As a fan of NY style pizza, it took me a while to come around to LaRosas. Instead of comparing it, I decided to have an open mind and stop comparing them. Now I love LaRosas! I've never had a bad slice from them. It's always consistently delicious.
Be sure to try the Rondos! They are so delicious!
As a vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised when I found out Skyline made a meat-free option for chili. It's made with black beans and rice, so it's not exactly like Cincinnati style chili, but it's still delicious. I highly recommend the chili cheese fries.
Such a beautiful old train station. When you're waiting for your train, it's hard not to walk around a look at the beautiful architecture and appreciate that they have maintained this wonderful building so well.
While Ground Kontrol has it's hold on pinball and classic arcade games, this is the place to go if you just want to have a lot of fun for cheap. I've never spent more than $10 here and have played games non-stop for 2 hours. They have plenty of typical arcade games such as skeeball and other ticket-dispensing games.
If you like people watching, this is an awesome place to go and hang out. There are benches and steps all around to sit and eat lunch on. During christmas time, there is a giant tree in the middle of the square. The lighting ceremony is a big deal to a lot of people.
There are also many events throughout the year that happen here, such as concerts and sand castle competitions. I once went to a skateboard competition here that was sponsored by an energy drink company. I was given enough energy drinks to last me a year. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep that year.
If you don't look up, you might miss this. I lived in Portland for a year until I first saw it. Then I felt like an idiot because it's so big it's hard to miss once you first see it.
This is also where the show Portlandia got it's name, and you will recognize it in the intro montage.
Great local comic book store that really stands out among all the other great comic shops in Portland. They also have a great mailorder business and comics always arrive on time and in great condition.
While not the prettiest bridge in Portland, it's the best bridge to use if you're in lower SE or SW. Since the bridge is pretty high up, you get a great wide view of the city which is especially beautiful at night.
One half is a vegan store with all sorts of bulk, packaged, and frozen vegan food. They also sell a lot of vegan cooking books and random vegan-friendly items. The other half of Park and Vine is a vegan cafe with tons of great options. There are only a handful of tables, but they also have some pre-made sandwiches for the grab-and-go crowd.
Arguably most people's favorite bridge in Portland, and rightfully so. There is plenty of do on either side of the bridge, and it's passable by car, bike, or foot. Be sure to walk across it at night to get one of the best views of the city.