Best Portland Patios and Outdoor Dining

Ready to head outside to eat? Portland summers are too short to spend inside staring at the walls if you’re the type to who loves to eat al fresco, so let’s talk about our favorite Portland patios. (But not too loud – it’s hard to get a seat sometimes.)

Travel Portland has a list of the best bar patios, listed by quadrant. The Oregonian recently did a similar listicle, as did Thrillist and the Mercury. Food Dude over at Portland Food and Drink has been keeping an exhaustive list of patios for years, with helpful notes. Portland Monthly has an online guide to outdoor dining that will keep you clicking a bazillion times (we’re on to you!), whereas Eater just put out a more user-friendly map.

Need some vegetarian recommendations?

The White Owl has a sprawling patio, open to the bar, for warm summer nights. Stand or sit as you please, and order up a vegan beet veggie burger.

I’ve heard good things about the Baowry in St. John’s, with its garden patio and proximity to Sauvie Island for berry picking/nudie sunbathing. Try one of the shiitake mushroom and tofu buns.

Xico always has a vegetarian entree, and their housemade corn tortillas are gluten-free. Score. They’re really nice about questions, too. Be sure to ask to sit outside in the backyard patio, tucked between buildings in bustling Division.

East Burn. Nice swings if you can get one. Also: sandwiches and beer.

Laurelhurst Park pond

Don’t feed the ducks! Photo by Devlyn via flickr creative commons.

My personal favorite? Grabbing something to go and having a picnic in the park. Our family is particularly fond of taking some Wolf & Bear’s falafel to Laurelhurst Park to watch dogs chase balls. On hotter nights, it’s all about Mi Mero Mole burritos at Mt. Tabor.

 

What’s your favorite patio? What about favorite hot weather indoor spot, where the air conditioning is just right, and no bees bugging you?