A GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE STAYCATION IN PORTLAND’S OLD TOWN-CHINATOWN
When thinking of a locale to staycation in the city, Old Town-Chinatown may not be top of mind for Portlanders — the neighborhood faces its fair share of challenges, including homelessness and public safety concerns. But many BIPOC-owned businesses have opened in the last decade, working to revitalize one of the most historic districts in Portland. Once the site of a bustling Chinatown and Japantown, the neighborhood is now home to a divergent mix of cultural institutions, queer venues, destination sneakerhead shops, and social service organizations. Below, find Eater Portland’s ideal itinerary for the ultimate weekend in Old Town-Chinatown.
FRIDAY EVENING
Unwind with a rooftop hang
For a comfortable stay, check into the chic Hoxton or more casual Society Hotel. Start your weekend by relaxing on the Hoxton’s rooftop, where spicy margaritas and small plates to share — including mango-pocked tuna tostadas, chorizo or bean empanadas, and lip-puckering ceviche de camaron — are served with sweeping views at Tope.
For dinner, South American cuisine at Lechon
Make a reservation ahead of time for Lechon, a wood-fired South American restaurant down by the waterfront. In the warmly lit dining room anchored by eye-catching aquariums filled with undulating jellyfish, couples and groups sit down for dishes inspired by the Patagonia region and Peru, including pastel de choclo and lomo saltado.
SATURDAY
Dim sum brunch
Venture across Burnside for brunch at Xin Ding Dumpling House, where chef Leon Liu handmakes the plump, gleaming dumplings that anchor the menu, which also features larger plates to share, soups, dried pot dishes, and noodles. Here, steamer baskets arrive with piping hot xiao long bao, dumplings packed with tender lamb, pork and leek potstickers, and dim sum classics like crystal shrimp dumplings. For a sweet finish, fluffy bao come filled with molten black sesame or salted egg custard.
Tranquility in the city
Stroll around Lan Su Chinese Garden, a serene inner-city oasis that was built in collaboration with Suzhou, China, one of Portland’s sister cities. At the garden’s recently revamped Yun Shui teahouse, guests sit down to gaiwan tea service amid peaceful surroundings. Yun Shui’s tea ambassador can provide guidance on the menu, which includes over 20 Chinese and Taiwanese teas. The teahouse also serves wonton soup, congee, and Chinese pastries for visitors who are feeling peckish.
Asian comfort food and cocktails at Buranko
After a visit to the garden, grab a table at the laidback Asian fusion cafe Buranko for dinner. Cheers to the weekend with a Kyoto Fog (Bailey’s, vodka, matcha, soy milk, marshmallow) or a non-alcoholic lychee ginger fizz before tucking into dishes like okonomiyaki fries and linguine pad kee mao. The restaurant is also exceedingly family-friendly, with play areas for families who are staycationing with young ones.
Don’t call it a night
For staycationers that still have some steam in them, a little fun is in order. Check ahead to see who’s playing at the Roseland Theater, Star Theater, or Dante’s. If a concert or show doesn’t feel like the move, head to the haunted mansion-themed bar Raven’s Manor for cocktails or take the party to the recently opened Badlands, a gay bar that hosts rollicking dance nights and drag performances.
SUNDAY
Make a caffeine run to one of the neighborhood’s Black-owned coffee shops
Portland’s coffee scene and sneakerhead culture collide at Deadstock Coffee, where owner Ian Williams serves espresso drinks and the cafe’s signature Lebronald Palmer, a mix of cold brew, sweet tea, and lemonade. Above GRND is another solid option for a morning jolt. The first generation Somali-owned cafe, located in the loft above Bridge City Soles, uses Upper Left Roasters for its banana milk lattes and its Grnd Szn Latte, a Somali-inspired coffee drink flavored with cardamom and warm spices.
A classic drag brunch...
Drag brunches have proliferated in Portland in recent years, but old school drag prevails at Darcelle XV Showplace. The venue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of two drag clubs in the United States opened before 1970. Prior to his death, founder Walter Cole, also known as Darcelle, held the Guinness World Record for world’s oldest performing drag queen. Today, Darcelle’s protégé Poison Waters leads the troupe of Darcelle’s drag queens, who take the stage while guests tuck into brunch. Reservations for Sunday Funday brunch are recommended — cover includes a plated brunch; doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the show starts at 12:30 p.m.
...Followed by some light shopping
A visit to Barnes and Morgan, a hybrid tea shop and fashion house, is essential for fashion-minded folks. Enjoy a pot of one of the shop’s blends while browsing clothing from designer Amir Morgan. Next door, Goodies Snack Shop stocks things like Tochi snacks and Ice Queen paletas along with goods to take home, like Korean cosmetics, Vietnamese phins from Nguyen Coffee Supply, and condiments like the locally made Sao Noi chili oil.
Learn about the neighborhood’s history
Old Town-Chinatown’s rich history is stewarded at the Portland Chinatown Museum, where a permanent multimedia exhibition displays artifacts, oral histories, and video. Nearby, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon recounts the history of nihonmachi, or Japantown, and the resilience of Portland’s Japanese American community through the incarceration that took place during World War II.
The cap to a great weekend: Mexican dishes with Pacific Northwest ingredients at De Noche
On the neighborhood’s border with the Pearl District, De Noche, the unfussy Mexican kitchen from powerhouse restaurant group República & Co., pairs approachable dishes like tlayudas and aguachile and serves them alongside glasses of Mexican wine and mezcal flights. Don’t miss chef Dani Morales’s signature dish, short rib birria with maiz, or the mole of the day — and whatever it may be served with. To really end the weekend with a bang, the entire tasting menu is available for two.
2024-07-02T21:31:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd