Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Primary Menu 31 Events Near Me content loading animation Search
  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Portland Visitor Center
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
i
For a sampling of some of the city’s best food, head to Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg
Neighborhoods / Southeast Portland

Hawthorne

Always quirky, Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard is a walkable street with block after block of vintage shops, boutiques, and cafés. Find plenty of things to do!

i
For a sampling of some of the city’s best food, head to Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg

Spanning 43 blocks, in old storefronts find thrift shopping, cozy bookstores, fine and casual dining, and a perfect espresso as you wander this locally beloved Southeast Portland neighborhood. Read on for our favorite things to do and see in the Hawthorne District.

Explore Portland With Near Me Now

Are you in Portland or visiting soon? Our Near Me Now web app will lead you to some of our favorite neighborhood spots.

Visit Near Me Now

Short-Term Rentals in Hawthorne

Use the links below to search for short-term vacation rental listings in and near Hawthorne.

Airbnb

Vacasa

Vrbo

Where to Eat and Drink on Hawthorne

Start your day with meticulously brewed coffee from Coava Coffee at its second outpost in a small cafe on Hawthorne. Coffee-lovers will find locally roasted single-origin coffee and espresso, plus single-origin mochas made with a custom blend of shaved and powdered Cocanu chocolate. Further east, Albina Press, pouring up rich mochas, cocoas and heavenly cappuccinos also serves as the water-cooler for work-from-home locals.

At this quintessentially hip coffeehouse, Upper Left Roasters you can wake up with a piping hot Ethiopian pour-over or creamy iced mocha at this which also offers a lengthy toast menu featuring toppings like macadamia nut butter and house-made ricotta.

10 To Try

Food and Drink

On Hawthorne you'll find a plethora of cuisines, many catering to many different dietary needs.

  • Maruti Indian

    Maruti features modern interpretations of traditional family recipes. Their vegetarian menu includes many vegan and gluten-free options. They use local, organic ingredients, and every entree is made to order.

  • Cubo

    Cubo offers traditional Cuban fare like pork or chicken and rice, tostones, Cuban sandwiches and more. They also offer a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

  • Farmhouse Kitchen Thai – Hawthorne

    This San Francisco-based Thai eatery can now be found in Portland. They follow their own rules, offering traditional and adventurous Thai dishes like beef short ribs and Hat Yai-style fried chicken.

  • TarBoush Lebanese Bistro & Bar

    Set in a Victorian house on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, TarBoush serves Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy smooth hummus, mezze platters, shawarma plates and cocktails with a Middle Eastern twist.

  • Fried Egg I’m in Love – Hawthorne

    This breakfast spot specializes in music-pun-themed sandwiches like the signature Yolko Ono or the spicy Sriracha Mix-A-Lot. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.

  • Sapphire Hotel

    Once a seedy hotel frequented by sailors and ramblers, the Sapphire Hotel has since been converted into a candlelit restaurant with an eclectic menu and a bevy of inventive cocktails.

  • Portland Cider House

    Portland Cider House has 30 taps of hard cider from cider makers in the Northwest and abroad. They offer pints, flights and growler fills, along with a full food menu and happy hour every day.

  • Gold Dust Meridian

    This mid-century mod bar serves up cocktails and fancy bar food (try their deviled eggs) with a patio out back and shaded picnic tables on Hawthorne Boulevard, it's the perfect place to sip and people-watch.

  • OK Omens

    OK Omens is a wine bar and restaurant with a focus on natural and vintage wines. The menu (which includes caviar-topped fried chicken) was crafted by James Beard Award-nominated chef Justin Woodward.

  • Tov Coffee & Tea

    A trip to Tov Coffee & Tea is truly a unique experience — not technically a coffee “shop,” this coffee bar is housed in a double-decker bus. They specialize in authentic Egyptian coffee and tea, traditional espresso and other house originals.

Harlow, one of the few dedicated gluten-free restaurants in Portland, delivers veggie and gluten-free bowls and smoothies that are decadent, yet health-focused. Try the walnut pancakes and the Portland Fog, or the “rawsome” veggie burger and rich smoothies like the Retrospection, loaded with almond butter and cacao.

Portland’s premier juice bar, Kure, is an unassuming tin shed that specializes in heavenly acai bowls, green juices and superfood smoothies.

The Waffle Window is quite possibly Portland’s most playful dining spot. A literal hole in the wall, demarcated by a blue door, the popular snack spot doles out smiles in the form of waffles overflowing with bacon, cheddar and jalapeño — or dipped in peanut butter and chocolate.

Portland brunch stalwart Jam on Hawthorne serves up breakfast staples seven days a week, inviting parents to dig into lemon ricotta pancakes and Grand Marnier French toast as kiddos delight in their own play area.

At the east end of Hawthorne, Apizza Scholls’ reputation for serving some of the best pizza pretty much anywhere was confirmed by a visit from Anthony Bourdain himself. The restaurant’s round beauties feature toppings like cured pork shoulder and goat horn peppers. But arrive early and expect to work up an appetite in the usually long line.

When you’re undecided on what to eat, make your way to one of the most iconic food cart pods, Cartopia Food Cart Pods where night owls devour bacon-honey-walnut crepes, Latin-style chicken, wood-fired pizzas and even vegan poutine. A few blocks away, Hawthorne Asylum hosts 21 carts in a food court sprawling half a city block in Southeast. From brunch to Ethiopian to Egyptian to BBQ, there is something to try for everybody.

Top 5

Things to Do on Hawthorne

These local institutions showcase some of the best of Southeast Portland.

  • CineMagic Theater

    This theater features a mix of contemporary releases, second-run films and classics — everything from foreign films to mainstream Hollywood pictures.

  • Hawthorne Theater

    One of the city’s busiest all-ages music venues, this former vaudeville house hosts rock, rap, metal and more. The theater also offers a lounge upstairs.

  • McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub

    This 1927 movie palace, renovated by the McMenamin brothers, screens first-run films and serves handcrafted McMenamins ales, wines and spirits. The location also includes the Bagdad Theater Pub, Back Stage Bar and Greater Trumps cigar bar.

  • Quarterworld

    Opened in 2016, Quarterworld is the largest arcade bar in Portland. Split into adult- and kid-friendly sides, the old theater houses 34 machines and 64 arcade games, along with flavorful eats like bao buns, pizza and banh mi sandwiches.

  • Do Jump! Extremely Physical Theater

    For 30 years, founder and artistic director Robin Lane has led the Do Jump "actorbats" in creating a unique blend of theater, dance, aerial work, acrobatics, dynamic visuals and live music that defies categorization.

What to Do on Hawthorne

From shopping to movies, an indoor skate park, and a beautiful city park at the top of the strip you’ll have plenty of things to explore. Mount Tabor, one of only a handful of extinct volcanoes within city limits in the U.S., is a 636-foot cinder cone that boasts panoramic views of downtown. On its fir-shaded flanks, explore hiking trails, a playground and an amphitheater for summer-evening concerts.

For more than ten years, overgrown kids have taken part in the Portland Adult Soap Box Derby, hurtling down Mt. Tabor in homemade vehicles, while sunbathing, beer-drinking spectators cheer them on. The big race is held every August.

Every August, the neighborhood rallies for the Hawthorne Street Fair, one of the city’s finest fairs, with music stages spreading throughout the shopping district, sidewalk sales and kids’ activities.

Southeast Portland

Southeast Portland embodies many of Portland’s best-known attributes: hip, artsy, quirky, foody. It’s home to popular neighborhoods, lively food-and-drink districts, peaceful parks and more.

Read More

The Arts

The Bagdad Theater and Pub first opened in 1927 and now a McMenamin’s property, is one of the city’s many view-and-brew-style venues, with surround sound and rocker seats — in addition to craft beer, pizza and pub fare. After the show, play pool behind the screen at the Backstage Bar or visit the adjoining Greater Trumps and Bagdad Pub.

While it doesn’t boast a showy marquee like the Bagdad, CineMagic Theater has seniority as it opened in 1914. Head here for a good deal on new releases, which share screen time with second-run films and classics.

Do Jump! Extremely Physical Theater blends acrobatics and dance into shows that appeal to family audiences and seasoned theater-goers. And if you’re looking for laughs, catch great stand-up acts most nights at Helium Comedy Club.

The Best Arcades in Portland

Portland offers a wide range of arcades, from family-friendly game rooms to dive bars and adults-only bar arcades.

Play On

Fun & Games

Commonwealth Skate Park offers an indoor skate park featuring a smaller bowl, a mini ramp and a small street course with a rail and a few ledges. They also offer lessons, skate camps, and a shop for all your skating gear and accessories.

If you want to watch the games, instead of playing the games, take your soccer fans to Gol. This soccer bar boasts outdoor seating and several screens to watch the matches, at any hour.

Antiquing is exciting wherever you make a great find, but hunting on Hawthorne brings it to a new level.

Shopping

Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard’s indie boutiques and homegrown shops mirror the locals you’ll see on the street: fun, funky and fiercely independent. Antiquing is exciting wherever you make a great find, but hunting on Hawthorne brings it to a new level. So, whether it’s a cookbook, handbag or a handcrafted postcard, you’ll find plenty of only-in-Portland wares here — alongside lots of “Keep Portland Weird” personality.

Books & Music

If downtown Portland’s City of Books is too much, find a sampling at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne with aisles of new and used titles, this local chain is a destination for bookworms. Alternatively, you can explore Backstory Books, a woman-owned bookstore in a small house on Hawthorne, that sells a well-curated selection of used books and recycled yarn.

Part record label, part gift shop, Tender Loving Empire teems with made-in-Portland art, albums, tees and trinkets. Look through the eclectic used vinyl at Tomorrow Records. Jackpot Records bucks the trend of downloadable music with expertise worth its weight in CDs. Thumbing through their well-sorted selection of vinyl is time well spent, especially when you score a fairly priced, forgotten favorite, or take a chance on a disc recommended by their tuned-in staff.

Highlight

Places to Shop on Hawthorne

With so many shops and boutiques on Hawthorne, here are some highlights.

  • House of Vintage

    House of Vintage is a collective of over 60 independent dealers sharing 13,000 square feet to provide Portland with a massive collection of vintage clothing, furniture and art.

  • Excalibur Comics

    Excalibur Comics is the oldest comic book store in Portland. This friendly neighborhood spot offers the latest releases and old superhero favorites.

  • Tender Loving Empire – Hawthorne

    Since 2007, indie record label Tender Loving Empire has released albums from celebrated local artists and sold a range of goods crafted in Portland.

  • Communion

    Communion is an independent, locally owned boutique in Portland's historic Hawthorne District. They seek to unite economy and design by offering affordable, stylish pieces, relevant to current fashion trends.

  • Presents of Mind

    Since 1989, Presents of Mind has sought to curate a selection of new and unique gift items. They carry unusual gifts and locally designed items including jewelry, cards, accessories, baby items and more.

Clothes & Accessories

House of Vintage has 1,300 square feet of vintage clothing, furniture and art. A Portland mainstay, Magpie, has a small curated collection of fantastic vintage clothes and accessories. With one of the largest stockpiles of vintage clothes in Portland, the high-traffic Red Light Clothing Exchange stops bargain-hunting fashionistas in their tracks. And nearby, you’ll find even more resale — with an emphasis on newer brands — at Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads Trading Co.

Stocking up on Portland styles comes naturally on Hawthorne. Designer denim and locally stitched sweaters fill the chic boutique Communion. Sloan Boutique offers head-to-toe fashions that are great for every day or a night on the town, and their staff knows how to mix and match to make the perfect look.

For smaller trinkets and great gifts to bring back to wherever you’re visiting, Presents of Mind, stocks locally designed jewelry and accessories, baby gifts and a great selection of cards. Or discover a signature scent at The Perfume House, which offers an astonishing collection of 1,500 aromas.

Spreading the joy of all things camp vibes with accessories and cozy stuff, Poler has you covered for outdoor and camping needs.

Neighborhoods, Tours & Itineraries

Hawthorne Events

Explore Hawthorne's quirkiness at these upcoming events.

Craft Mixology Class
Ongoing

Craft Mixology Class

Straightaway Cocktails $85

WHAT TO EXPECT: Learn to mix, shake, stir and properly garnish four craft cocktails- both modern and classic cocktails alike. All cocktails are made with Accompani, Straightaway Cocktails line of liqueurs, amaro, and vermouth.Gain a solid foundation of many bar tools and techniques involved in mixology. Learn when to shake and when to stir (thanks,…

Food & Drink
Great White Gives It Up
Dec. 7–23, 2023

Great White Gives It Up

Fuse Theatre Ensemble – The Back Door Theater Give As You're Able

Great White Gets Off follows on a single night between Snakecharmer and Great White, two men who meet on a hook-up app. Looking for some fun, they embrace their dom/sub tendencies and start into roleplay, but what starts as tantalizing fun leads them into rocky ground as real life racial inequities seep into each scene…

LGBTQ+
Performing Arts
Weird Portland Pub Tour
Ongoing

Weird Portland Pub Tour

Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery $25 – $30

Experience the eccentricity of Portland, Oregon and visit one of its quirkiest neighborhoods on this walking pub tour. This tour is a must-do for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the fascinating history of the city, including stories of UFO sightings, Bigfoot sightings, exploding whales, wacky bike rides, strange locals, hijackings, hipsters, artists, and…

Beer
Guided Tour
History
New Year’s Eve With Shane Torres
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023

New Year’s Eve With Shane Torres

Helium Comedy Club $44 – $69

Ring in the New Year with an evening filled with laughter courtesy of Shane Torres! There's no better place to welcome 2024 than at Helium. Shane Torres is a stand-up comedian and writer. You may have seen him in the background in "Last Comic Standing" or acting in IFC’s "Comedy Bang Bang." He has also…

Comedy
New Year’s Eve

More Portland Events

Visit our events calendar to discover even more things to do in Portland. Search by date, event type and more.

See All Events

If You Like Hawthorne, You'll Love…

Fans of Hawthorne's DIY spirit will love digging into these parts of Portland.

a woman looks at a sweater at Artifact PDX

Vintage Shopping in Portland

Browse costume jewelry, tailored suits and racks upon racks of dresses at Portland's nearly 50 vintage shopping destinations.

A man browses bins of records in a vintage record store

Vinyl Shopping in Portland

From vintage wax to new European imports, those rare releases you’ve been searching for are surely waiting at one of these rockin’ local vinyl stores.

interior of Tanner Goods store

Shop for Made-In-Portland Goods

These companies churn out consistently cool made-in-Portland products, from fashionable swimwear and accessories to leather goods and lighting.

Illustration by Subin Yang

Southeast Portland Neighborhoods

East of the Willamette River and south of Burnside Street, this large southeast quadrant is home to many favorite neighborhoods and business districts, as well as the dormant volcano at Mt. Tabor Park, delectable Asian food in the Jade District and urban nature at Leach Botanical Garden and Powell Butte.

  • Belmont
  • Central Eastside
  • Division / Clinton
  • Foster-Powell
  • Hawthorne
  • Jade District
  • Lents
  • Montavilla
  • Sellwood-Moreland

Was this page helpful?

Visitor Information

visitorinfo@travelportland.com
1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372
Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Portland Visitor Center

1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,
Portland, OR 97205

Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

guide cover with images of sights around Portland; the white stag sign, the Tilikum Crossing, and food.

Map & Guide

Pocket-sized brochure guide and map.

Get the guide

Screenshot of hand holding mobile phone with Near Me Now Map on the screen

Near Me Now App

An app to explore the best of Portland.




Newsletter Signup

Get your guide to Portland's events, attractions and news.

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Information For

Local Businesses
Media
Meeting Planners
Travel Industry Professionals
Event Organizers

Brought to you by

Travel Portland Logo

We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Español
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • 日本語
  • 汉语
  • 漢語
  • 한국어
Copyright © 2023 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo