Breakfast
Runner's Pick
Fried Egg I'm In Love
Portland's food scene isn't as glamorous as the New York or even its equally weird west coast sister San Francisco, but it has one specialty that is unparalleled in the country: the food carts. As a city proud of its ardent support of small, local businesses, Portland has over 500 food carts, representing almost every American and international cuisine that you can name. Most of these food carts are organized into "pods", outdoor spaces with a few to a dozen food carts, and they are literally everywhere in the city.
With so many options to choose from, it's hard to pick the best food cart in the city so here is a pick that isn't necessarily the best but one of the most runner-friendly food carts: Friend Egg I'm in Love. The reason? It opens early. While most food carts open only close to or even after noon, FEIIL open at 8am every day (which can be already late in an early-bird runner's standard), just in time for a post-run breakfast.
You may wonder, what's so special about fried eggs? Everyone can do it at home. And that is exactly the answer - it's so simple that it's actually very hard to achieve perfection, which FEIIL does. It's nothing fancy or exotic, not even cool, just a fried egg between toasts, it's delicious, and it's perfect after a morning run.
Never Coffee
Never Coffee is a bold name that even some Portlanders have never heard of. A coffee house that is often overlooked in this city with a vibrant coffee culture, Never is unique in its concept beyond coffee, playful, warm, yet petit and low-key. It's original shop on Belmont St can accommodate just two tiny tables (there are picnic benches outside) and never seems too busy. It's not a typical "morning routine" coffeeshop (it's a bit pricey), but absolutely a Portland experience that is worth a little detour.
Never doesn't have a signature coffee, it has five. Five signature flavors, five special names, accented by five colors, and serviced in five ceramic mugs that match the flavor and color. You get the idea, five is the magic number at Never because… Never has five letter. So be creative, pick your favorite color, or name, or spice, or mug, and you may never know what awaits.
Never Coffee has two locations. The original store on Belmont is within walking distance from the Laurelhurst Park, and a short run or bus ride away from Mt. Tabor Park. For running routes in the East neighborhoods, see Route #7. The new and larger store in Downtown is conveniently located near Powell's City of Books and many other businesses.
Nuvrei
Pip's Original Doughnuts & Chai
Portland's famous donut scene started with Voodoo Doughnuts (#?) and in recent years Blue Star Donuts seems to have overthrown Voodoo from the throne with its minimalist store decor and very instagram-able donuts, but it's Pip's that really stands out from a dozen or so donut shops that each has its own following. The secret: it's warm.
While most donut shops offer read-to-eat donuts with colorful icings beautifully displayed in their counters, Pip's mini donuts are fried and flavored right in front of you eyes after you ordered them. You'll get them warm and tasty, and before you even notice, a half dozen mini donuts (they are indeed small) are already in your stomach.
Also unlike most other donut shops with multiple locations in the city (Blue Star even has three in LA and used to operate in Japan as well), there is only one Pip's in the Beaumont neighborhood that is mostly residential. But make no mistake, coming at a busy time, you won't get you can get your hands on those otherworldly delicious mini donuts without waiting in a long line. So be smart about when you come. Or better, plan a morning run to come here be their first customer of the day. For running routes in the Northeast neighborhoods, see Route #6.
Bernstein's Bagels
Coffee
Never Coffee
Coava
Good Coffee
Barista
Heart
Compass
The Great North
Cathedral
Proud Mary
Guilder
Sterling
Nossa Familia
Either / Or
Stumptown
Saint Simon
Upper Left
Arbor Lodge
Prince
Seven Virtues
Crema
Push x Pull
Oracle
Queue
Albina Press
Nova
Case Study
Ovation
Keeper
See See Motor
Presso
Water Avenue
La Perlita
Capitola
Spella
Bitter Rose
Fairlane
Poesie
Black Ink
Lionheart
Relevant