so unique and loved here in Portland that you absolutely must try it. He turns classic Thai dishes into a stunning fine dining experience. With local and fresh ingredients from the Pacific Northwest mixed with traditional Thai flavors, prepare to be amazed by how he can make these ingredients shine.

Roe

Chef John Conlin provided us with the best seafood restaurant in Portland. He uses the freshest seafood you can find from all around the world and creates masterpieces using Japanese and French techniques. Tucked upstairs in a quiet mezzanine, this restaurant truly offers an unexpected experience.

  • 515 SW Broadway #100
  • Website and Sample Menu
  • $68 for the tasting menu or $138 for the chef’s menu.

Nodoguru

Chef Ryan Roadhouse brings us his take on the Japanese Omakase. He approaches each menu with creativity and innovation giving each month a different theme. He has an innate ability to make even the simplest of flavors elegantly elevated.

Farm Spirit

Chefs Aaron Adams and Scott Winegard don’t need to rely on animal products to amaze you. Their entirely plant-based menu is sure to wow, from the stunning platings to the variety of flavors and textures they employ. Prepare to have your mind changed about what vegan can be.

Did we miss your favorite prix fixe menu in Portland? Let us know in the comments so we can be sure to check it out!

Tea House at The Chinese Garden

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The Chinese Garden is one of the true treasures of downtown Portland. The rest of Chinatown is known more for its nightclubs, but this oasis is something you should add to your “must visit” list.

There are events most days, ranging from Tai Chi in the courtyard to artist meetings and craft events. Check out the calendar over on their website to find something fun to coincide with your visit here.

Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou, our sister city in China. It is considered one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China. After you finish walking through all of the pavilions, head over to the tea house for some superb Chinese tea.

There are many types of teas to choose from but I highly recommend doing the full tea ceremony. The ceremony allows you to choose a style of tea and observe the leaves and aroma more fully. You are also able to take in the unfolding of the aroma as you continue to add infusions of water to the leaves.

In addition, there are many lovely snacks to nibble on while you are tasting the teas. They stick to authentic Chinese fare so the snacks really complement the tea quite well. Whether you want something sweet, savory, or a small meal, the tea room has you covered.

We tried the steamed buns which were filled with sautéed seasonal vegetables. The buns were perfectly doughy and they weren’t overfilled. We also had the seasonal vegetable dumplings. They were steamed and topped with a light black bean sauce. Overall we were really happy with the food and can’t wait to visit again.

Have you been to check out the Chinese garden or the tea house yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments!