Portland, Oregon, Shines on the Pacific Rim: 6 Reasons the Rose City Lives Well
By Amanda Calnan Vowels for Marriott bonvoy traveler, January 2022
Portland, Oregon’s, appreciation for delicious, locally sourced food, premium wine and the beloved outdoors lends to its global magnetism and allure for travelers and those seeking a vibrant home base.
Discover six reasons why the city represents the best of U.S. West Coast living with its adventurous spirit, walkable urban core and proximity to wild spaces to roam.
Local Food and Drinks of the Highest Order
To call Portland’s food scene bountiful is an understatement. Farm fresh is the norm. Anything less is the exception. Portlanders are passionate about their local ingredients, whether cooking at home or dining and drinking around town.
The city’s restaurant scene includes cozy farm-sourced spots like Scotch Lodge, much loved for its coveted whisky selection and creative small plates — think pickle-spiced fries with sour cream or pappardelle with duck breast, seaweed butter and Grana Padano cheese.
Other standouts highlight Portland’s location on the Pacific Rim. The hard-to-book Gado Gado dishes up Dutch-Indonesian fusion and is best known for its family style Rice Table — a feast of dumplings, breads, curries, grilled meats and fish, and sambals. Seafood-centered Nimblefish is a cozy 12-seat spot with a meticulously curated selection of Edomae-style omakase.
Seeking an after-dinner drink? Head toward Distillery Row — a much-hyped stretch of more than a dozen craft distilleries that extends from Portland’s SE Industrial District to the Northwest and Slabtown Districts across the river.
Whatever your spirit of choice — whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, brandy, amaro, even specialty bottled cocktails — you’ll find a craft distiller hawking it somewhere along the Row. Try Wild Roots Spirits for premium botanical and local fruit-infused gin to pair with your tonic or Pilot House Distilling for agave-based spirits, absinthe and craft cocktails in cans. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN MARRIOTT BONVOY TRAVELER.
