Katherine Chew Hamilton

During the pop-up days of Machetes, the lines of people snaking around the block waiting to order could easily be mistaken for a limited edition sneaker drop. But now, Machetes devotees can simply roll up any day of the week to Hey Love, the tropical, plant-filled bar inside the Jupiter NEXT Hotel where the former […]

It seems like matcha is in everything these days, from tiramisu to soft serve to overnight oats (looking at you, NYT Cooking). But what about straight-up matcha for matcha’s sake? Enter Mako Matcha Mill, where matcha itself is the focus—not the cloud foams, fruit flavors, or swirls of soft serve that often accompany it. Mako […]

If the words “butter log” leave you wanting more, look no further than salt bread. Hailed by many as the next great competitor to the croissant, salt bread consists of a simple yeasted dough wrapped around a log of butter. As it bakes, the butter melts, leaving behind what many call a “butter hole” as the […]

Hi there! I’m Katherine Chew Hamilton, and I’m beyond excited to join the Mercury as its new managing editor. Most of the time, I write and edit stories about food—you might recognize my rather lengthy byline from various pubs around town, including Eater Portland and Portland Monthly, where I was the food editor for several […]

A new Mexican restaurant has taken root downtown, right near PSU and the South Park Blocks. Madrina, which opened in late August, offers lunchtime staples like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas in its informal mercadito-themed space during the day. At night, Madrina’s neighboring dining room opens for dinner, with hearty plates like cochinita pibil and pollo […]

There’s a new player in the local cider scene. Alchemy Cider has opened in the Buckman neighborhood, bringing a dark magic, metal-inspired aesthetic to the former Brewery 26 space. The taproom, which seats up to 50, is dark and moody, decorated with pointed arches, vintage church pews, sconces, and hooded figures—though for sunny days, there’s […]

The Rangoon Bistro team has done it again. From their humble beginnings at a farmers market stand, the trio of friends, Alex Saw, David Sai, and Nick Sherbo, eventually grew their business into a two-restaurant operation, and on July 17, they opened their third: a Burmese eating and drinking tavern called Bone Sine. The Burmese […]