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For a sampling of some of the city’s best food, head to Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg
Always quirky, Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard is a walkable street with block after block of vintage shops, boutiques, bars, cafés and more.
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For a sampling of some of the city’s best food, head to Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg
From downtown Portland, cross the iconic Hawthorne Bridge and cruise through the Central Eastside to find this locally beloved Southeast Portland neighborhood — spanning 43 blocks, it offers fine and casual dining, perfect espresso, thrift shopping, cozy bookstores and much more.
Where to Eat and Drink on Hawthorne
Apizza Scholls’ reputation for serving some of the best pizza pretty much anywhere was confirmed by a visit from Anthony Bourdain himself. The restaurant’s round beauties feature toppings like cured pork shoulder and goat horn peppers. But arrive early and expect to work up an appetite in the usually long line.
When you’re with a big group or undecided on what to eat, make your way to one of the most iconic food cart pods, Cartopia Food Cart Pod, where night owls devour bacon-honey-walnut crepes, Latin-style chicken, wood-fired pizzas and even vegan poutine. A few blocks away, Hawthorne Asylum hosts 20-plus carts in a food court sprawling half a city block. From brunch to Ethiopian to Egyptian to barbecue, there’s something to try for everybody.
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Credit: Kai Hayashi Photography
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For baked goods, you don’t want to miss Farina Bakery — they specialize in delectable treats like macarons, pastries and cake. Keep an eye on their website for live music nights, including “Cake and Jazz” Saturdays. Nearby Champagne Poetry Patisserie is another excellent option, offering French-Asian-inspired pastries and breads that are equal parts eye-popping and delicious.
Coffee
At quintessentially hip coffeehouse Upper Left Roasters, you can wake up with a piping hot Ethiopian pour-over or creamy iced mocha. They also offer a lengthy toast menu featuring toppings like macadamia nut butter and house-made ricotta. Long-running Oui Presse has been serving tempting coffee and light fare on Hawthorne since 2010.
Enjoy a meticulously brewed coffee from Coava Coffee at its second outpost in a small Hawthorne café. Coffee lovers will find locally roasted single-origin coffee and espresso, plus single-origin mochas made with a custom blend of shaved and powdered chocolate. Farther east, Albina Press whips up rich mochas, cocoas and heavenly cappuccinos — it also serves as the water cooler for work-from-home locals.
Breakfast & Brunch
The Waffle Window is quite possibly Portland’s most playful dining spot. A literal hole in the wall, demarcated by a blue door, the popular snack spot doles out smiles in the form of waffles overflowing with bacon, cheddar and jalapeño — or dipped in peanut butter and chocolate.
Portland brunch stalwart Jam on Hawthorne serves up breakfast staples seven days a week, inviting parents to dig into lemon ricotta pancakes and Grand Marnier French toast as kiddos delight in offerings from the extensive children’s menu.
What to Do on Hawthorne
From shopping and movies to an indoor skate park and a beautiful city park, you’ll find plenty of things to explore in the Hawthorne District.
Top Attractions
Located on Hawthorne’s eastern edge, Mount Tabor is a 636-foot (194 m) cinder cone that boasts panoramic views of downtown — it’s one of only a handful of extinct volcanoes within city limits in the U.S. On its fir-shaded flanks, explore hiking trails, a playground and an amphitheater for summer evening concerts.
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The Bagdad Theater and Pub, first opened in 1927 and now a McMenamin’s property, is one of the city’s many independent, view-and-brew-style venues. They boast surround sound and rocker seats, in addition to craft beer, pizza and pub fare. After the show, play pool behind the screen at the Backstage Bar or visit the adjoining Greater Trumps bar. While it doesn’t boast a showy marquee like the Bagdad, CineMagic Theater has seniority, as it opened in 1914. Head here for a good deal on new releases, which share screen time with second-run films and classics.
A Hawthorne classic housed in a striking historic building, the Hawthorne Theatre hosts major touring bands, DJ sets, dance parties and more. It’s one of Portland’s top all-ages venues — an adjoining lounge offers drinks for the 21-plus crowd. Another great place to catch a show, the nearby No Fun Bar also hosts karaoke, trivia and other events in cozy, only-in-Portland environs. Top off a great night out with a stop at Zach’s Shack, a divey watering hole serving hot dogs and cheap drinks till late.
Gaming
A haven for fans of old school and analogue gaming, Quarterworld is packed with arcade games and pinball machines. There are two full bars serving cocktails, craft beers and plenty of zero-proof options; all ages hours are held every Saturday and Sunday, 1–7 p.m. For the 21-plus gamers, head to TPK Brewing, where they make beers inspired by tabletop games. A downstairs taproom is available for small or large games, while an upstairs space with its own bar overlooks the brewery production area — there’s even a library of gaming books and figures. Guests are welcome to bring their own favorite games, or not game at all and just come in for the beer and food in the cozy atmosphere.
Hawthorne Events
For more than 10 years, overgrown kids have taken part in the Portland Adult Soap Box Derby, hurtling down Mt. Tabor in homemade vehicles while sunbathing, beer-drinking spectators cheer them on. The big race is held every August.
Another August highlight comes when the neighborhood rallies for the Hawthorne Street Fair, one of the city’s finest fairs, with music stages, sidewalk sales, kids’ activities and more spreading throughout the shopping district.
Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard’s indie boutiques and homegrown shops mirror the locals you’ll see on the street: fun, funky and fiercely independent. Antiquing is exciting wherever you make a great find, but hunting on Hawthorne brings it to a new level. So, whether it’s a cookbook, handbag or a handcrafted postcard, you’ll find plenty of only-in-Portland wares here — alongside lots of “Keep Portland Weird” personality.
Antiquing is exciting wherever you make a great find, but hunting on Hawthorne brings it to a new level.
Clothes, Antiques & Accessories
House of Vintage comprises 30-plus dealers and over 13,000 square feet (1,208 sq m) of vintage clothing, accessories, furniture, art and more. A Portland mainstay, Magpie, has a small curated collection of fantastic vintage clothes and accessories. With one of the largest stockpiles of vintage clothes in Portland, the high-traffic Red Light Clothing Exchange stops bargain-hunting fashionistas in their tracks. And nearby, you’ll find even more resale — with an emphasis on newer brands — at Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads Trading Co.
Stocking up on Portland styles comes naturally on Hawthorne. Designer denim and locally stitched sweaters fill the chic boutique Communion. Sloan Boutique offers head-to-toe fashions that are great for every day or a night on the town, and their staff knows how to mix and match to make the perfect look.
For antiques, be sure to stop at Lounge Lizard, a long-running Hawthorne classic specializing in vintage furniture, retro lighting and unique housewares. Nearby, Vintage Pink can help you spruce up your space with timeless finds — browse striking mid-century modern furniture, or peruse their collection of lamps, art, glassware, decor and more.
For smaller trinkets and great gifts to bring back to wherever you’re visiting from, Presents of Mind stocks locally designed jewelry and accessories, baby gifts and a great selection of cards. Or discover a signature scent at The Perfume House, which offers an astonishing collection of 1,500 aromas.
Books, Music & More
If downtown Portland’s City of Books is too much or too far, find a sampling at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne. With aisles of new and used titles, this local chain is a top destination for bookworms. Alternatively, you can explore Backstory Books, a woman-owned bookstore in a small house on Hawthorne that sells a well-curated selection of used books and recycled yarn.
Part record label, part gift shop, Tender Loving Empire teems with made-in-Portland art, albums, tees and trinkets. Look through the eclectic used vinyl at Tomorrow Records, or check out Jackpot Records, where they buck the trend of downloadable music with expertise worth its weight in CDs. Thumbing through their well-sorted selection of vinyl is time well spent, especially when you score a fairly priced forgotten favorite, or take a chance on a disc recommended by their tuned-in staff.
Just off of Hawthorne, the world’s largest terrarium store, Roosevelt’s Terrariums, sells terrariums in unique laboratory glass and hand-blown glass vessels. They also offer workshops where students can craft and experiment with tropical plants, live mosses, rocks, minerals and more.
Kids At Heart Toys is a long-running independent toy store and a can’t-miss stop for families. Kids will love the thoughtfully curated selection of toys, books, games and more. Afterward, take them to Dairy Hill Ice Cream or Mochinut (located across the street from each other, just two blocks away) for a post-toy-store treat.
Vintage Shops in Portland
Vintage shopping in Portland is a delight, with an abundance of top-notch vintage shops and thrift stores offering clothes, accessories, antiques and other treasures.
Portland Record Stores
From vintage wax to new European imports, those rare releases you’ve been searching for are surely waiting at one of these rockin’ local vinyl stores.
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