Alberta Arts District
Stroll Alberta's main street to discover local art, live music and a wide range of bars and restaurants.
Alberta Street is bursting with things to do any day of the year. If you’re having difficulty narrowing down where to go, use this guide to plan a perfect day filled with food, drink and local culture in Northeast Portland’s Alberta Arts District.
Learn More About Alberta Street
Where are the best places to eat on Alberta Street?
What are some quintessentially Portland things to do on Alberta Street?
- Choose from inventive ice cream at hyper-popular Salt & Straw
- Look for Mike Bennett’s yard zoo
- Browse tiny (and regular-sized) survival and camping tools at Cord
- See a show at The Alberta Rose Theater or Alberta Street Pub
What’s the history of Alberta Street?
What other neighborhoods are near Alberta Arts District?
Where to Eat and Drink on Alberta Street
Wake up with a cup of direct trade coffee at hip local roaster Case Study Coffee, which serves seasonal java in an inviting café filled with warm wood beams, leafy potted plants, and ample natural light.
Case Study shares a patio with one of Portland’s most popular (and most dog-friendly) brunch destinations, Tin Shed. Chow down on the “Everything Nice,” a sampler platter piled with potato cakes, sausage, French toast, and scrambled eggs or a hearty breakfast bowl.
When lunchtime rolls around, kick back with a mason jar of boozy peach lemonade at the Bye and Bye, a vegan restaurant and watering hole where locals chow down on bowls of brown rice, Brussels sprouts, and barbecue tofu on a sun-dappled patio.
Comfort Food on Alberta
Enjoy elevated Spanish tapas at Urdaneta. Served in a casual environment, the visually striking plates play host to bold flavors. Each dish is complementary to the house craft cocktails, Spanish wines and sherries. Dining at Urdaneta is meant to be an experience. The open kitchen and dining areas help make eating dinner and dessert at the restaurant a communal affair. While the menu is always changing, seafood and meat dishes share space with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Chef for the recently shuttered Beast restaurant (and 2014 James Beard Award-winner) Naomi Pomeroy’s latest venture, Expatriate, offers a diverse array of culture-bridging and Burmese-inspired fare. Vinyl beats and vintage film projections set the vibe for meticulous cocktails from Pomeroy’s husband Kyle Linden Webster, and drinking snacks like Chinese-sausage corn dogs complement the standout libations.
Don’t let the name fool you; the Bollywood Theater doesn’t charge admission. Feast on Indian small plates of street food such as lamb samosas, pork vindaloo, or fried sweet and sour cauliflower while watching a Bollywood movie projected on the wall.
Get an education in saké at Zilla Saké House, where the 70+ varieties of saké include offerings from SakéOne, located in Forest Grove, west of Portland. Let the experienced staff pour you a flight; they can also recommend the best pairings from the sushi menu.
Alberta Sipping Spots
Get a taste of Alberta at these recommended watering holes.
Alberta Street Art and Murals
In addition to dedicated gallery spaces like Alberta Street Gallery, murals and galleries of all sizes line Alberta Street. Monograph Bookwerks focuses on art books, but it’s also a stylish gallery with prints, paintings and midcentury ceramics. At Flight 64 you can see art by local printmakers, or attend a workshop.
Guardino Gallery — one of the founders of the Last Thursday art/street fair — specializes in contemporary Northwest art and highlights fine crafts in its gift shop. Enjoy all kinds of art with several galleries on the street, like Nucleus or Antler, both showcasing contemporary art and handmade craft, or the local artist collective and gallery, Alberta Street Gallery.
Alberta Main Street collaborated with local Black artists and storytellers to teach visitors about the neighborhood’s history. Look for Black Heritage Markers on the sidewalk between 11th Avenue and 24th Avenue.
Live Events on Alberta
When summertime arrives, Alberta welcomes back its iconic monthly street fair, Last Thursday. The traditionally more artist-based neighborhood’s response to the Pearl District’s more upscale First Thursday. During the Last Thursday art walk, more than 150 local vendors, artists, and musicians line Alberta Street, which is closed to vehicle traffic.
Anchoring the neighborhood’s east end, the Alberta Rose Theatre offers live music, comedy nights, art house films, and other events year-round, meaning there’s never a bad time to stop in.
Alberta Street Pub hosts live music almost every day of the week, with multiple acts throughout the day during weekends. The massive outdoor patio is a great place to hang out with friends and family or simply soak it all in.
The Alberta Street Fair, held in August, features live music on multiple stages, more than 150 local vendors, kids’ activities, a beer garden and more.
Alberta Shopping
With its many boutiques, galleries and indie shops, Alberta Street is made for leisurely shopping strolls.
For casual but beautiful locally-made fashion, pop next door to Tumbleweed for a selection of dresses and accessories by indie designers. Frock offers an eclectic mix of vintage and locally designed fashions and accessories.
Underneath it all, nothing beats a bra that fits perfectly. Portland ladies sing the praises of The Pencil Test, a friendly shop whose small stock is almost guaranteed to include the best-fitting bra you’ve ever worn.
Fashion for Any Body
Shopping for Kids
At Grasshopper you’ll find organic, American-made children’s clothing and non-toxic toys. For families, Green Bean Books makes a great rainy-day escape thanks to colorful walls, plush couches, weekly storytimes and frequent author readings.
Get Crafty
Feeling inspired? Stop by 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. Browse their extensive yard selection online before you visit, or ask their friendly staff for recommendations.
Aspiring to join Portland’s numerous successful Project Runway contestants — or just wanting to sew yourself some new duds? Visit Modern Domestic for sewing classes and open sewing hours on their fleet of Bernina machines; a few blocks east, you’ll find a wide range of materials at Bolt Fabric Boutique. Next door to Bolt, yarn shop Close-Knit wins fans with its inspiring sample projects, great yarn selection and friendly staff.
Self Care Shopping and Soaks
Blendily is a handmade skincare kitchen where you can watch owner Ivy Chuang craft all-natural skincare, bath products and herbal remedies with fresh, organic wild ingredients. Indulge in the “Glow Up” facial steam for some sweet-smelling self-care. For added relaxation, head to the outdoor soaking pool at nearby McMenamins Kennedy School.
More Alberta Arts Events
Get to know the Alberta Arts neighborhood at these upcoming events.
Alberta Street Gallery Exhibit
The Fiber Art Invitational features the immense talent and dazzling work of local members of Studio Art Quilt Associates ((SAQA). SAQA members are renowned for their layered and stitched visual masterpieces that will challenge your perception of what quilts can be. Flora and Fauna of PDX is a colorful celebration of the beautiful blossoms and…
Kim Slate – Backyard Habitat
Even from a young age growing up in Eastern Washington, Kim Slate had a fascination with the creation of images and the power they had to capture the imagination and elicit emotion. The encouragement of her interests and talents led her to study animation where the power of images are amplified by story. After graduation, she applied her…
Microdose 4
In a culture that often emphasizes getting all things bigger or in large amounts beholds a surprising truth that an emotion or physiological reaction can come from something so tiny… Artists: Amy Earles / Andi Soto / Cat Rabbit / Creature Creature / Chloe Niclas / Deth Sun / Diego Penuela / Erick Martinez /…
Spring Fling at The Abbey
Anthony Rivera, Rajime The Block Bishop, Birdboy, Jayy Flowe, City D Great, Dub Dynamite, Lil Gus, Rainezra, Khoraan, The Oregonization, 40UR, Callisa J, Heavensent, Potland Ownagun, Funkaveli, Sierra Stone, LSO Lil' Reno, and Special Guests.
Latin Rock Exchange
Latin Rock Exchange plays dance music with a Latin and Afro-Cuban flair and flavor, with lots of percussion and salsa-inducing rhythms. Their sets cover Latin rock music from War, Barrabas, Buena Vista Social Club, Jobim, Santana, Bublé, Sade; and many other classics across generations, songs that almost everyone will know. Although this band is fresh…
Resurrection: A Benefit for The Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven
This Easter Sunday, help repair and re-home legendary inner Southeast industrial performance and rehearsal venue The Steep and Thorny Way to Heaven. Join some of Portland’s best alternative performing artists as they throw one heck of a party to help raise the funds it will take to fully “resurrect” this beloved Portland institution. Featuring mini…
Consider This With Eli Saslow
Join Oregon Humanities for a conversation about poverty and addiction in America with Eli Saslow, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist for the New York Times. His recent reporting has explored stories about addiction, poverty, and homelessness in Portland, Phoenix, San Diego, and other cities across the country. Saslow and host Adam Davis will talk about what…
Wisteria Lodge, Rachel Brashear, Strange & The Familiars
Embarking on a beautiful and strange journey creating original music inspired by the works of David Lynch, the Pacific Northwest duo is composed of classically trained vocalist Lady K and accompanied by producer and multi-instrumentalist Dustin Carpenter. Performing sold-out shows from Portland to Dallas, WISTERIA LODGE conjures a unique and mysterious sound balanced between radiant dream…
Peter Cincotti
Singer-songwriter-piano phenom Peter Cincotti burst onto the scene at 18 years old when he became the youngest artist ever to reach #1 on the Billboard Jazz Charts. Since then Peter has been wowing audiences around the globe in some of the world’s most prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall to L’Olympia in Paris. His albums have been…
Holly Near
Holly Near has been singing for a more equitable world for well over 50 creative years. She is an insightful storyteller through her music, committed to keeping the work rooted in contemporary activism. One of the most powerful, consistent, and outspoken singers of our time, her concerts elevate spirits and inspire activism. A skilled performer,…
Booklover's Burlesque Festival
Join The International Booklover’s Burlesque Festival. This event is a one-of-a-kind sensual literary weekend celebration of two uniquely different, open-themed Booklover’s Burlesque shows that highlight a mix of any and all genres of the written word matched with burlesque, boylesque, and draglesque artists chosen from around the country and the world. Each night will feature different…
North × Northwest Ladies 1st Showcase
This curated performance showcase features a select mix of Portland's top breakout female artists from Soul, Pop, and Hip-hop all on one stage for one night only. Dj Aspen is in the house with the master mix and talented vocalist/influencer Rainezra and The Oregonization hosts this epic night of music at historic Alberta Abbey for…
Bottleneck Blues Band
In 2015 Bottleneck Blues Band was named best new Blues band by the Cascade Blues Association and nominated for Best CD of the Year Award and in 2023 they were nominated for Best Traditional Blues Band. The band has performed all over Oregon, Washington and Idaho playing some of the biggest festivals in the region,including…
PGMC Presents Human/Nature: A Cascade Showcase
As spring returns, so does Cascade, PGMC’s a cappella ensemble, in this concert celebrating the earth and the stories of the lives upon it. This eclectic program of songs and stories asks: what is our place in this world, and what does it mean to be human? Explore these life-affirming questions in a concert that…
Portland Gay Men's Chorus: Human/Nature: A Cascade Showcase
As spring returns, so does Cascade, PGMC’s a cappella ensemble, in this concert celebrating the earth and the stories of the lives upon it. This eclectic program of songs and stories asks: what is our place in this world, and what does it mean to be human? Explore these life-affirming questions in a concert celebrating…
Willy Porter
Some folks are lucky to find what they love to do at an early age and quietly settle in for the long haul, expanding and developing their work over the arc of a lifetime. Willy Porter is one of those artists. He has followed his own path to explore the sacred language that music truly…
Antonio Rey
Many flamenco aficionados consider Antonio Rey to be the heir apparent to Paco de Lucia’s throne. His career began at the age of ten. He was soon performing on international stages and winning prestigious awards for his incredible virtuosity, such as the Premio Nacional de Guitarra (also won by Paco de Lucia and Vicente Amigo),…
Larry & Joe
Larry & Joe is the duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina). These two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas to prove that music has no borders. Their…
More to Explore
The Alberta Arts District is just the beginning of Portland's love for the arts and magic.
Monthly Art Walks in Portland
Explore Portland's art gallery scene with three regular art walks, held in different creative neighborhoods around town.
Portland’s “Mystic District”: Three Magical Shops in One City Block
Whether you’re curious about crystals, dreaming of divination decks or just seeking sweet-smelling soap, Portland’s Mystic District has the store for you.
Ways to Practice Self-Care in Portland
It’s okay to admit that you occasionally get stressed or down. Thankfully Portland's self-care offerings are deep; walk in over 200 parks, find time for yoga, sauna, soaking, and health-conscious food to practice self-care like a Portlander.
Illustration by Subin Yang
Northeast Portland Neighborhoods
Located east of Williams Ave. and north Burnside Street, Northeast Portland contains popular visitor destinations like the Alberta Arts District and The Grotto. Portland International Airport is in outer Northeast.
Was this page helpful?