Finding Old Portland in Foster-Powell's Back Alleys
Foster-Powell has the charms of Old Portland, with a maze of alleys where neighbors hang out. “I like the alleys; I think they're special,” says longtime Foster-Powell resident and podcast producer Phoebe Flanigan.
Foster-Powell has the charms of Old Portland, with a maze of alleys where neighbors hang out.
“I like the alleys; I think they're special,” says longtime Foster-Powell resident and podcast producer Phoebe Flanigan. “People will walk their dog down there or will garden along their back fence, and so you get a chance to just chat. It feels like you're in your own backyard.”
And once a year there’s The Alley Sweeper, a motorcycle and dirt bike event. “All these dirt bikers, they just zip through there,” Flanigan says. “It's very entertaining. My garage opens on the alley, so you can just open it up and post up and watch.”
Here’s some of Flanigan’s picks for places to check out in her neighborhood:
🛍️ Visit and Shop:
🔪 Kitchen Culture
The shop sells high-quality second-hand kitchen appliances at discounted prices. They also have classes.
🔥 Buck’s Stove Palace
The owner is a collector of antique stoves. But he also sells modern varieties.
📚 Holgate Library
The recently rebuilt library reopened last year. It holds regular community events.
🍴🍺 Eat and Drink:
🥐 An Xuyen Bakery
The pan-Asian bakery sells the full gamut of tasty baked goods, including macarons, flan, and pork bao. Flanigan recommends the ube mochi doughnuts and the bánh mì.
🍴 Street Disco
Maybe it’s the location, but this restaurant flies under the radar. Flanigan recommends the vermouth and the fried saltines (“they puff up like pillows”).
🍸 Bar Carlo
“ Bar Carlo is great for brunch or a drink,” Flanigan says. “The chips and guac there is incredible.”
☕ Kainos Coffee
Named a “standout coffee roaster” when it opened its initial location across town, the coffee shop has become a neighborhood favorite since its move to Foster Road in 2023.
🥩 Proletariat Butchery
Visit for high-quality meat and, on the last Friday of the month, the best burger in Portland (according to the Oregonian).
- Related: A Portland grill expert on the perfect backyard BBQ. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
🌮 Food Carts at the Portland Mercado
The food cart pod is in operation, though the Mercado building was severely damaged in a fire last year.
- Related: The Mercado is collecting donations to rebuild.
For more of Flanigan’s tour of the neighborhood, check out her interview with the City Cast Portland podcast.
Do you have a favorite spot in Foster-Powell that we missed? Please email me.
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