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Gabriel Granillo
Gabriel Granillo is a writer, editor, illustrator, and photographer living in Portland, Oregon. His journalism work focuses on arts and culture, lifestyle, and travel and outdoors.
Arab American Community
Connect with the food, culture and spirit of Portland's vibrant Arab American community.
Gabriel Granillo
Gabriel Granillo is a writer, editor, illustrator, and photographer living in Portland, Oregon. His journalism work focuses on arts and culture, lifestyle, and travel and outdoors.
Arab culture in America is an intricate and colorful tapestry, woven with the stories, flavors, and traditions of more than 20 countries. Here in Portland, you’ll find everything from Tatreez embroidery to Yemeni feasts and, of course, some of the best hummus this side of the Atlantic. Ready to explore Portland’s vibrant Arab American community? Marhaba, let’s dive in.
Arab American Resources
Visitors interested in learning more about Portland’s Arab American community have access to plenty of resources.
The Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon (AACCO) is a nonprofit cultural center with a mission to preserve and promote the heritage of Oregon’s diverse Arab American community. Through its cultural preservation work and its programs and events, such as the annual Portland Arab Mahrajan Festival, AACCO is a prominent contributor to Oregon’s cultural development.
The Islamic Center of Portland strives to provide high-quality religious, educational and social services to the Arab community in Portland. The organization works to strengthen the relationship between Muslim and non-Muslim people through the trifecta of effective interfaith partnership, tolerance and respect between the people of Oregon and Washington.
The Muslim Educational Trust was founded in 1993 to create an open, empowering, and collaborative atmosphere within the Muslim community in the greater Portland area. MET has made significant strides in the development of Portland‘s Islamic-based education over the years. Through its focus on education, the organization has fostered positive interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims. Honest communication with the media and public officials has been an important part of the process, positively impacting not only the people of Portland but also those who live outside the city.
The largest Islamic center in the Portland area, Masjed As-Saber provides high-quality religious, educational and social services to the Arab community in Portland. The stunning center in Southwest Portland hosts daily spiritual services, religious seminars and prayers, holy days celebrations, and more.
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church offers Christian church services that are mostly delivered in English, with the hymns and readings of the Divine Liturgy also shared in Arabic. In September, the church welcomes everyone to its annual Middle Eastern Festival.
Portland’s Arab Population
There are Americans who have roots in all Arab countries, but most living in the U.S. and Portland today originate from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, as well as substantial communities from Egypt, Yemen and Iraq.
More than 40,000 Arab Americans call Oregon home, a figure that’s doubled in the last 30 years, making it one of the fastest-growing Arab populations in the country. Arab Americans in Oregon reside in 28 of the state’s 36 counties. In 1978, Oregon became the first state to elect an Arab American governor, Victor George Atiyeh.
In April 2021, Portland took another positive step to celebrate its Arab American community: The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners recognized April as Arab American Heritage Month.
Now, Arab Americans’ presence and rich culture are felt across the region through community centers, festivals, popular restaurants, and other social and educational events.
Arab Arts and Culture
Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon
The Arab American Cultural Center of Oregon regularly hosts events, festivals, and programs to preserve and celebrate Arab culture in Portland and Oregon. In addition to its Arab Mahrajan Festival, which showcases Arab artists, makers and vendors, the bustling and busy AACCO hosts and supports community-oriented events centered on Arab culture across Portland and the Pacific Northwest.
Portland Institute for Contemporary Arts
The Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) frequently hosts works by artists of the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) diaspora through its Arab.AMP partner platform. Its annual SWANA Showcase and Celebration exhibits work from artists of Arab and SWANA heritage, with past showcases featuring work from Areem Rose, Farah Dinga, Melody Erfani, Amirra Malak and others. Check PICA for current exhibits and events.
Shami Café
Deep in Southeast Portland, Shami Café hosts regular musical performances, including traditional oud music. The oud is a stringed, fretless, short-necked instrument similar to a lute that is a prominent fixture in Middle Eastern and Northern Egyptian music. An inconspicuous, humble restaurant and community gathering place, Shami Café is a great place to hear the oud in person.
Lucky for visitors, Shami Café is also known for home-cooked Syrian fare. Owner and chef Wael Elasady is more than happy to share his family’s history in Palestine and Syria, and how traditions learned there permeate Shami Café’s menu, from Syrian-style M’sabaha hummus to Damascus street food, from savory, toasted fatteh to the richly decadent, buttery, crunchy kunafe.
You can also hear the oud and other Middle Eastern sounds live elsewhere in Portland. Local acts and artists include Seffarine, Brothers of the Baladi, Occidental Tourists and Nat Hulskamp.
Arab American Food
Middle Eastern Restaurants and Eateries
Ya Hala
What began as a deli counter in 1999 has grown into a spacious (and gorgeous) family-owned restaurant. Nestled in Southeast Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood, the Ya Hala kitchen is run by Chef Mirna Attar. Once featured on the Food Network’s “Chopped,” Attar whips up homey Lebanese cuisine using Northwest ingredients. While the lunch and dinner menus are exquisite in their own right, we recommend visiting during brunch hours. Try the Lebanese country breakfast, which features house-smoked lamb bacon, fried egg, potato-mint hash and house-made soujouk (sausage).
DarSalam
Iraqi hospitality takes top priority at DarSalam, which means “house of peace” in Arabic. A boon for gluten-free diners, the menu favors bright flavors and fresh offerings, including pickled mango salad and eggplant stew. The original restaurant on Northeast Alberta Street, founded in 2012, boasts a charming courtyard patio. If you’re downtown, check out the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet at DarSalam’s second location on Southwest Alder Street.
Nicholas Restaurant
Founded in 1987 by Lebanese-born Nicholas Dibe and his family, Nicholas now boasts two bustling locations on Portland’s east side. The chefs use fresh, local produce to create seasonal menu items like butternut squash hummus. The real spotlight, however, is on the restaurant’s famously enormous pita bread. A color-coded menu makes it easy for guests with special diets to find suitable meals.
Al-Amir Restaurant
Al-Amir has livened up downtown Portland since 1988 with bustling tables of authentic Lebanese feasts in the historic Bishop’s House. Reasonably priced kebabs are skewered at lunch, while evening offerings include marinated prawns and beef-stuffed cabbage rolls. Their thick Middle Eastern coffee, brewed in a traditional brass pot, is the perfect sip to conclude your meal.
Al Hawr
For vibrant Middle Eastern flavors in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood, pay a visit to long-running Lebanese spot Al Hawr. Favorites include the Fattoush salad, grilled lamb kafta and sauteed shawarma, plus a variety of delicious spreads and other appetizers.
Middle Eastern Bakeries
Sunbela
This Iraqi bakery on Southeast Division Street specializes in a variety of Middle Eastern treats and Halal food, but its ever-popular samoon, a diamond-shaped flatbread similar to pita, is its linchpin. Indulge in an array of treats inspired by decades of Iraqi tradition, like ma’amoul, baklava, tatli and more.
Essa Bakery
With rows upon rows of seemingly endless displays, it’s easy to be overwhelmed inside this Jade District bakery. But don’t worry, the folks at Essa will happily guide you through the stacks, and if you’re still unsure of what to get, grab a Mix Baklava bag and try a bunch.
Arz Cafe
Middle Eastern tradition comes alive at this Beaverton bakery. Following in the footsteps of chef Abbas Idris’ Lebanese heritage, Arz Café overflows with handmade, decadent treats like delicate shortbread ghraybeh, coconut rolls, crispy baklava, syrup-soaked basboosa and more.
Halal Food
In Portland, there are many dining options for those who eat halal food. DarSalam has several locations and serves up kabobs, sandwiches, bowls and authentic entrees, such as lamb stew. Food truck Noah Halal offers Greek and Middle Eastern dishes like chicken and lamb gyros. Marrakesh in Northwest/Nob Hill is strewn with Moroccan rugs and ornate tapestries, and offers à la carte options and Royal Feast dinners for parties of four or more. On the go and need something quick and delicious? Kafta House food cart will scratch that itch with the fan-favorite lamb saj before or after getting your steps in at Powell’s City of Books.
Just outside the city in Beaverton, Family Cafe is worth the short trek down the U.S. 26 (or just a quick 30-minute trip on the Max Red/Blue line from downtown Portland). It’s a small café with a big heart, run by an Iraqi family eager to share their story and traditions. The wide-windowed front, brick facade and hanging plants give Big Apple vibes with down-home charm. Order traditional American breakfast fare or go for more Middle Eastern flavors with lamb shank, fava beans, baklava and more. The strong and robust Turkish coffee pairs well with an afternoon spent watching passersby outside the windows.
Try your hand in the kitchen during your stay and shop for halal meat and other groceries at Halal Meat & Mediterranean Foods, a butcher shop in Tigard that also stocks imported items such as olives, olive oils, coffee and tea.
Arab and Halal Markets
These area markets offer fresh cuts and other grocery goods.
Arab-American Festivals and Events
Arab American Heritage Month
Portland officially welcomed its first Arab American Heritage Month in 2021, thanks to a host of supporters in local government. The Multnomah County declaration honors more than 3.5 million Arab Americans, including many Oregonians. Travelers can expect events celebrating Arab American Heritage Month throughout the city from the AACCO, Portland State University, the Islamic Center of Portland and others.
Arab Mahrajan Festival
Normally held in late August or early September, the long-running Arab Mahrajan Festival offers music, dance, markets, cuisine, henna and more. Starting in 2026, it will be held at Director Park, where local vendors will practice the centuries-old Palestinian embroidery technique known as Tatreez and offer Mediterranean and halal cuisine. This bustling annual festival aims to showcase the vibrant and varied Arabic cultures that call Portland home. Find delicious falafel, dance the dabke, or simply enjoy the countless friendly vendors like Capybara Crochet PDX, Salon Amrapali, Cedar Halal Market and others. The festival is ADA-accessible and typically lasts several hours, so make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen to keep the fun going.
Arab American Events
Celebrate Arab American culture in Portland at these upcoming events.
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