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Janey Wong is the Mercury's food editor and the managing editor at our sibling site, EverOut. She's usually eating, thinking about what she ate, or planning what to eat next. She dislikes drinking milkshakes through paper straws.
Friday the 13th occurs three times in 2026—the most it’s possible to have in a calendar year—which means more flash tattoos and more fun. This month, the inky tradition coincides with Valentine’s Day weekend, prompting fun designs that are both creepy and cute. Whether you’re looking to get your first tatt or you’re running out […]
Whatever your Valentine’s Day plans may be, we’ve gathered a bouquet of swoon-worthy options around town, with tasting menus at Mis Tacones and OK Omens, plus sweet treats from Gluten Free Gem. For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide. AdelledaLove is in the air at Vtopian’s sibling restaurant, which has a three-course […]
[What follows is one of the many merry articles in the Mercury’s Winter Guide 2025. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous this holiday season, support us here.—eds.] One of the most stressful parts of the holiday season has got to be the […]
At Bonnie and Israel Morales’ nationally recognized Eastern European restaurant Kachka, diners have been downing shots of horseradish vodka with pelmeni and their signature Herring Under a Fur Coat since 2014. Now, the restaurant has its very own distillery and zakuski bar spin-off: Kackha Fabrika, which translates to “factory,” also encompasses a dumpling workshop where […]
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the US between September 15 and October 15, recognizing the contributions of Hispanic culture. The 30-day period also includes several independence days and national holidays (Fiestas Patrias) of countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Chile. If you’re looking to take part in the […]
A Brief History of Portland Burger Week Since Burger Week is so ingrained in the fabric of Portland’s food history, you may assume that it has been grilling since the dawn of time. But in fact, the inaugural Portland Mercury Burger Week took place in 2013, launching with a lineup of 12 restaurants. As a […]
Happy Pride Month! It’s a great time to think about how you can put some of your hard-earned dollars toward supporting local queer-owned businesses, both while you’re out and about this June and all year long. From Meals 4 Heels to Taqueria Los Puñales, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite queer-owned bars, restaurants, and […]
Juneteenth (a portmanteau of “June” and “nineteenth”) commemorates the 1865 emancipation of Black slaves in the United States. Today, the celebration often includes singing, street fairs, cookouts, and Miss Juneteenth contests. In 2022, Juneteenth became a state-recognized holiday in Oregon, thanks in part to the efforts of the late community organizer Clara Peoples. Also known […]
Everyone knows Portland Pride starts in June—despite the parade kicking up zir heels in July. Pride is already here, and the Merc is keeping a rolling calendar of event picks you might love. In this installment: a dedicated meet-up for queer Asians at a wife-and-wife owned wine bar, bingo from Tomorrow Theater’s ORIGINAL bingo queen […]
What immediately comes to mind when you think of Portland’s food scene? Is it the ubiquitous food carts, the nationally lauded restaurants, the abundance of craft beer and doughnuts? It’s all of those things, certainly, but when I think of our food culture, I think community. It’s the restaurant owners who have helped each other […]
Counterintuitive to Portland’s food-centric culture, the city hasn’t had a public market since the closure of the Portland Public Market in 1942. Portlanders have access to a robust farmers market scene, but the city has been long devoid of a permanent public market in the vein of the Milwaukee Public Market or Philly’s Reading Terminal […]
[Read all of the articles in our Portland Fun Guide HERE! Looking for a print copy? Look at this handy-dandy map!—eds.] We’ve all heard the saying “don’t play with your food”—and when it comes to the literal sense, we as upstanding humans adhere to the wise words. But that doesn’t mean mealtime has to be […]
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