Beer Bunker’s New Owners With Familiar Faces
On July 14th, Beer Bunker reopened after a refresh by its new owners, Rob Allred and Kimberley Hill. The brief closure allowed the new owners to secure their approval from the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission and refresh the tap room with an eye towards improvements that will keep the place looking clean for its…
82nd Ave Wendy’s Dining Room Closed for Renovation
The operators of a Wendy’s restaurant at 232 NE 82nd Avenue have recently closed the location’s dining room for renovations, while maintaining drive-through access for customers. Upgrades underway include modifications of interior walls along with the installation of new equipment and fixtures. Exterior work involves rearranging this location’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking spaces, adding…
Friday Beer Event and Hot Dog Cookoff in Montavilla Plaza
On Friday, June 20th, the second annual “Hop Dogs” event will greet hungry and thirsty guests from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Montavilla Plaza on SE 79th Avenue at SE Stark Street. Last year’s winner, Ruse Brewing, will compete against Grand Fir Brewing, Gold Dot Beer, Foreland Beer, and Threshold Brewing. The brewers will offer…
Tréla Greek Brunch Weekends
Tréla Greek Kitchen opened at 6000 NE Glisan Street on December 16th, 2024, and introduced weekend brunch service the following March. By summer, the restaurant owner’s parents will open Yiayia’s Greek Sweets shop in an adjacent space, serving the dessert items made for Tréla, along with Greek beverages and soft-serve ice cream. Since opening, people…
Montavilla Station Reopens March 13
At 4 p.m. on March 13th, the Montavilla Station bar at 417 SE 80th Avenue will reopen after a repair and maintenance closure. The February 10th notice to customers indicated the business was undergoing deep cleaning and the repair of rotten floor sections. Subsequent posters placed around the neighborhood announced the “Grand Reopening” of the…
Zwickelmania Returns with Shuttle Service
On February 22nd, Zwickelmania returns to Oregon with two of Montavilla’s breweries joining more than 50 other craft beer makers from all areas across the state. Host businesses offer attendees Zwickel tasting pours from the fermentation tanks and leading brewery tours. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street and Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue…
Fire at Future Chick-fil-A Restaurant
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to an early morning fire inside the shuttered Venue Gentlemen’s Club at 9950 SE Stark Street. The national chain chicken sandwich company, Chick-fil-A Inc., owns the approximately 7,012 square-foot building. Firefighters arrived just before 3 a.m. on January 4th, reportedly observing heavy smoke coming from the structure. Upon entering the building,…
Publican Beer Room Opens at CORE
On Friday, September 27th, the Publican Beer Room opened inside the Collective Oregon Eateries (CORE) food hall, supported by the bartending skills of Chris Shimamoto of Barrio fame. The CORE food cart pod and dining hall at 3612 SE 82nd Avenue recently took in carts displaced from Eastport Food Center’s closure. Now, they have made…
Dingo’s Sports Pub for East SE Stark
In early September, Dingo’s Sports Pub opened at 8826 SE Stark Street, replacing the Beer Brats & Beats venue with an Australian-style sports bar. Owner Brendan Jones has transformed this space several times since opening in late 2021. This iteration pulls inspiration from his national roots with a light Aussie theme that offers a brighter, quieter…
Eastport Food Center Empties Out
As of August 1st, all vendors have left the Eastport Food Center cart pod, and the business appears to have closed permanently. The owner of the 23,000-square-foot dining destination at 3905 SE 82nd Avenue listed the business for sale in 2022. In May, the location’s website went offline, and carts began moving off property in…
Chipotle Mall 205 Opening July 23
Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its newest location at 10090 SE Washington Street on July 23rd. Located at the outer northern edge of Mall 205, this rapidly expanding chain restaurant is replacing another Mexican-themed fast-casual restaurant, Baja Fresh. This brand shuffle is part of a growing reinvestment in this area that includes redeveloping older mall properties…
Montavilla Brew Works 9yr Celebration
On Saturday, July 13th, Montavilla Brew Works will celebrate nine years of serving locally brewed beer with an all-ages event from noon to 9 p.m. Although this event commemorates the years since this pioneering neighborhood destination greeted guests, it represents a decade of work for founders Melissa and Michael Kora, who nurtured this ten-barrel brewery…
Stop By Bakery and Deli on Division
On December 5th, 2023, Waseem Elaibi opened Stop By Bakery & Deli at 8245 SE Division Street near Portland Community College’s southeast campus. The owner and chief baker migrated from Iraq in 2016, bringing traditional baking skills first honed in his youth. The menu features halal-compliant foods and many freshly baked items, including samoon, an…
Thang Long Cuisine – Vietnamese Food You Want To Eat
Disclosure: this meal was comped but my opinions are my own. Thang Long Cuisine, located in the former Thai Fresh space, opened in April of this year. They have been updating their menu recently, and I was invited to stop by and taste a few things on it. The publisher of the Montavilla News, Jacob…
City Noise Records Opens, Replicant Bar to Follow
On May 22nd, City Noise Records relocated from a small storefront on NE Broadway Street to 7033 NE Glisan Street. Within a few weeks, a new beer and wine bar called Replicant will open next door to the punk and metal music shop, allowing customers of both establishments to commingle through a central passageway. These complementary…
Quiche Me if You Can Opening in March
By the end of March, Quiche Me if You Can restaurant will open in the former Sebastiano’s space at 411 SE 81st Avenue. Owner Christa Voytilla will take over the shop on March 1st and begin reshaping the space with an indoor service counter and quiche-focused kitchen. Since 2019, the farmers’ market chef has grown her business and…
Happy Lemon Opening in Fubonn
A new Happy Lemon tea shop will open in the Fubonn Shopping Center within the next few months. The former insurance agency storefront at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue, Suite 8, will transform into a brightly colored tea and bubble waffle restaurant offering dine-in tables and counter service. When it opens, it will be the fourth store in the…
Zwickelmania at Montavilla Breweries Feb 17
On February 17th, Zwickelmania® returns to the region with two Montavilla Breweries featuring Zwickel pours from the fermentation tanks and brewery tours. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street starts the celebration this Saturday at 11 a.m., followed two hours later by Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue. Zwickelmania® is an annual celebration of Oregon craft beer during…
Ranch Pizza Location on SE Stark
Ranch Pizza will open a new location in Montavilla’s downtown within the former Hungry Hearts storefront at 7940 SE Stark Street. This shop will be the seventh pizzeria for the local chain restaurant since owners Richard Corey and Eric Wood founded it in 2017. The menu honors the square Sicilian-style pizza, and most orders include a side serving of…
Replicant Bar and City Noise Records Coming to NE Glisan
In early 2024, City Noise Records will relocate from NE Broadway to 7035 NE Glisan Street. Next door at 7033 NE Glisan Street, the owner of the punk and metal music store will launch a new beer and wine bar called Replicant with his partner Lydia Crumbley. Renovation crews working on the 1917-era storefronts encountered some age-related complications, but…
HÂP Fresh Opens on SE Division
On December 2nd, HÂP Fresh will open in the former Thai Fresh location at 8409 SE Division Street. After four months of renovations and planning, the Asian fusion restaurant is ready to seat customers and serve its renowned handmade dumplings. This purveyor of Asian comfort food prides itself on fresh ingredients served into the midnight hours. HÂP Fresh is the…
Chipotle to Replace Baja Fresh at Mall 205
Earlier this year, Mexican-themed fast-casual restaurant Baja Fresh closed its 10090 SE Washington Street location at the outer edge of Mall 205. Last week, architects working for the Chipotle chain submitted building permits for a new store at the same address. Both brands position themselves in a similar space within the corporate foodservice marketplace. However, Chipotle offers a smaller menu of…
Sebastiano’s Relocating to Sellwood
October 4th, Sebastiano’s announced their intention to close the original Montavilla location at 411 SE 81st Avenue and move operations to Sellwood. The transition will happen in early 2024 after completing construction at the new shopfront. For the owners, this difficult choice resulted from steady growth and a pragmatic investment in their business. Since opening…
Vino Veritas Finds New Owners
Vino Veritas changed ownership this week, moving from one group of dedicated wine specialists to an equally knowledgeable and passionate partnership of family and friends. The three new owners intend to build on the successes of this renowned Portland wine bar and bottle shop at 7835 SE Stark Street with subtle enhancements and expanded offerings. Vino Veritas opened…
T4 Boba and Wing Kee Noodle on 82nd
Friday, September 22nd, the newest T4.Tea For franchise opened along SE 82nd Avenue, across from the Portland Community College campus. Later this month, Wing Kee Noodle will open within this same location at 2320 SE 82nd Avenue. The two establishments, run by a brother and sister team, will share dining space and kitchen resources but offer independent menus. The…
Montavilla Brew Works’ Deadtoberfest
This Saturday, September 23rd, Montavilla Brew Works (MBW) will hold its first annual Deadtoberfest. This Grateful Dead infused Oktoberfest celebration will feature German-style Bratwurst and several beers from the brewery’s collection. Founder and head brewer Michael Kora, inspired by MBW’s successful Street Fair beer garden, decided to create this new fall beer and food festival. Kora has wanted MBW to…
Thai Fresh Closes after 15 years, Hap to Open
On July 1st, Thai Fresh at 8409 SE Division Street closed its doors after nearly 15 years. Owners Vong Soutavong and Aroon Onchumchit made the difficult choice to cease operations after a series of events prompted the couple’s eventual relocation to Thailand later this year. HÂP Restaurant will move into the space, opening later this summer with startup help…
Mixteca Closing SE 82nd Ave Restaurant
On July 22nd, Mixteca Restaurant announced on the company’s Instagram account that they plan to cease operations at their restaurant and bar, refocusing on the original business model of catering and farmers’ market food service. Staff will offer the final dinner service at 2320 SE 82nd Avenue on July 23rd from 4 to 9 p.m. This closure concludes a…
Lazy Susan Pivots Into New Restaurant
This week Lazy Susan announced plans to close their prominent charcoal-grill-centric restaurant on July 23rd after nearly three years in operation. Crews will then set to work renovating the storefront at 7937 SE Stark Street, transforming it into a new dining experience run by the same individuals behind Lazy Susan. The eatery’s owner will pivot to Thai-inspired cuisine,…
Growler’s Taproom Becomes Covert Cafe
On July 1st, Growler’s Taproom at 803 SE 82nd Avenue will change its name to Covert Cafe in recognition of its new food menu and expanded service. Patrons can continue to order from an extensive selection of beers on tap but now have access to an array of meaty dishes to pair with their brew of choice. Since its…
Breakside Brewery Moto PDX Pop-up
Breakside Brewery recently announced plans to open a summer pop-up inside Moto PDX at 8826 SE Stark Street. Starting this weekend, they will transform the motorcycle cafe into a music-rich venue featuring a bratwurst-centric menu alongside a collection of the company’s beverages. The Breakside Pop-up is open Wednesday through Friday from 4 to 11 p.m. and on weekends from…
Portland Beer Week starts June 16th
This Friday, Portland Beer Week 2023 starts with several events in Montavilla and across the Portland Metro region. The ten-day-long celebration of beer runs from June 16th through the 25th, offering unique tastings, creative food pairings, and some of the best brews from around the world and around Portland. Area residents do not have to travel far…
Moto Cafe Pivots from Venue to Carts
Moto PDX Cafe could soon host up to eight food carts placed in its front parking lot at 8826 SE Stark Street. This next phase of supplemental business activity will follow a brief closure as staff remove the soundproofing recently added to the large glass windows at the front of the single-story building. The business owner…
Dzô Opens on NE Glisan
This month, Dzô Bar and Grill opened at 7907 NE Glisan Street, offering a lineup of Asian-inspired cocktails and Vietnamese food. This Vietnamese American sports bar blends classic pub menu items with dishes like Phở and fried rice. The full bar offers a wide range of cocktails, imported beers, and microbrews. Patrons can watch a variety…
Montavilla’s Saturday Winter Celebration
Two events will attract visitors to Montavilla’s commercial corridors this Saturday evening. Winter Wassail along NE Glisan Street features festive beverages, snacks, carolers, and holiday lighting. Participating stores and restaurants between 82nd and 68th Avenues will remain open for last-minute holiday gifts and festivities. People are invited to Wassail (Go from location to location caroling and/or drinking…
Mia and More on SE 82nd Ave
Today, Mia and More opened along SE 82nd Avenue across from Hong Phat Food Center. Owner Michelle Tran relocated her business from Beaverton to be closer to the thriving Vietnamese community in this area. The shop’s menu features fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, milk tea, fruit smoothies, and Vietnamese street food. Permitting delays and labor shortages pushed back…
Amaye International Restaurant Opens on NE Glisan
Amaye International Restaurant opened on Friday, November 4th, after months of preparation. The African food venue at 8000 NE Glisan Street recently took over the former corner storefront from Paitong Thai Cuisine, which closed last May. Opening day saw a steady flow of customers ordering food-to-go or dining in groups at a table. Since taking over the restaurant…
Fortune BBQ Noodle House on SE 82nd
Fortune BBQ Noodle House opened this Friday, September 9th, at 18 SE 82nd Avenue. The restaurant occupies the once vacant storefront that previously housed Giant Gyros at the corner of E Burnside Street and SE 82nd Avenue. The first few days of operation brought in a steady volume of customers, depleting some of the menu items.…
Crash Damaged McDonald’s Repaired
Three months after a car collided with the McDonald’s restaurant at 8149 SE Stark Street, workers have begun to repair the damages. On May 4th, a vehicle jumped the curb and collided with the SE 82nd Avenue facing dining-room windows. Witness reports indicate the driver “was doing donuts” before crashing into the building. Portland Police received the hit-and-run call at 9:43 p.m.…
Montavilla Street Fair Returns Sunday
After a two-year hiatus, the Montavilla Street Fair returns this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with family-friendly entertainment. Event organizers will block automotive access to SE Stark Street from 82nd Avenue to 76th Avenue on July 31st, making way for the expected 10,000 visitors. Attendees can eat, drink, and shop at 122 vendor booths. Nine music…
Thai Me Drunken Noodle at Growler’s Taproom
After an unexpected delay, Thai Me Drunken Noodle will officially open at 803 SE 82nd Avenue this Wednesday, July 13th. Cart operator Tyler Pathammavong has quietly served guests from this location over the last few days. Now, he is ready to welcome the full volume of customers looking for his Northern Thai-style fried chicken and noodle dishes. The food…
SE 79th Ave Plaza Reopens July 1st
Tomorrow, July 1st, the Montavilla Public Plaza reopens for its second year at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. The public gathering space will feature outdoor furniture and event space for community use. Last year, the space coordinators provided musical-themed programming to activate the area. This time, in a partnership with Montavilla Farmers Market, the Plaza…
Rabbit Hole Sweetshop
Last month, Rabbit Hole Market and Sweets quietly opened in Montavilla town at 414 SE 80th Ave. The shop occupies the former Hungry Heart Bakery space, made available after the restaurant relocated to SE Stark Street. Both businesses are the creation of Jax Hart, and the two locations work together to meet the varied appetites of customers throughout the day.…
PBOT Extends On-Street Seating and Public Plazas
At a press conference Monday, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced plans to extend two pandemic relief programs and work to make them permanent. PBOT Director Chris Warner joined Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty to highlight the successes of the Healthy Businesses permits and Portland Public Street Plazas program. The free Healthy Businesses permits will extend through August…
Pho Kim Reopens Sunday After Long Closure
After a successful soft reopening this week, Phở Kim Vietnamese restaurant and grill will host a grand opening celebration on March 6th. In 2020, an early morning rooftop fire closed the establishment for repairs. Years later, the work is complete at 2204 SE 82nd Avenue, and the staff is eagerly awaiting their customers’ return. Visitors this Sunday are encouraged to…
Thai street food pop-up Wednesday
Next Wednesday, Threshold Brewing & Blending will host a special one-night Thai street food pop-up event. The renowned traveling chef, Dream Kasestatad, will serve his creations from the taproom at 403 SE 79th Avenue on February 2nd from 4 PM until supplies run out. Kasestatad’s Pranom Pop-Up then moves over to Ruse Brewing on February 3rd and 4th before continuing its…
PDX Cookie Co Embracing the Neighborhood
PDX Cookie Co opened in Montavilla on March 7th of 2020, one week before the pandemic closed the storefront to the public. The confectionary maker is now looking to reimagine the local shopping experience with later hours and a new sit-down experience. After years of depending on website orders, the shop’s owner wants to reconnect with…
Futura Coffee Roasters Opening on NE Glisan
Update – January 30th 2022: Futura Coffee Roasters officially opened this weekend. The cafe hours are 7 AM to 5 PM weekdays, with weekend service from 8 AM to to 1 PM. Next month, Futura Coffee Roasters will open at 7201 NE Glisan Street in the former Fillmore space. The creators of this new coffee producer and cafe believe…
Food Carts on the Move
Portland’s food carts tend to stay in one place, causing patrons to forget that they have wheels. However, these mobile kitchens can change locations, and at least two local carts are on the move early next year. Although these popular dining destinations are heading out of Montavilla, they are still a short trip away. In…
Moto PDX Cafe Opens on Stark
This week, Moto PDX Cafe opened at 8826 SE Stark Street after months of preparation. The cafe celebrities the culture, art, and spectacle of performance motorcycle racing. Inside the bright white storefront, owner Brendan Jones creates a living room atmosphere with a wide variety of seating options conducive to intimate conversations or communal discussions around the cafe’s theme. At one…