Order by the pound or half-pound at My Brother’s Crawfish for an authentic, southern-style seafood boil replete with Oregon-caught crawfish and plenty of king crab and mussels.

Credit: Amy Lam

82nd Avenue Food Guide

Find your way to 82nd Ave for global good eats, from Vietnamese cuisine to southern-style crawfish boils

Updated Jan. 23, 2024 4 min read

Amy Lam

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

Also known as the Avenue of the Roses, 82nd Avenue is a lively artery that runs through the heart of East Portland. In the 1800s, settlers arrived in what was once Indigenous land, home to tribes like the Clackamas, and established this thoroughfare as a dirt road connecting farmers to local markets. The road has since grown to become a key route for thousands of people every day. The north-south street stretches across the entire length of the city, cutting through many diverse neighborhoods home to immigrants and communities of color. Thriving markets line 82nd Avenue, many of them serving the Latinx and Asian communities who live nearby.

Finding 82nd Avenue

Located about 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Portland, 82nd Avenue passes through vibrant neighborhoods like Roseway, Montavilla and Lents. The Jade District, a cultural hub for the Asian and Pacific Islander community, is at the southern end of the avenue. Local communities have brought their home country’s’ cuisine to share at many of the small restaurants along this busy street.

From downtown, the MAX Red and Blue Lines, as well as most eastbound buses, connect with TriMet’s bus line 72 — which has the highest ridership in the region and runs along most of 82nd Avenue. Just blocks away, bike riders can find neighborhood greenways that run parallel to the street, like SE 87th Avenue. No matter how you get around, find your way to 82nd for some good eats. From some of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the city to southern-style crawfish boils, 82nd Avenue delivers for any craving you might have.

Explore 82nd Avenue Eats

Phở Oregon

Often recommended for serving the most aromatic bowl of phở in Portland, Phở Oregon has been a favorite among the growing local Vietnamese community for two decades. Noodle soup lovers can’t go wrong with the Phở Oregon đặc biệt; the restaurant’s house special features round steak, flank, brisket, tendon, tripe and meatballs. The ample menu highlights South Vietnamese-style bánh xèo, egg crepes stuffed with bean sprouts, shrimp and mint leaves, and the specialty bò lá lốt, grilled ground beef wrapped in betel leaves served on a bed of vermicelli noodles.

a person holds a spoon and chopsticks in a bowl of soup with meat and noodles — Warm up with a nourishing noodle bowl chock-full of round steak, flank, brisket, tendon, tripe and meatballs at Pho Oregon on 82nd Avenue.

vermicelli noodle dish — Find fresh Vietnamese classics like the satisfyingly crunchy and nourishing bun cha gio salad bowl at Pho Oregon on 82nd Avenue.

Head south on 82nd Ave for a sweet treat at Mia and More after a hearty bowl of phở. Mia and More features Vietnamese desserts like sugar cane fruit juices, chè (a traditional dessert pudding) and fruit smoothies. The cane juice is squeezed fresh from the stalk, and the drink menu is heavy with fruity durian.

Ki’ikibáa

The hearty Yucatecan Mexican dishes at Ki’ikibáa (named restaurant of the year in 2023) are a neighborhood favorite from chef Manny Lopez,formerly of Angel Food & Fun. Traditional Yucatán Mayan staples like crispy panuchos and puffy salbutes, topped with meat like cochinita pibil, slow-roasted marinated pork cooked in a banana leaf with achiote and sour orange. On top of specialties like brothy soups, relleno negro and relleno blanco, Ki’ikibáa’s burritos are bursting with flavor and crispy cheese. Ki’ikibáa, translated from Mayan by Lopez as “delicious food,” is true to its namesake.

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My Brother’s Crawfish

For a bold taste of Louisiana seafood, My Brother’s Crawfish features Cajun cuisine, one heaping crawfish boil at a time. After returning to Portland from Mississippi, I didn’t think I’d find the down-to-earth type of seafood boil that’s beloved across the American South (shout out to Crawdad Hole in Water Valley!). My Brother’s Crawfish is located in an unassuming strip mall and serves a menu packed with zesty Cajun flavors. You can’t go wrong with a seafood boil — get at least a pound of Oregon-caught crawfish and more of your favorite shellfish (you can order half pounds), like Alaskan king crab and mussels. Load the robust broth up with a few pieces of corn on the cob, red potatoes and andouille sausage, and you’ve got a boil to write home about. You must also try the lobster pop, a perfectly battered fried lobster tail served with half a lemon, and bacon-wrapped quail eggs from the appetizer menu.

Fortune BBQ Noodle House

The Cantonese comfort food at Fortune BBQ Noodle House hits the spot every meal. Corina Wang, formerly of the popular Kenny’s Noodle House, a few blocks from 82nd Avenue, opened her own Hong Kong-inspired restaurant in the Montavilla neighborhood. Whether you’re hungry for savory roasted duck and pork, wonton, congee, dry noodle dishes and noodle soups, you’re in luck — because Fortune BBQ serves all of it perfectly. You won’t be disappointed with any dish that includes the sweet crispness of roasted duck; try it served in a steamy noodle soup or with your choice of dry egg or wide rice noodles.

After a meal at Fortune BBQ, grab Cantonese-style buns at King’s Bakery further south. You’ll find their pastry case full of classic egg custard tarts and pineapple buns. Don’t be shy and order extra to take home.