Central Eastside
Across the Willamette River from downtown, this area blends industrial Portland with new restaurants, microbreweries and riverside recreation.
Criss-crossed with train tracks and lined with old industrial factories, some of Portland’s favorite restaurants, boutiques and events call the Central Eastside home. Read on for our recommended things to do and see in Portland’s Central Eastside.
Where to Stay in the Central Eastside
Across the Willamette River from downtown, the Central Eastside area blends industrial Portland with new restaurants, microbreweries and riverside recreation and offers easy access to other central-city and eastside districts.
Place to Eat and Drink in the Central Eastside
You’ll want to start early if you’re looking to try Southeast Portland’s Delicious Donuts. Often selling out before closing, this low-key, family-owned doughnut shop sneaks under the radar in Portland’s food scene. With their flagship coffee shop in the Central Eastside, Water Avenue Coffee roasts interesting blends and single-origin coffee beans, making you an excellent cup.
With a year-round patio, live music and DJ, and weekend brunch Produce Row Cafe is a gastro-pub you don’t want to miss. A champion of craft beer in Portland since 1978, pair beer with whiskey and a great meal.
One of the neighborhood’s pioneering restaurants, clarklewis makes the most of its light-filled former-loading-dock location, turning out wood-fired delicacies like oak-grilled rib-eye steak served with local chard, creamed corn and oyster mushrooms.
Kachka brings a little bit of the old world to Portland with traditional Russian cuisine (their dumplings are incredible) and vodka samplers where you can try house-infused vodkas in flavors like horseradish and chamomile. Recently, they’ve opened Lavka, as a market with a deli counter daily, though still continuing their fine-dining by evening — so be sure to make a reservation.
For Italian classics and thin-crust pizza, Nostrana brings complex flavors to simple dishes.
With its own creative take on ramen — think rich, meaty broths with fried chicken, oysters and fresh noodles — Boke Bowl has also earned a devoted following. But despite their meaty servings, vegetarians can get in on the action here too, with Korean fried tofu and eggplant — and everyone loves Boke’s daring miso-butterscotch twinkies for dessert.
Perhaps the most nationally recognized name in the neighborhood, Le Pigeon, turns out French-based dishes with a local twist, like the Paris mushroom carpaccio starter and the entrée of smoked scallops with spaghetti and pig’s ear. Guests sit elbow-to-elbow at communal tables here, packing in for a crack at James Beard Award-winning chef Gabriel Rucker‘s ever-changing menu.
When night falls, the Central Eastside offers plenty of entertainment. Hipster biker bar White Owl Social Club serves shoestring fries and rave-worthy beet burgers on its expansive patio, where patrons can roast s’mores on tabletop campfires. Housing hundreds of barrels filled with award-winning sour ales, Cascade Brewing Barrel House offers a tart tap list ripe with beers made with berries, apricots and even local coffee.
What to Do in the Central Eastside
The Central Eastside knows how to have fun any time of day. Head to Water Avenue, which runs along the Willamette River, and find shops, restaurants and an old — and renewed — business district (accessible via Portland Streetcar or MAX Orange Line). Tucked under the Marquam Bridge, OMSI promises fun for all ages, with permanent draws like a four-story movie theater, a planetarium, high-profile traveling exhibitions like Body Worlds and Mythbusters, or special exhibits on everything from retro video games to nanotechnology.
Central Eastside Attractions
Explore five of this district’s distinguishing landmarks and places to visit.
And those who love trains shouldn’t miss the nearby Oregon Rail Heritage Center, which features three steam locomotives and other train antiquities.
If you want to spend more time outdoors, Kerr Bikes rents any style of bike, including a surrey that will hold the whole family. With nearby trails to explore, bike along the Springwater Corridor or Eastbank Esplanade.
Pips & Bounce is a palace of ping-pong action. (Yes, ping-pong!) Packed with ten tournament-quality tables, hundreds of paddles and even ball-shaped lights, players can work on their backhand or kick back with vittles like local smoked sausage from Zenner’s. Staffers even scoop up stray balls to help keep the volleys coming. Around the corner, the traditional bowling alley gets a reboot at Grand Central Restaurant & Bowling. Giant projection screens play B movies and music videos to accompany the crashing pins and classic arcade games, air hockey and billiards. Order pub grub and signature mojitos straight from a comfy couch by your lane.
You can sing your heart out at Voicebox, a karaoke bar with private rooms, so even shy crooners can slam the door on stage fright thanks to private, soundproof suites. Confidence-boosting beverages like sake cocktails along with pita pizzas and tater tot nachos help feed the need to belt out “Bohemian Rhapsody” until the wee hours. Singers can even order gummy worms and M&Ms by the half-pound — virtually guaranteeing a sweet note to end on.
If you’re in the mood for live music, Central Eastside has many world-class venues from Doug Fir to Holocene. Bunk Bar on Water Avenue, is an intimate, converted warehouse with eclectic bands, pinball, beer and Bunk sandwiches.
Nightlife in the Central Eastside
This area of Portland is a hub for late-night attractions, including cool bars and dance spots.
Shopping in Central Eastside
Fashion Finds
Look out, downtown — East Burnside is beginning to rival the city center as Portland’s fashion hub. Inside a hip, minimalist space, Machus, a tightly curated boutique for men, carries high-end designers from Saturdays NYC to Naked & Famous. Nearby, Una offers a collection of exotic knickknacks, indie clothing and local housewares sourced by thrift-store whiz Giovanna Parolari.
Check out OKO in its new East Burnside location. This small shop specializes in vintage and antique jewelry. It also sells new jewelry by Portland designers, art, a small selection of magical skincare potions and other antiques and rarities.
Books and Trinkets
With plenty of boutiques and small storefronts, Central Eastside provides trinkets of all kinds. The distinctive 811 E. Burnside building, with exposed iron beams and loads of glass storefronts, is home to a handful of fittingly unique shops. Complete a new look at xobruno, which offers one-of-a-kind leather bags. Coy & Co., the city’s first sustainably certified florist shop, is equipped to handle all your floral design needs. It sells hand-tied bouquets, flower subscriptions, robust arrangements and more.
With apparel for hard-working folks, Red Cloud Collective — a group of artists, designers, musicians, woodworkers, motorcycle mechanics, skateboarders and photographers — is full of locally hand-crafted clothing, leather and products.
Mother Foucault’s is a stunning used bookstore, with old-world charms and occasional readings by local or touring independent authors.
More Central Eastside Events
Get to know the Central Eastside neighborhood at these upcoming events.
Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom
Learn about the animal kingdom’s coolest methods of self-defense. Every species of animal has evolved some mechanism to protect themselves from attack. Some of these means of self-defense are more obvious than others, but make no mistake, every animal has a strategy. Staying Alive: Defenses of the Animal Kingdom explores how animals use tough armor, powerful venom…
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family
Tyrannosaurs – Meet the Family brings the latest tyrannosaur discoveries to life, overturning preconceptions about these ferocious predators. The exhibition explores the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs in new and different ways. The exhibition’s real and replica specimens are spectacular in scale and form and reveal some of the most significant discoveries…
Matt Bellassai
Matt Bellassai is a comedian, writer, and social media sensation known for his witty and irreverent takes on adulthood and the struggles of everyday life. Matt’s comedy combines the traditional formula of stand-up with his signature crabby prose on various topics affecting the masses. He expresses these daily frustrations on his hit Facebook series "To…
Cristela Alonzo
Cristela Alonzo made history when she became the first Latina to create, produce and star in her network sitcom, Cristela for ABC. During that year, she split her time between LA and NYC to serve as one of ABC’s favorite guest hosts on their hit daytime talk show, The View. Cristela made history again when…
Charli XCX Dance Night
VROOM VROOM: A Charli XCX Dance Night is back again by popular demand. A dance party exploring the music of Charli XCX, her collaborators, producers, and related artists, as well as the hyper pop, PC Music and experimental avant-garde dance/pop realms. (Think artists like Shygirl, A.G. Cook, Caroline Poloachek, Kero Kero Bonito, Lady Gaga, Sophie,…
Juice Drum & Bass 19th Anniversary
Announcing the 19th Anniversary celebration, featuring this legend and one of the bosses of the genre — MAKOTO (Human Elements / Hospital / UK-Japan), for his first appearance in Portland. To add to the fire of this session is another PDX first, welcome the mighty DEGS (Hospital / UK) for a very special vocal/DJ set….
Radiant Reflections
During Women's History Month, join 'Radiant Reflections' showcasing a vibrant array of women-owned shops and services, celebrating empowerment and style. Discover unique finds and support local businesses throughout the day, culminating in a dazzling curated fashion show at 6 p.m. Don't miss this opportunity to shine and support female entrepreneurs in the community.
Brian Bates
Brian Bates is a Nashville based comedian who tours the country performing at comedy clubs, theaters, corporate events, and churches. You may have seen his Dry Bar Comedy special "Uber Important" or heard him as a guest at The Grand Ole Opry. He can also be heard regularly on LaughUSA on SiriusXM radio. When not…
Lucas Zelnick
Lucas Zelnick is a stand-up comedian born, raised, and based in New York City, who challenges his cushy upbringing through punch-heavy material. Lucas’s stand-up clips have exploded online, where he has received over 100M views and 500K+ followers across Instagram and TikTok. In 2022, Lucas established a strong baseline for himself as a touring comedian,…
Eddie Pepitone
Comedian Eddie Pepitone, also known as 'The Bitter Buddha,' is a master of the dark art of comedy, and he has been hailed as a modern day cross between Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles, and Eckart Tolle. Eddie is a force of nature on stage, switching between social rage and self-doubt, and his shows are an…
Christopher Titus
Christopher Titus is a prolific stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and producer. His stand-up work sees him playing to sell-out audiences at clubs and theaters nationwide. As a creator, Titus has sold scripts and ideas to NBC, ABC, FOX and Comedy Central. His multi-cam half-hour “Titus” premiered to critical and audience acclaim on Fox, earning the show…
Morgan Jay
Morgan Jay is a first generation American performer based out of Los Angeles. He’s appeared on NBC, CBS, Comedy Central, Funny or Die and is one of the newest cast members of MTV’s Wild’n’Out. With over a decade of performance experience, Morgan has managed to create a unique performance with both music and comedy that…
Love, Shakespeare
Witness the Magic of Unscripted Shakespeare. Step into the offbeat world of Love, Shakespeare, where seasoned Portland comedians attempt something audacious: performing a fully improvised Elizabethan based on your suggestions. Each show is an unpredictable tribute to Shakespeare's comedy, filled with ridiculous twists and spontaneous delights. Follow a merry band of players — former buddies of…
SHUTTER
PDX Presents is pleased to announce its first-ever curated show: SHUTTER – A Celebration of Portland Punk, Rock, and Live Music Photography featuring Black Shelton & the American Dream, Buddy Wynkoop, and The Upkeeps. The night’s theme is an exploration of modern punk, hard rock, and local live music photography that define the post-pandemic era in Portland,…
Black + Loud Music Festival
Categorically, through the entire history of music and American culture, Black folks have not received proper love or credit, and if they do, it is not until decades after their passing, from Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Seattle's Tina Bell to the contemporary pioneers Fishbone. In the PNW, Black-fronted bands need proper support and recognition of…
Alingon Mitra
Alingon Mitra was one of only 100 comedians invited to perform on the remake of NBC's "Last Comic Standing" and went on to be the winner of the show's comic comeback contest. Chosen as the fan favorite in the semifinal round, Alingon won the public vote five weeks in a row to perform in the…
Burlynomicon – A Darkly Decadent Burlesque Revue
Burlynomicon – A Darkly Decadent Burlesque Revue beckons you back into the cozy crypt at The Coffin Club for another delightful soiree. Celebrate another revolution around the sun of producer and host Natasha Riot, as well as bringing you all the gloriously ghoulish entertainment one birthday evening can hold. Enter this lush, decadent, and special…
Nick Mullen
Nick Mullen is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, producer, actor and comedy writer. Active since 2005, he is best known as the creator and co-host of the comedy podcast Cum Town and its successor The Adam Friedland Show. He released his first comedy special, The Year of the Dragon, in December 2023.
Mission Gibbons
Imago Co-Founder Carol Triffle premieres her newest show, "Mission Gibbons". The time has come to listen to the Cavemen sing. Is humankind moving forward or backward? In Carol Triffle's strangely empowering absurdist comedy, the answer is "both." Three day-tripping hikers find their climb up Mount Plastic reoriented by a trio of Neanderthals who know a thing or…
Oregon Otter Beer Festival
The Elakha Alliance is throwing their biggest otter-ly amazing fundraiser of the year — all to help bring the adorable flippered friends back to Oregon. Come together at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland for an evening dedicated to fundraising for ocean conservation through delicious sea otter-themed craft beer tastings. This…
Blue Girl and the Burning Bushes
What if the second coming already happened? And She was Blue? Blue Girl and the Burning Bushes is the story of the coming of age of a young orphan — a science prodigy growing up alone in a junkyard — destined to sing the goddess back into the souls of humanity — and save the…
Ladies and Tangents
Family by chance, co-dependent co-hosts by choice. Jeri and Ciara are cousins and best friends who have spent 30 years in comedic conversation. In 2019, they started the highly addictive and relatable podcast Ladies & Tangents. In 2021, the duo started to gain popularity quickly thanks to viral excerpts of episodes shared on the social…
The Big Sipper
Don't miss the cocktail & spirits tasting event of the year. Your ticket includes samples from local distilleries and spirits companies, tastes of participating craft cocktails made by your favorite bars & restaurants, yummy food, one vote for the People's Choice award for the best cocktail in Portland, photo ops & more.
Jordan Jensen
Jordan Jensen started comedy in upstate NY before moving to Nashville TN, where she spent a year working for clubs and taking her comedy on the road in her pickup truck. Jordan now co hosts the podcast "Bein' Ian with Jordan" with comedian Ian Fidance and her first half hour special, presented by GaS Digital…
Portland Night Market
The Portland Night Market showcases many unique businesses that call Portland home. Blending food, culture, music, drinks and retail for an adventurous evening in the Central Eastside. Meet some of Portland's best makers and creators. With almost 200 hundred makers, the Night Market offers food carts, drinks, clothing, lifestyle goods, home goods, body care and art. The Portland…
Jordan Mackampa
Born in the Republic of Congo and raised in London, Jordan Mackampa has spent his life straddling identities — a challenge the singer-songwriter addresses right in the title of his debut album, Foreigner. Appropriately enough, Mackampa's music juggles genres as it mashes decades of classic pop with tinges of gospel and lots of dramatic, timeless,…
Jamie Lissow
Actor and comedian Jamie Lissow is currently a regular weekly guest on the #1 rated late-night talk show, Gutfeld! on Fox. Jamie is best known for his starring role in two seasons of the Netflix Original Series “Real Rob”, alongside SNL alums Rob Schneider, Adam Sandler, Norm MacDonald and David Spade; a show Jamie co-wrote…
Borderline
Borderline is set in the cotton fields of Socorro, Texas, where four Latino teens threatened by a mysterious creature must rely on each other to escape the desert alive. It will take made-up myths, stories of the past, and a rendition of La Llorona to defeat the very real monster stalking children in the borderlands….
Steve Mason
Chat to Steve Mason about his fifth solo album – the stirring and stunning Brothers & Sisters— and all musical touchpoints crop up. From Wu-Tang Clan and LTJ Bukem to Adam and The Ants and Public Image Limited by way of Mahalia Jackson and The Cramps, Mason not only knows his musical onions but remains resolutely…
Brad Upton
Brad Upton is Dry Bar Comedy’s most popular act with over 160 million views. He used to tour with the late, great Joan Rivers and is a past winner of the Las Vegas Comedy Festival. Don’t miss this show!!!
Martin Amini
Martin Amini is a stand-up comic based in Los Angeles, California, born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. Martin’s stand-up material touches on what its like growing up mixed in America coming from a Bolivian and Iranian background. After making his tv debut on Laff Tracks on TruTv, Martin filmed his stand up special “Son…
Josh Wolf
Josh Wolf is a comedian, actor, and NY Times Bestselling author best known for his work as a round table guest and writer on E!’s “Chelsea Lately” and “After Lately.” Throughout 2013-2014, Wolf hosted “Shark After Dark” which aired during the ultra-popular “Shark Week” on The Discovery Channel. Josh was then cast as the host…
Taste of Thailand
Enjoy Portland's inaugural Thai Festival through a culinary journey via Thailand's four regions with local Thai restaurants at the "Taste of Thailand."
Rafi Bastos
Rafi Bastos is a 6’7” tall Jewish-Brazilian comedian with an accent like Dracula and a rapidly growing social media presence of stand-up clips in English, mostly filmed from the prestigious Comedy Cellar in New York. In his home country of Brazil, Rafi is a trailblazer in comedy and is one of the first comedians to…
Portland's Central City
There's a lot more to Portland's urban core than Downtown, a center for retail, restaurants and cultural attractions. Goose Hollow is home to Providence Park soccer stadium, while the Pearl District is famous for upscale bars, boutiques and galleries. Old Town Chinatown offers streetwear shops, Saturday Market and Lan Su Chinese Garden and Northwest/Nob Hill boasts shopping, dining and access to Forest Park and the historic Pittock Mansion. East of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers family-friendly attractions, shopping and nightlife, while Lloyd is home to the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Was this page helpful?