Food & Drink Guide 2021

ANDREW JANKOWSKI Uninitiated Portland diners should take heed of Fermenter’s return. The vegan restaurant and kombucherie reintroduced themselves in October 2020 at Southeast 14th and Belmont, shifting into the space once held by their still-on-hiatus sister restaurant, Farm Spirit. Fermenter’s heated patio was installed in November, and in-person brunch followed this past summer. Mushrooms, smoked […]

PORTLAND CIDER COMPANY Portland neighborhoods are brimming with residential fruit trees, and while the bounty is a delight to the residents and their friends who reap the benefit of their generosity, a lot of that fruit winds up wasted on the ground. One refreshing solution comes from the Portland Cider Company, an award-winning cider brewery […]

Jewan Manuel, otherwise known as Portland’s plant-based papi. ANDREW JANKOWSKI What comes to mind when you think of sustainability in the food space? As the focus on sourcing and intention becomes more and more prevalent, many people are looking to fuel themselves with food that not only causes little harm to them, but to the […]

Jojo plans to offer more vegetarian options at its upcoming brick-and-mortar location. Pictured here is a fried Brussels sprout and heirloom tomato sandwich from the food cart. COURTESY OF JOJO PDX Justin Hintze, owner of the popular food cart and soon-to-be restaurant Jojo, can’t remember all of the times he has been forced to close […]

Vegan food from Dirty Lettuce can satisfy any KFC craving. COURTESY OF DIRTY LETTUCE Surrounded by a virtual Instagram grid of perfectly plated street tacos and behind-the-scenes cooking videos is an image of Walter Mercado—a beloved Hispanic astrologer—standing in an embellished pink cape, his hands outstretched as if presenting the overlaid text: “Trans POC eat […]

Side Yard Farm is in Northeast Portland’s Cully neighborhood. SHAWN LINEHAN When Stacey Givens awoke to find her house without electricity in February 2021, she pulled her boots on over her pajamas and ran to her barn, which shares the same power source as her home. “I remember the floor [of the barn] was like […]

A plus to tinned fish is that the packaging is often adorable. Blair Stenvick Canned seafood has been having a moment. It’s the current darling of food media and lifestyle Instagram, and was even dubbed “hot girl food” by Vice earlier this year. If you’ve yet to hop on the tinned fish train, you need […]

As wine grape harvest season grows warmer in Oregon, it’s imperative that vineyard workers stay hydrated. COURTESY OF ELK COVE VINEYARDS Whether atmospheric or human-caused, Oregon has become adept at mixing the perfect cocktail for a growing wildfire problem. So what’s in store for wine grapes, one of the state’s ten most lucrative crops? I […]

anthony keo You won’t find any red meat in the Mercury’s new Food & Drink Guide, which hinges on the theme of “eating sustainably.” But you will find a lot of meaty stories about the restaurateurs, farmers, food service workers, and organizations fighting to make Portland’s food world more sustainable—and more delicious. The last two […]