In Spring of 2023, I packed a carry-on and went on a weekend trip to Portland, Oregon. The main reason for going was because when my mom was still alive, I had been convincing her to hang on a bit longer so that I could take her to see the beautiful tulips at the Tulip Festival in Oregon. She didn’t last past winter. So in remembrance of her, I went to see the tulips.

Portland, however, isn’t just known for its tulips, beautiful waterfalls, and hikes. They are also known for some delicious eats and good coffee.

Below are the few food highlights during my quick trip.

For Burgers and Sliders, I highly recommend PDX sliders. Everything we ordered was delicious. Because they do have quite a few choices…I’d go with sliders so that you can try a few different options. I had the Hawthorne which consisted of beef, bacon, goat cheese, strawberry preserves on brioche bun. My next slider was the Morrison, which was an herb-marinated chicken, bacon, pesto, baby arugula, aioli on a ciabatta.

For Donuts and Chai, try Pip’s. Because the donuts were little donut holes, it didn’t feel like a crime to order a dozen between two people. So we ordered a dozen and tried every flavor, including the seasonal flavor: Pear Butter. I wasn’t too crazy about the Pear Butter and much preferred their traditional flavors, like the cinnamon sugar and the raw honey & sea salt. Also, the Chai flight was the best thing we did because I love Chai and couldn’t decide which to get. In the end, I narrowed down my favorites to: King and I & Heart of Gold.

For an Intimate Date Night Out, I do suggest trying a local favorite like Papa Haydn…it’s been around since 1978! The soup, salad, and entree were all delicious but I think the main event really belongs to the dessert. We had the Boccone Dolce…which was exquisite and a must try for everyone.

There you have it…a place for the person-on-the go, a place for the sweet tooth person in you, and a place for a dressier date night.

Fields of Tulips