Benjamin Tepler
Benjamin Tepler is Portland Monthly magazine's associate editor. Read More
Pine Street Market
This chef-driven food hall brings diverse dining options to Old Town.
Benjamin Tepler
Benjamin Tepler is Portland Monthly magazine's associate editor. Read More
Portland may not invent every foodie trend — but we do tend to perfect them. Take Pine Street Market, opened in May 2016, for example. Set in Old Town Chinatown, downtown’s oldest quarter, this chef-driven emporium is Portland’s answer to the kind of modern “food halls” that have drawn gastronomic raves in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
“Pine Street marks the beginning of a total reimagining for the most iconic and historic heart of Portland.”
Mike Thelin, Feast cofounder
Open from early morning to late night every day, Pine Street makes a great lunch stop for visitors staying in downtown hotels or exploring the nearby Portland Saturday Market, Voodoo Doughnut or Stumptown Coffee.
Among the market’s tenants, you can delight in a new soft-serve ice cream venture from Salt & Straw (called Wiz Bang Bar) and sip meticulously roasted coffee from Barista’s Brass Bar. Checkerboard Pizza, helmed by James Beard Award-winning author and baker Ken Forkish, offers croissants, breads and pizza while Kim Jong Smokehouse, a star-studded collaboration between Kim Jong Grillin’s Han Ly Huang, BJ Smith (formerly of now-closed Smokehouse Tavern) and Earl Ninsom of acclaimed Thai eatery Langbaan, serves up a smokey twist on Korean BBQ.
Market Notables
Portland Ramen Restaurants
The Portland ramen scene has exploded in recent years, spurred by the arrival of two authentic eateries straight from Tokyo.
Soft Serve Ice Cream in Portland
Portland’s devotion to ice cream has produced some of the nation’s top scoop shops, featuring both traditional and dairy-free options.
The Portland-Japan Connection
Many of the best Portland goods and restaurants are popping up in a surprising place: Japan. (And vice versa!)
Pine Street’s culinary curator (yes, that’s a real job in Portland), Mike Thelin, who co-founded the city’s popular Feast Portland festival, has also wooed far-flung talent, including legendary Tokyo-based ramen shop Marukin. It all adds up to what feels like a kind of permanent food festival. Best of all: It’s good for the city.
“Pine Street marks the beginning of a total reimagining for the most iconic and historic heart of Portland,” says Thelin.
That makes Pine Street’s story all the more delicious.
More Restaurant Alternatives
Sometimes the best meals aren't at sit-down establishments
Portland Mercado
With a neighborhood grocery, meat market, coffee shop, food cart pod and more, the Mercado is one of the city’s most delicious destinations.
Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday and Sunday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.
Food Cart Pods
Portland’s selection of more than 600 food carts, most grouped in “pods,” has drawn raves from the likes of Bon Appétit and CNN.