Where to eat near Portland convention center?

August 20, 2019 11:32 PM

I could use some restaurant suggestions near the Portland, Oregon convention center.

I'll be in town for a few days for a conference with coworkers. One of us is vegan, so there need to be good options and none of us will have a car, so walkable or easily public transitable from the convention center would be ideal.

posted by Cogito to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

Not sure about the vegan angle (but I'm pretty sure they'll have salads?), but there's a Sizzle Pie a few blocks south of the OCC. If you're not familiar with them, they're a pizza place that's sort of a Portland staple. There's a few other places in that same general area.

OCC to Sizzle Pie walking directions on GooMaps.
posted by genehack at 7:04 AM on August 21, 2019

Sizzle Pie typically does have a few different vegan options. Right by that Sizzle Pie (around the block) is some great ramen at Marukin Ramen (though I've only ever had their pork broth and not tried their vegan broths).
posted by bassooner at 8:02 AM on August 21, 2019

Nicholas is walkable and has great Lebanese food with vegan option (be warned it's possible they still don't take credit cards).

Yuki is a bit further but has good veggie sushi options.

Pine Street Market is a short Max ride away and is a food hall with multiple options, including really good vegan ramen.
posted by kbuxton at 8:03 AM on August 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Honestly the convention center is in a not-good food location. The immediate options all suck. You're going to have walk a half mile to get anywhere good. Sizzle Pie is on Burnside, and that street has a good zone. Ron Tom's, Doug Fir, Hey Love, Le Pigeon, and others are all within a block or two. Lots of good vegan options around there.

It's not vegan but if you want the best fucking chicken and rice of your life go to Nong's Khao Man Gai. It's behind Sizzle Pie. It's very very delicious.
posted by weed donkey at 1:18 PM on August 21, 2019

Pickings (especially of the vegan kind) are generally slim in that immediate area.

Altabira City Tavern has a nice view and is about a block away. My vegan coworker was stuck with a green salad the last time we went, though. Maybe go there for drinks?

I'd go for Shalom Y'all, Tusk, The Sudra, or Farm Spirit, all fairly accessible by public transit, cab/ride share.
posted by medeine at 1:28 PM on August 21, 2019

Sizzle Pie has excellent vegan pizza options. They always have Spiral Tap, which is a nice reliable choice. I think the East Burnside location is closest.

Marukin Ramen has excellent vegan ramen. I prefer the shoyu over the shio tonyu, and I much prefer the red versions despite not being a spice fiend (I order my Thai food medium). I haven’t tried the other vegan options yet. One location is walking distance, and the other one is an easy MAX (light rail) ride away. They have two different menus that they swap every day, so check each location’s menu to see what’s available.
posted by danielparks at 3:55 PM on August 21, 2019

Sorry but I think Marukin is astoundingly mediocre. Both locations. Most of my friends/co-workers agree too (working in the neighborhood). I have no idea why that place is so popular.
posted by weed donkey at 4:17 PM on August 21, 2019

I guess I should clarify. Marukin has the best vegan ramen I’ve had, but that might be just because I haven’t had any good vegan ramen.
posted by danielparks at 5:25 PM on August 21, 2019 [1 favorite]

Cafe Yumm is just a few blocks east of the convention center, as well as Garden Bar and Green Zebra grocery, which has a hot bar and a sandwich bar. Loads of vegan options at all those places.
posted by perhapses at 7:41 PM on August 21, 2019

Capitol on NE Broadway is a bar with some good vegan options!
posted by girlalex at 10:07 PM on August 21, 2019

Note it's a very quick ride on MAX from the convention center to Old Town and then downtown Portland, where there are a zillion options. 10-20 minutes depending on how lucky you are with the schedule.
posted by Nelson at 7:06 AM on August 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

I had a bad lunch at Altabira. I would not recommend. The view was nice though. Good maybe for drinks?

I think hoping on the MAX and hitting up Pine street Market downtown is a great idea.

A few miles north on Alberta St. you'll find shopping and restaurants. (the 8 bus will take you to 15th and Alberta. The 6 will get you to Alberta & MLK and then you can get the 72 to go farther East to where shops/restaurants are.)

The tacos are Cruz Room
(at 23rd and Alberta) are funky and good and they have vegan options. The Bye and Bye (@ 10th) is a vegan (21+) bar. My ex swears by the weeping tiger sandwich.

Black Water Bar is a vegan restaurant/bar on NE Broadway. My kid's vegan friends like it. It has a photo booth and is all ages before 8!
posted by vespabelle at 12:39 PM on August 22, 2019

I'd recommend taking advantage of the MAX line right near the Convention Center, which will get you downtown easily, and to other parts of the city pretty well also. This is a fairly recent Eater map of Vegan/Vegetarian restaurants in town
posted by lhputtgrass at 2:16 PM on August 22, 2019