Pearl District and NW 23rd Avenue: where to eat in Portland

The Pearl District and Northwest 23rd Avenue sit side by side in the northwest of Portland and make one of the most polished walking-and-dining areas in the city. The Pearl is a former industrial and rail yard district turned neighborhood of lofts, galleries and parks. Northwest 23rd, a mile or so west, is an older, tree-lined shopping street. Eat in both, plan a meal around a bookstore or a show, and enjoy a Portland that is more polished than the east side streets it is better known for.

What is the Pearl District like for eating?

The Pearl is a walkable former industrial zone, now full of boutiques, national retailers and restaurants, and home to a huge independent bookstore. Jamison Square, a public plaza with a water feature, is a short walk from many of the restaurants and a good place to wait for a table. The Pearl has a mix of bakeries, coffee counters, wine bars, restaurants with serious kitchens and quick lunch spots for office workers.

The Pearl tends to be pricier than the east side, with more table-service restaurants and fewer food carts. It is also the most convenient area for visitors staying downtown, because it is a short walk or streetcar ride from the center.

What is on Northwest 23rd Avenue?

Northwest 23rd, sometimes called Nob Hill, is a street of locally owned shops, boutiques and national brands, with restaurants and cafes between. The street has dessert shops, sushi, ice cream and doughnut shops. The street is calmer than Hawthorne or Division in the evening and more suited to a quiet meal or a coffee in the afternoon.

How do you eat before a show or a bookstore visit?

The bookstore is large and easy to lose an afternoon in, so plan your meal around it. A common pattern is coffee or a light lunch, an hour or two in the store, then a drink or dessert. For a theater evening, book a table that lets you finish an hour before curtain. Pre-theater dinners fill at 5:30 and 6:00, and a restaurant near a venue will often tell you the time you need to leave to arrive in comfort.

If you are in a hurry, the Pearl has counter-service places that make a sandwich or a bowl in minutes. Ask for it to go and eat in Jamison Square or a nearby park if the weather is dry.

Do you need a reservation in the Pearl?

For dinner on a Friday or Saturday at a restaurant with a reputation, yes if the restaurant takes them. Many Portland restaurants do not take reservations at all, and those that do usually keep bar or counter seats for walk-ins. Check the restaurant's page for a booking link, and for any deposit or cancellation policy that applies to larger groups.

What does it cost, and what is the tax?

A dinner in the Pearl is usually at the higher end of Portland prices, and a tasting menu or a steakhouse will be more. Oregon has no sales tax, so the check shows menu prices plus any listed fees. Tip 18 to 20 percent for table service. Because tips are not counted toward a worker's minimum wage in Oregon, servers are paid the full local wage before tips, but tipping is still the custom. Some restaurants add a service charge for large parties. The check will say so.

Can you eat here with children or special diets?

Yes. Many Pearl restaurants welcome children at early seatings, and Jamison Square's water feature is a favorite with families in warm weather. For vegetarian and vegan diets, Portland is one of the easier US cities. For allergies, tell the server clearly and ask how the dish is made. Gluten-free labels on menus are not a guarantee for celiac disease.

How do you get to the Pearl and NW 23rd?

The Portland Streetcar runs through both areas and connects them with downtown and Portland State University. Buses serve Northwest 23rd, and walking between the two areas takes about twenty to thirty minutes. Parking in the Pearl is by meter and garage, and on Northwest 23rd it is tight on weekend evenings, with residents' blocks nearby. Check TriMet and the streetcar for schedules, especially late.

Is there a market or a cheap option nearby?

The Pearl itself is not a cheap-eats district, but cheap options exist within a short ride. The Portland State University farmers market sits on the South Park Blocks, a streetcar ride from the Pearl. Food carts cluster downtown at lunchtime on several blocks. If the Pearl menu prices are too high for the evening, eat lunch here, when many restaurants offer shorter menus at lower prices, and save dinner for the east side.

How do you keep track of a Pearl District day?

A day in the Pearl runs from coffee to a bookstore to a pre-theater dinner, and each stop deserves a note. In the Mosey app, rate the lunch, the dessert and the dinner by the dish, add a tag such as Date Night or Dinner, and keep the places in a list for the northwest. Share it with the friend who is visiting from out of town, and they can add the table they booked early. Follow friends who live downtown and see where they eat before a show.

Rate your next Pearl dinner in the Mosey app and keep the list for your next theater night.

More guides to read next:

• Portland food carts and pods: how they work and how to eat at them
• Old Town Chinatown, Portland: Lan Su Garden, markets and where to eat
• Sellwood-Moreland, Portland: food guide to Milwaukie Avenue and 13th

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.