How to Eat in Portland, Oregon on the Cheap. Portland is certainly not short on places to eat. Though it offers many fine-dining options, it also has places for those watching their wallet. Portland is a city full of great neighborhood diners that offer comfort food for all tastes and good atmospheres to bask in.
Check out all the reasonably priced food carts downtown, many offering bento options and burritos you'll need two hands for. Several of these can be found by Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland's "living room." Grab a bite and pull up a chair on the brick steps here to do some excellent people-watching.
Take a trip to Escape from New York Pizza. Serving up some of the best pizza in Portland, this eatery in Northwest sells it by the pie or the slice, great for an afternoon snack. Cup and Saucer in Southeast is a terrific, reasonably priced breakfast diner. Produce Row is an interesting place down in the warehouse district, serving sandwiches and an amazing array of local beers - not to mention good live music, pool tables and a patio for those days when the sun comes out.
Cruise by the food courts down at Saturday Market (go there on Sundays too) under the Burnside Bridge. You'll find stands running the range from yakisoba to elephant ears to Polish sausages. The prices are all reasonable and the people-watching potential at this outdoor market is huge.
Swing by Montage, located under the Morrison Bridge, especially if it's late. Open until the wee hours, this Southern-slanted eatery is a den of eye candy. The longer the sun's been down, the better. You can get a bowl of macaroni, corn bread and drink for about ten bucks. You don't want to miss the waiters' tin-foil, doggie-bag creations or the way they call out for oyster shooters.
Keep your eye out for Portland's weekly newspaper, "Willamette Week," which has tons of restaurant listings for all price ranges. It comes out every Wednesday and is free in stands all over town. "The Oregonian" calendar section on Fridays also has a good list, a deal for thirty-five cents.
