Portland, Oregon in 36 Hours

Despite a constant blanket of sprinkling clouds and a drug addiction deep in its veins, Portland pulses with a food and coffee scene so eclectic and mouth-watering, it’s hard to not visit—at least once. I’m going to be transparent—I’m not eager to go back, but I’m glad I went, and I’m certain my taste buds are too. Keep reading for the best of Portland, Oregon:

Best food in Portland Oregon

• Broder Cafe—Broder Cafe is a must-stop, in my opinion. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but you’ll have a Swedish breakfast you’ll never forget. From Aquavit to danish donuts, it was an eclectic meal but an amazing one.

• Farmhouse Thai—For ramen noddles that will spill out of your bowl and soups served family style, Farmhouse is your place. It’s located downtown so its on the pricier side, but it did NOT disappoint.

• Lardo—admittedly, this wasn’t my first time at a Lardo (there’s actually one inside the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas—where the Pho’French Dip and I first fell in love), but still it was a must because no one else can make a sandwich like that. Pro tip: happy hour is from 3-6 p.m. and gets you $4 drafts.

• Navarre—Italian tapas—not common, I know, but hear me out: while there wasn’t a laundry list menu of decadent pastas, each tapa dish pleasantly surprised. They had a long list of evergreen menu items plus an even longer list of daily specials—and we practically licked every plate clean.

• Voodoo—A classic Portland staple, you can find voodoo donuts scattered around (most commonly posted about at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk), but if you want the best, you go to the source and this was that and that was GOOD.

• Case Study—Case Study introduced me to a new coffee type, so for that I’m forever grateful—Caffè Miel, a cappuccino coupled with honey, cinnamon and salt that practically melts in your mouth. Unfortunately, they get their beans every Friday and didn’t have any by the time I visited on a Thursday.

• Good Coffee—conveniently located in the lobby of our hotel, Good Coffee is known for being some of the best coffee in Portland and it proved it’s point very well.

Best things to do in Portland

• Multnomah Falls—This is the quintessential Pacific Northwest waterfall picture. Basic? Probably. Necessary? Absolutely. Bring a rain jacket, even if it’s not raining!

• McMenamins Edgefield Winery & Tasting Room—not far from Multnomah falls, you’ll run into XXX in Troutdale (on your way back into Portland). This estate is actually an accommodation, restaurant, winery and more, but we headed straight downstairs for a wine tasting in the cellar. Plus, if you do a tasting, you can get $10 off any bottle of wine purchase!

Best place to stay in Portland

• Woodlark—I can’t recommend this hotel enough. From some of the best coffee beans in town to design-forward rooms, Woodlark was exactly what we needed. They also had 24/7 monitored vallet, it was $50/day, but you could come and go as you pleased, request your car online and completely omit the fear of your car being broken into.

Have you been to Portland, Oregon before? Comment your favorites below!