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Portland Meal That Feels Like a Vacation

Posted on July 7, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025

Rachel Monahan

Portland, Oregon, lobster roll from Cafe Rowan, with a mimosa

Summertime delights include finding the taste of the coast in town. (Rachel Monahan/City Cast Portland)

Cafe Rowan’s lobster roll is like a vacation in a sandwich.

It’s as if I’ve jetted off to Maine. But there was no packing (or no shooting across the country packed like a human sardine in a rocket).

I’ve never had a Maine lobster roll in Maine, but I’ve had some tasty ones along the way. And this one ($25) is delightfully liberal with the truffle aioli without overdoing it.

Get yourself a taste of a trip back east!

And here are some reader picks for best spots around town:

🍜 Best Ramen

“Go to Boxer Ramen and ask for half curry broth and half tonkatsu broth. Rocks my world!” — Michelle Mathews

🥬 Best Vegan Brunch

“The undisputed champion for vegan brunch is Fermenter!” — Thomas Vanderpol

☕ Best Coffeeshop

“Of course, competition is fierce between coffee purveyors over who makes the best this, and who offers the best that. But for me, community is the priority. Enter Café 26 at NE 7th & Knott. Every single day, out front, you will find the klatchiest of klatches. Many are long-time regulars, but new folks mix in all the time. Every kind of discussion circulates through from science to politics to art. If one is looking for a place to meet interesting people — who are actually inclusive to strangers — 26 is the spot.” — Corky Miller

Summer Staycation Meal?

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