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1. Salt & Straw
Various locations, saltandstraw.com. 11 am-11 pm daily.
More than a decade ago, cousins Tyler and Kim Malek began changing people’s taste for ice cream—daring them to go beyond Baskin-Robbins’ 31 flavors—by opening Salt & Straw and working with unique ingredients. The company, which has expanded considerably since then, is marking its 12th anniversary this month by unlocking its flavor vault and bringing back dormant varieties. That means for a limited time you can get old favorites, like black olive brittle and goat cheese, honey marshmallow rocky road and mango habanero IPA sorbet as a scoop, or in pints and milkshakes.
2. Kaede
8268 SE 13th Ave., 503-327-8916, kaedepdx.com. 4:30-9 pm Wednesday-Sunday. Seating by online reservations only. Kaede, a 16-seat “sushi bistro” in Sellwood, shifted recently from takeout service to dine-in and reservation only, making the bar the best place to be. It’s where you can sit with a cup of sake in hand and become entranced watching co-owner Shinji Uehara slice fish flown in from Tokyo and gently hand-mold the rice for nigiri. There’s no omakase meal here, but the nigiri premium will get you eight chef’s choice rice-and-fish delicacies. And keep an eye out for anything that’s rare in our neck of the woods, like the bright pink Japanese alfonsino fish we had during our visit.
3. Next Level Burger
1972 W Burnside St., 503-660-4800, nextlevelburger.com. 4121 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-486-4400.
While many food companies have been perpetrators of shrinkflation over the past two years, Next Level Burger is heading in the exact opposite direction. You’ll now find even larger patties on the plant-based chain’s menu (weighing in at 4 ounces instead of 3) along with a slew of new items. We’re most excited to try the chipotle burger—the black bean faux meat is slathered in chipotle mayo and topped with guac and pickled jalapeños. Go all in on the vegan junk food theme and wash that down with a coconut soft serve chocolate chip cookie dough shake, which was also recently added to the lineup.
4. Bumper Burger
17980 SW Baseline Road, Beaverton, 503-828-7340, bumperburger.com. 11 am-6 pm Thursday-Friday, noon-6 pm Saturday-Sunday.
Bumper Burger has declared war against price creep on America’s favorite sandwich. Founder-cook Mat Norton sells his quarter-pounders for truly jaw-dropping rates: $3.50 for the entry-level hamburger, $4 for one with a slice of gooey American cheese, and for the extra-hungry, there’s the $9.50 People’s Meal, which features the double-patty 50/50 Burger. No matter what sandwich you order, always get the made-fresh-daily pimento cheese. The pleasantly piquant spread adds velvetiness to every bite—and it costs only a dollar extra.
5. Pelican Brewing Siletz Bay
5911 Highway 101, Lincoln City, 541-614-4216, pelicanbrewing.com. Noon-10 pm daily.
Pelican Brewing’s new gleaming waterfront property in Lincoln City has opened the final portion of its pub that you won’t find at any of its other locations: a seafood market. In February, the Siletz Bay location launched Phil’s Nest Crab Boil Experience, an indoor-outdoor dining space that sells items for consumption on the premises and to go. We recommend ordering a crab cocktail before sinking into an Adirondack chair on the expansive patio overlooking the water. It’s the best place to wait for a table.