Special Occasion Restaurants
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Located inside the elegant Heathman Hotel, the Heathman Restaurant and Bar offers a casually formal dining atmosphere with French inspired cuisine, innovative cocktails, all which can equate to an intimate yet fun experience. Chef Philippe Boulot, a James Beard Best Chef award winner in 2001, is a Pacific Northwest native with a stress on utilizing the best of Oregon's produce and products. With options for private dining, an afternoon tea room, and catering services, the Heathman Restaurant and Bar is a cozy, casual, and elegant spot for any meal, any time of the day.
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Nostrana, translated as “ours,” focuses on sharing simple, pure food with its guests in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Earning the Best Chef Award by the James Beard Foundation in 2010, Nostrana’s menu is built around regional Italian classics like pasta and traditional Italian-style pizzas including the Dicembre with collard greens, garlic, mozzarella, red onion, and cracklins. For meat-lovers, the diversity of the food offered is evident through menu items like the Sunday Roast Lamb, Idaho Trout and Flat Iron Steak served rare. To round out the meal, a lengthy wine list has wines by the glass, bottle, or region-specific flights.
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Restaurateur Bruce Carey’s Bluehour, named for that ethereal time between day and night, is a sophisticated take on Northwest-inspired Mediterranean cuisine. The sleek, contemporary dining room is a harmony of dramatic high ceilings and austere décor. With an intimate private dining space with a wall back-lit with 3,000 wine bottles, this is the ideal gathering place for a group of up to 100 people. Executive Chef Kenny Giambalvo’s fresh menu changes with the seasons but fear not, his signature dishes are as constant as the blue hour that the restaurant is name for.
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The quintessential neighborhood bistro, Park Kitchen is located in a historic building on the North Park Blocks. With sidewalk seating looking out over friendly games of bocce and roll up doors leading into a subtle and airy dining room, it’s hard to imagine the food and service living up to the ambiance. It does precisely this however under the cool control of chef and owner Scott Dolich’s masterful direction. The menu takes advantage of the Northwest’s finest bounty to create delectable American dishes that reflect their urban and pastoral surroundings.
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Top 10
Sitting on the 30th floor of the US Bank tower, Portland City Grill boasts the best view in the city, with a spectacular panorama of the Cascade Mountains. The cuisine is an imaginative blend of Asian, island, and northwestern influences bestowed upon USDA Prime steaks, seafood, and an extensive sushi menu. With a fantastic bar scene and an even better happy hour, it’s a popular spot for after work drinks and small bites among friends and co-workers. If you have the fortune of dining there, don’t miss out on the Misoyaki Glazed Oregon Black Cod or the Dungeness Crab Stuffed …
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The oldest restaurant in Portland honors its earliest days and patrons with a time-tested menu and persevering commitment to please. Originally opened in 1879, Huber’s made a start by serving a free turkey sandwich with every beer purchase; today, turkey is the clear favorite of patrons and staff alike, and plays a prominent role on the menu. The Roast Turkey Wings with all the fixings will surely whisk you off to happier times and the Turkey Mushroom Pie will warm you inside out. As if Huber’s didn’t have enough going for it, it also happens to be the largest user …
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Top 10
Giorgio’s is a restaurant that continues to be truly authentic to Northern Italian cuisine. Owner/Chef Giorgio Kawas initially learned to love cooking at an early age from his mother in Italy. Gaining interest as he got older, Chef Kawas studied cooking in Northern Italy before opening Giorgio’s. The restaurant’s carefully selected menu items include home-made pastas, seafood and vegetarian options, and an impressive seventy-five bottle wine program with options from Italy, France and Oregon. The atmosphere is sophisticated and comfortable, and although the options may be extensive, Giorgio makes a great effort to focus on providing simple, lingering satisfaction.
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Sweeping across continents to greet Portland diners is the vivacious and sultry flavors of the Mediterranean found at Tabla Bistro. This Mediterranean-inspired eatery captures the vibrant interplay of cultures and cuisines that make up the region’s culinary identity; from Italy to Spain to Northern Africa, every bite of Tabla’s exquisite fare has an origin and history. Keeping the menu fresh and intriguing is Tabla’s enthusiasm for contemporary twists on old favorites – by reinterpreting classic recipes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, there’s always going to be an exciting bite to be savored.
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Pazzo Ristorante is the place to go for timelessly enjoyable Italian food and drinks. Pasta dishes, pizzas, salads, seafood, meats, breads, baked goods and desserts are prepared fresh daily by Chef John Eisenhart. A full bar featuring classic beverages and unique creations, an extensive wine list, a variety of American and Italian sodas, and coffees and teas accompanies Pazzo’s vibrant and flavorful menu selections. The chic, yet warm lighting and wood floors bring an intimate vibe to this otherwise busy street-corner location. Whether it’s a group brunch, romantic dinner, quick snack, or a round of drinks you’re looking for, Pazzo …
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Modeled on classic French bistros, the two story Higgins Restaurant and Bar features primarily French cuisine with a hint of Pacific Northwest and European influences. Executive Chef and Owner Greg Higgins emphasizes fresh ingredients from local, sustainable farms in each dish on the menu. In addition to the main dining rooms, there is a bistro and bar located on the lower level. Higgins boasts an extensive wine list as well as a broad range of beers from all over the world. Both levels of the restaurant are well-lit with ambient lighting and natural light from large windows that line the …
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If you’re craving fresh, homemade pasta – the ultimate in comfort food – head to Portland’s Pizza Italia where you are guaranteed to find “solid, old-school Italian food,” as one critic declared. Favorites on the menu include Linguine Squarciarella -- linguine with stirred egg, prosciutto, onion, parmesan, and black pepper; the Pappardelle al Cinghiale with slow-cooked wild boar meat sauce; or classic lasagna. Don’t be fooled by the casual décor, featuring a slew of soccer jerseys as an ode to the late Italian immigrant owner’s love of the sport; the food is definitely high-class. Staffed mainly by friends and family, …
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Boasting an expansive sun-drenched dining room and a luscious outdoor patio space, the Stockpot Broiler entices visitors with its welcoming atmosphere and sophisticated fare. Executive Chef Brett Tuft artfully melds international and local ingredients to create the unique fusion menu he dubs as “classic Northwest cuisine.” Details make the difference between a true dining experience and a meal; from the eye-catching use of copper accents in the dining room to every exquisitely plated dish that finds its way to the table, each guest partakes in a rewarding culinary experience at the Stockpot.
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Located in the Benson Hotel, The London Grill has become a landmark in Portland especially since it recently received a makeover. The new and improved London Grill features bold modern décor, new Executive Chef Serge Selbe, and a freshly altered menu. It offers exquisite Northwestern menu items such as Grilled Lamb Chops with ratatouille crepinette, polenta, Chinese eggplant and hazelnut emulsion, and a wine list with over 6,000 bottles. For special occasions guests can request one of three private rooms, appropriately named “Little London,” “The Wine Cellar” and “The Wine Room,” each functional for rehearsal dinners, business luncheons, romantic dinners …
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Top 10
The essence of traditional, vibrant Thai cuisine can be found in the heart of Portland – Siam Society Bistro and Bar preserves the rich cultural heritage of authentic Thai cooking and offers guests a savory culinary tour of the country with each dish served. From their selection of hand-ground curries to their commitment to using locally sourced meats and produce whenever possible, Siam Society ensures each dish reflects their dedication to quality and flavor. In fact, this pledge to providing guests with the best of the best has led to full vegetarian, vegan, and wheat-free menus to deprive no one …
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Top 10
Mingo has a great and sincere understanding of how Italian cuisine should be prepared and presented: simply and sincerely. Clarity of flavor is prized above pretense on the Mingo menu, opting for fewer, high quality and impact ingredients over the muddling of tastes and textures. After all, the Mingo family feels as though it is feeding family at every table, every time. Tasty favorites include the pan seared scallops, Capasante, and the Gnocchi alla Romana. In true Italian fashion, an ongoing series of winemaker dinners introduce guests to noteworthy varietals as they feast on savory fare and sultry sounds. Only …
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Living up to its name, The View Point Inn offers a truly stunning panoramic scope of the Columbia River Gorge. The inn is regally perched atop a one acre bluff, allowing its scenic vantage point to be punctuated by the city lights of Portland and Vancouver in the distance. The splendor of this historic location is only matched by the quality of its cuisine. Whether you’re enjoying a relaxed weekend brunch or exquisite dinner, the thoughtful, Pacific Northwest regional cuisine menu will both inspire and satisfy your palate. Indeed, the unparalleled scenery has found its competition: truly flavorful fare.
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Since 1980, owners Riccardo and Georgette Spaccarelli have provided Lake Oswego with fine dining and spectacular Italian cuisine. Simple furniture and décor combine to create an unassuming, relaxed atmosphere. With Italian recipes and culinary tradition passed down from Riccardo’s grandmother, Riccardo’s provides traditional Italian cuisine in a comfortable environment. Also well known to diners and connoisseurs alike is Riccardo’s selection of red and white Italian wines. So if fine Italian cuisine and wine in the Lake Oswego area is what you’re yearning for, Riccardo’s is the place to be.
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Sunday and holiday dinners were a must in the Tucci family, and that tradition of generosity and unity continues today in this popular Italian eatery where guests enjoy authentic cuisine and genuine hospitality. The rustic décor utilizes warm tones and classic accents to welcome patrons into the space, while the thoughtfully tasty fare keeps them returning time and time again. Much of the produce is locally sourced from the Pacific Northwest region, and every dish boasts Grandma Tucci’s touch. And staying true to its roots, the fine wine selection consists exclusively of Italian varieties.
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Reasonable in price, but certainly impeccable in taste, Thai Lahnna is Portland's destination for authentic Thai cuisine that won't break your budget. Featuring house specialties such as Pad Thai, House Curries, and other vegetarian-friendly items, this cozy, romantic eatery exposes a simple elegance that is common in Thai cuisine, down from the tableware and decor to the entrees and appetizers. Able to fit a any dietary need, dishes can be altered to your preferences, whether it's chicken, seafood, or tofu. They also offer a line of healthier, low-sodium dishes, meaning an inexpensive, flavorful meal that is priced appropriately. With catering …
