Buckman Restaurants

Despite a recently revised menu that boasts an extensive selection of healthy choices, Madison’s Grill’s modern take on American pub fare hardly suffers from their reduction in fatty ingredients. Offering lunch and dinner daily, as well as brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, this charming grill is the place to go if you’re seeking a lively atmosphere in a historic building featuring a full bar, free billiards, and patio dining. The traditional pub treats mingle with some unconventional alternatives such as the Northwest Salmon Picatta and Chicken Bento.

Le Pigeon’s burgeoning chef Gabriel Rucker has a knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Having flown the coop from Gotham Building Tavern a few years back to open this small and unfussy eatery, he’s met with nothing but success ever since. His nose-to-tail philosophy of cooking has produced specialties such as Duck-Duck-Pigeon, a pan-roasted squab with duck confit, and Poussin (a young, small chicken) with shell beans, corn, and chanterelles. With his desserts, Rucker veers away from traditional sugar-laden concoctions and opts for savory treats; Apricot Cornbread with Bacon and Maple Ice Cream is one option. With a …

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.

Much admired in the local Portland crowd, the below street level Doug Fir Lounge is not only a club, but it’s a club with appetizing food—not to mention a fan following of concert goers of all musical genres and ages. Designed to resemble a chic log cabin, this vintage inspired restaurant is also a bar and a club that is both successful and popular, standing as a staple in Portland culture. Located inside the hip Jupiter Hotel, Doug Fir is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a happy hour to boot. Featuring menu options for …

Fittingly set in the Industrial District, Clarklewis is housed in an invitingly airy and open former loading dock. Dimly lit with ingeniously placed flashlights at each table to guide along the occasional disoriented diner, it lends the contemporary décor a soft and cozy edge. Emanating from the open kitchen’s wood-fired stove is a warm smoky smell sure to make your mouth water for one of their meat specialties such as the Spit-Roasted Chicken or Hearth-Roasted Carlton Pork Shoulder. Their hearty American fare serves local, organic, seasonal ingredients in a thoughtful presentation that will delight even the most particular of guests.

With its diner-like atmosphere and menu of original sandwich creations, it is no wonder that Bunk Sandwiches of Portland’s industrial district was once featured and praised on the Food Network. In addition to its deliciously simple lunch menu, the restaurant also offers up a modest breakfast menu served all day. Well-known for its Pork Belly Cubano Sandwich, patrons are equally drawn to its classic sides, including Red Beans and Rice. If you can’t make it for lunch, Bunk is also open later as a bar featuring draft beer, house drinks, and its renowned sandwiches.

Serving diners since 1974, Produce Row Café is a veteran of the Southeast Industrial District of Portland. This restaurant/bar hybrid offers a covered and heated patio, occasional live music, and comfort food such as meatloaf or mac and cheese. The atmosphere is often described as one of leisure, as can be seen and felt as soon as you sink into one of the “kush” booths available for seating. Perhaps one of the restaurants greatest attributes comes in the form of dessert: a waffle sandwich stacked with vanilla ice cream, bacon, peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon.

Biwa, a Japanese restaurant located in southeast Portland, has a social awareness that will leave diners feeling good about eating here. Open until midnight, this restaurant features a special “late night” menu, offering up traditional Japanese dishes such as gyoza and specialty ramen. Biwa donates to local foundations such as the Newspace Scholarship Fund in addition to supporting global causes, such as tsunami relief. Add this to the fact that Biwa strives to use fresh, local ingredients, and it is easy to see why so many diners appreciate this refreshing take on dining.

With its simple and bright décor, Fire on the Mountain, located in southeast Portland, is a lively, eco-friendly restaurant. This restaurant boasts a variety of different wings, including unusual concoctions such as “Soon to be Famous Spicy Peanut” and Raspberry Habanero. The menu also includes vegetarian dishes, such as the Portobello mushroom or Vegetteranean sandwiches as well as a wide array of salads. Fire on the Mountain is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and does so daily by composting a large part of waste, including biodegradable packaging.