Where to Eat During Portland Dining Month

Portland, Oregon is a true foodie city and home to some of the most wonderful restaurants in not only Oregon, but all of the Pacific Northwest.

One of the number one reasons to visit Portland is to eat. You could spend an entire visit to Portland visiting one restaurant after another without ever having a bad meal. Unfortunately, sometimes the restaurants that you want to try the most are simply too expensive. One of the best ways to enjoy some of Portland, Oregon’s most expensive restaurants is to visit during Portland Dining Month. Depending on which restaurant you decide to dine at you could potentially save quite a bit of money.

March is Portland Dining Month

All month long in March Portland’s hottest restaurants will be offering a three-course meal, typically an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $33. This fixed price makes dining at some of Portland’s restaurants way more affordable. Many of the restaurants include a bonus 4^th course. For an additional cost, many also offer wine pairings or a charity cocktail.

You likely will not have the time to visit more than a few restaurants participating in Portland Dining Month, so I have put together of my favorite restaurants that are participating this year! I am not recommending any restaurants I have not tried myself.

Portland Dining Month Guide

This year includes so many of my favorite restaurants in Portland, including Radar, Quaintrelle, Acadia, Pok Pok, Oui Wine Bar + Restaurant, Laurelhurst Market, Jackrabbit, and more!

Departure

Another one of my long-time favorites participating is Departure, which features exquisitely prepared Asian fusion cuisine and sweeping views of the city.

First course (choose one):

Charred beets with pickled cranberry, coconut, tamarind, and cashew
-or-Shaved collards and roots with sesame dressing, seed furikake, and nori

Second course (choose one):

Mussels with chili jam and basil
-or-Korean fried chicken with radish kimchi and steamed rice
-or-Vegetables with green curry and steamed rice

Third course (choose one):

Toasted chocolate custard with peanut-coconut milk ice cream with ginger nibs
-or-Banana custard with chocolate ice cream, smoked carmel, ginger, and nibs

King Tide Fish and Shell

Hello seafood! For 2019 they are offering more options than most other restaurants.

First course (choose one):

Mixed green salad with radish, Katz Sparkling Wine Vinegar and herb vin with Humboldt fog cheese and brioche
-or-Spring veggies with green garlic dressing and candied sunflower seeds
-or-Kanpachi crudo with sesame croquant, sudachi ponzu, Thai chile and finger lime
-or-Dungeness crab toast with smashed avocado and pickled ají dulce

Second course (choose one):

Squid ink and oxtail tortellini with lobster, spring peas and ancho beurre monte
-or-Market fish with potato puree, pea shoots, gunaciale, Veracruz salsa and shoestring potato
-or-Airline chicken with fingerling potato, spring onion, Meyer lemon and burnt ramp vinaigrette
-or-Roasted eggplant terrine with chevre, charred piquillo coulis, snow pea and Calabrese pepper slaw

Third course (choose one):

“Honeycomb” with Bee Local honey and buttermilk panna cotta with macerated berries
-or-House-made ice cream or house-made Sorbet
-or-Chocolate trifle with spiced chocolate mousse, dark chocolate crumble and white chocolate whipped cream

Laurelhurst Market

This steakhouse and butcher shop basically does everything right. Their steaks are delicious, but not cheap, which is why this is one of the best Portland Dining Month deals.

2019 MENU

First course:

Endive and citrus salad with olive relish and yogurt dressing

Second course:

Grilled Denver steak with smashed Yukon Gold potatoes, roasted asparagus and pickled red onion salad and roasted garlic aioli (contains raw egg)

Third course:

Chocolate panna cotta, orange marmalade sauce and salted honey granola

Quaintrelle

Quaintrelle makes one delightful dish after another using in season locally sourced ingredients. Their food is art.

2019 MENU

First course (choose one)

Oysters with pineapple mignonette, serrano, herb oil and charred lemon
-or-
Panisse with olives, pine nuts and green garlic aioli

Second course (choose one)

Hay-smoked butternut squash, onion soubise, pistachio verde, maple and foie gras
-or-Melted leek and potato soup with seeds, crumbs and radish

Third course (choose one):

Ricotta dumplings with foraged winter mushrooms, smoked beet “bacon,” fiore sardo and garlic foam
-or-Pork loin with turnip, braised cabbage and sauce aux truffes

Additional:

Add any vegetable course, $11Add any desert, $6Optional wine pairings available

Corzetti

This little neighborhood Italian restaurant offers an amazing range of food and nice drink options.

2019 MENU

First course (choose one):

Mozzarella arancini with arugula-walnut pesto and mozzarella di bufala
-or-Sangiovese-braised oxtail arancini with bone marrow marinara and parmesan
-or-Caponata crostini with roasted red pepper eggplant and red onion, toasted focaccia, burrata and torn basil
-or-Arugula and herb salad with Moscato-poached pear, hazelnut and Montchevre croquette, herb vinaigrette and pecorino crema
-or-Brussels sprouts caesar topped with candied pecan, pancetta, parmesan and herbed bread crumbs
-or-Roasted heirloom carrots with puffed farro, ricotta salata, pistachio yogurt and mint

Second course (choose one):

Seasonal veggie risotto with arugula walnut pesto, parmesan and crispy lemon
-or-Four cheese agnolotti with goat cheese, mascarpone, truffled pecorino, parmesan, pesto cream and sweet peppers
-or-Gnocchi alla bolognese with roasted potato gnocchi, pork and beef bolognese, parmesan and fried garlic
-or-Sweet potato gnocchi with balsamic brown butter, candied walnuts, dolcelatte blue, fried sage and vincotto
-or-Pork and beef meatballs with spaghetti, bone marrow marinara and basil pesto
-or-100-layer lasagna pancetta and beef shoulder ragu with béchamel, bone marrow marinara and parmesan

Third course (choose one):

Dolce tiramisu semifreddo with coffee cake and mascarpone whipped cream
-or-Butterscotch budino with caramel and orange-almond biscotti

Pok Pok

Pok Pok is considered one of the best restaurants in Portland. 

2019 MENU

First course:

Miang kham: betel leaf wraps filled with diced ginger, lime, Thai chilies, peanuts, toasted coconut, shrimp floss and shallots served with a sweet palm sugar-tamarind sauce
-and-
Yam samun phrai: Thai herbal salad with white turmeric, carrot, parsnip, betel leaf, basil, lime leaf, lemongrass, sawtooth, fried shallots, cashews, peanuts, sesame seeds, dry shrimp floss, ground pork, fresh prawns and Thai chilies in a mild coconut milk dressing
-and-choice of jasmine or sticky rice

Second course (choose one):

Khanom jiin naam yaa kai: spicy coconut curry with ground chicken and krachai served over thin rice vermicelli, pickled mustard greens, bean sprouts, basil, cabbage, long beans and boiled egg.
-or-
Cha ca “la vong”: catfish marinated in turmeric and sour rice and fried in turmeric oil with scallions and dill and served on rice vermicelli with peanuts, mint, cilantro and mam nem

Third course:

Whiskeysoda float: homemade bourbon ice cream and cola float with a brace of Amarena cherries on top

Tiffin Asha

Tiffin Asha is a place I just discovered last month. Their Indian food is superb.

2019 MENU

First course:

Radish kosambari with pea shoots, mung bean, crushed peanuts, shredded coconut, powdered curry leaf, lime and black salt

Second course (choose one):

Lamb kabab uttapams with fermented Indian style pancakes, garam masala, date pickle, cashew cream and crispy kale
-or-String hoppers and kokum curry with hand-pressed, steamed rice noodles, wild mushrooms, roasted root vegetables and curry leaves

Third course (choose one):

Ginger-honey kulfi with blood orange-almond caramel and almond sugar clusters
-or-Coconut ladoo with saffron scented warm cashew milk and rose petals

Petite Provence

This is only at the Division location!!! I typically only eat here for brunch or dessert, but there dining month menu sounds divine.

MENU

First course (choose one):

Winter strawberry salad: winter greens, pecans, goat cheese and olive oil.
-or-Soup du Jour

Second course (choose one):

Cabernet steak: teres major butcher’s cut with perfect mashed potatoes, farmed asparagus and compound butter
-or-Mustard and honey crusted salmon: Burgundy Beurre Blanc with cocoa butter mashed potatoes and garden vegetables

Third course:

Petite Provence signature dessert du Jour

Little Bird Bistro

Little Bird Bistro is another place that is always good. At this point I’ve lost track of how many times I have eaten here. 

MENU

First course (choose one):

Field greens with moscatel vinaigrette, gruyere and currants
-or-Ricotta gnocchi à la bourguigon with red wine braised beef, brown butter carrots and parmesan

Second course (choose one):

Mushroom leek crêpe with soft-boiled egg, balsamic brown butter and hazelnuts
-or-Double brie burger with spiced ketchup, onion, pickles, frites Petit Oiseau (available à l’américaine)
-or-Herbed cod with green garlic-meyer lemon beurre blanc and spring vegetable cous-cous

Third course (choose one):

Tropical chocolate parfait with chocolate mousse, mango curd, pineapple compote, coconut whip and macadamia madeleines
-or-Ice cream and sorbet duo (selected daily) with shortbread cookie

Nel Centro

Nel Centro has delicious Italian food. This is my go-to place before catching a show at Keller auditorium. 

2019 MENU

First course (choose one):

Mushroom bisque with toasted hazelnuts
-or-
Mesclun greens with fresh herbs and croutons

Second course (choose one):

English pea agnolotti with lemon cream sauce
-or-Rotisserie chicken with roasted heirloom carrots and marble potatoes

Third course (choose one):

Lemon mousse with strawberry and basil
-or-House-made ice cream or sorbet

Bar Casa Vale is a great little pub.

2019 MENU

First course (choose one):

Ensalada rusa with beets, potatoes, radish and walnut vinaigrette
-or-Carrot salad with dates, freekha, sunflower seeds and manchego

Second Course (choose one):

Gambas a la Plancha with spot prawns, fermented chili and scallion
-or-Chorizo sausage with chickpeas, tomato, fennel and aioli

Third course (choose one):

Xurros with toasted rice cream
-or-Potted cream

DOC Restaurant

I just ate at DOC for the first time a few days ago and can’t believe I had never been here before. It’s been around since 1963 and it is fantastic! I decided to have the dining month offerings and since Eden wasn’t hungry she split it with me. The second course listed on the dining month menu was fish, but they let me get risotto instead. The third course was suppose to be a lemon tart, but we ended up being offered chocolate cake and we never turn down chocolate cake! They also offered a wine pairing with four wines and that was almost better than the food! I wouldn’t typically recommend the wine pairing, because I typically think you should just drink what you like, but this was a lovely pairing. 

2019 MENU

First course:

Little gems with smoked tonnato, fiore sardo and lemon

Second course:

Risotto with parsnip, Grana Padano cheese and Marcona almonds

Third course:

Meyer lemon tart with pistachio brittle, meringue and white chocolate

For each reservation made through OpenTable, Portland Dining Month will make a donation to the Oregon Food Bank!

What is on your list of restaurants? I would love to hear which Portland Dining Month restaurants you recommend in the comments belong! So, far I’ve only had the chance to get to three, but they were all fantastic!

Where to Stay in Portland