Claudia Meza

Claudia Meza is an award-winning journalist and host of City Cast Portland, a daily news and talk podcast. Read More

This vibrant Northeast Portland neighborhood is known for its summer street fairs, diverse eating spots and hip artisan shops. Covered in street art and colorful murals, you’ll also find heritage markers along the street, documenting and honoring the local Black community’s rich history in the area. If you have only one day to take in Portland and want a feel for the city’s vibe, you won’t go wrong wandering through the Alberta Arts District. And only a fifteen-minute drive away from the airport, it’s the perfect first or last stop on your Portland journey.

Last Thursday Arts Walk

In the summer, every last Thursday between 6 and 9 p.m., Alberta Street closes to traffic for fifteen whole blocks. Galleries hold opening parties, and venues and bars often host live music and performances for passersby to enjoy. A much-loved summer tradition, the Last Thursday art walk is a community event open to all vendors, artists and musicians and free for all visitors. One of the largest neighborhood street fairs, it’s a perfect way to take in the local art scene and enjoy Portland’s long summer evenings.

Food and Drink

Dotted with excellent coffee shops and quick casual eats, you’ll also find some of the most diverse restaurants and eateries in the city on Alberta Street. With every block offering a new cuisine to discover or a fun patio to grab a drink, it can get a little overwhelming to make a decision, especially when you’re hungry, so here are a few standouts:

1 of 3

Credit: NASHCO Photo

2 of 3

Credit: NASHCO Photo

3 of 3

Brunch, Lunch & Beverages

Two great brunch destinations are the Tin Shed (dog and family-friendly) and Proud Mary Cafe. Tin Shed makes ordering easy with their delicious sampler platters centering savory “Everything Naughty” or sweet “Everything Nice.” They’re also serving excellent cocktails with freshly squeezed juices.

Proud Mary Cafe is an Australian outpost serving less-standard fare and higher-end craft coffees. You can choose between options like tamarind glazed pork belly or savory-sweet French toast incorporating orange-ginger syrup and chocolate-Sichuan peppercorn dust. And if you’d like a quicker bite, Pine State Biscuits serves pillowy biscuit sandwiches that are perfect for any meal of the day.

Credit: Praveen, via Flickr (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

When lunchtime rolls around, kick back with a mason jar of boozy peach lemonade at the Bye and Bye, a vegan restaurant and bar where locals chow down on menu items like barbecue tofu, peanut broccoli bowls and buffalo soy curl wraps on spacious sun-dappled patios. But if you’d like something more meat-forward, you could grab a couple of award-winning pints at Great Notion Brewing and pair them with Matt’s BBQ Tacos, a Northeast Portland outpost of the nationally recognized food truck that serves slow-smoked brisket in Tex-Mex style tacos, right inside the brewery.

And if none of that interests you, three food cart pods along Alberta Street offer everything from West African fish yassa to Filipino chicken adobo.

Dinner, Dessert & Wine

For a more elevated, sit-down dining experience, Urdaneta serves Basque and Spanish-style tapas and a selection of rare vermouth and sherry. This intimate pintxo bar’s menu changes often, but two near-constants that are must-orders are their croquetas de jamon and blackened Basque cheesecake.

If your visit coincides with our colder, wetter months, nothing will warm you up like a cheesy fondue and a glass of wine at Swiss Hibiscus. This cozy neighborhood spot is right off Alberta’s main strip and has served Swiss classics like rahmschnitzel, Emince Zurichoise and other central European staples for over a decade.

If light snacks and excellent wine served in a romantic, moody setting are more your speed, Bar Nina is a necessary visit. You’ll sip natural orange wines, more approachable reds or wines made by the owners on a couch perched in a cave carved into the wall. During the warmer months, go upstairs to their seasonal pop-up Big Salt Bar for a breezier, light-filled enclosed patio that still feels like a secret oasis.

Guaranteed, Alberta Street has a restaurant or food truck ready to satisfy nearly any craving, including a scoop of Salt & Straw’s “Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons.”

Art Galleries, Shopping and More

With its many boutiques, galleries and indie shops, Alberta Street is perfect for leisurely strolling and shopping. However, the sheer number of art galleries concentrated on a single street makes this shopping district distinct from others in Portland. Art collectives, print-making studios, galleries and smaller art exhibitions are scattered throughout every block. Here are a few to get you started:

Art & History

Black artists and storytellers have created Black Heritage Markers on the sidewalk between Northeast 11th and Northeast 24th avenues to share the neighborhood’s history with visitors. Now mostly known for its trendy shopping districts, North and Northeast Portland were once the beating heart of Portland’s Black community. You can also access a mile-long audio-guided walking tour that preserves an iconic era of Portland soul music online called the Albina Soul Walk. The same collective, The Albina Music Trust, created the only full-service community archive in the United States dedicated to restoring the Black community’s musical culture.

Monograph Bookwerks doubles as both a stylish gallery and an art bookstore. Displaying modern prints, paintings and objects of interest, its catalog of new and used books has included out-of-print finds. Guardino Gallery, one of the Last Thursday art walk’s founders, specializes in contemporary Northwest art and highlights fine crafts in its gift shop. Nucleus and Antler both showcase contemporary art and handmade crafts. Alberta Street Gallery is one of the district’s longest-running arts collectives and galleries, displaying the work of 30 participating artists working in mediums ranging from paintings to sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, photography, fiber, glass and jewelry.

Credit: NashCO

Shopping

As for shopping, there’s everything from vintage clothing, children’s toys, specialty yarn and crochet supplies to Japanese knives. You can buy almost anything, and here are a few favorite spots:

Alberta Studios is a boutique shopping mall with rotating vendors offering unique handmade products, vintage finds and creative services. One week, you might find a complete vintage bar set and the following handmade belts — it’s always a shopping adventure. Citizen Ruth is a gift shop specializing in handmade work from over 200 artists and makers worldwide. It’s a must-stop if you’re looking for unique souvenirs.

Laundry is a vintage clothing store specializing in sports jerseys, hats, streetwear, and ‘80s and ‘90s attire by select brands. Do you want women’s fashion with a side of crystals, wild ephemera and possibly a tarot card reading? If yes, look no further than Psychic Sister. For casual but still beautifully made, locally designed fashion, head over to Tumbleweed, where you’ll find a selection of dresses, shoes and accessories.

Grasshopper Boutique is a one-stop shop for American-made children’s clothing, nontoxic toys, books and decor. Green Bean Books is a colorful and whimsical independent children’s bookstore with weekly story-times and fun educational toys.

If all the art galleries leave you feeling inspired, head over to Collage to fulfill your creative urge. The well-stocked art supply store has everything you need for drawing, painting, jewelry-making, stamping, mixed-media or card-making.

Close Knit sells yarn, knitting and crochet supplies and offers online classes for beginning and intermediate sweater makers. Before you visit, you can browse their extensive yarn selection online or ask their friendly staff for recommendations.