Students in the dining hall (Credit: Lewis & Clark website).
Lewis & Clark Students love their food, from shopping organic to searching for the best restaurants. There are plenty of local restaurants of every variety. No matter your tastes, there is something for everybody.
Caffeine Fix
This Sellwood tea shop may be a little difficult to get to, but it is well worth the effort. For starters, the teachop is partially in an old, bright red, train car. The menu boasts a massive variety of teas that are on display in jars around the kitchen. You can even buy the tea jars themselves! The inside of the teashop is as charming as the outside. The tables are small, and there’s a door that leads to a private decorated garden where you can drink your tea.
Grab a hot cup of coffee at Stumptown Coffee Roasters (Credit: Photo by Leslie Lopez ).
Stumptown coffee has a number of locations throughout Portland. They sell quality roasts at reasonable prices and are rather popular. Honestly you’ll probably spend a little less than you would at Starbucks. Stumptown also sells bags of coffee beans if you are looking to stock up for the week.
Breakfast & Brunch
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner—any time of day is good to visit Davidson’s. The diner is a bit difficult to get to so find a friend who has a car to drive you! Folks tend to go mostly for breakfast, since the breakfast on the campus is alright but a little boring. Getting a nice stack of flapjacks at Davidson’s is much better. Davidson’s is the place to go if you are in the mood for some classic diner food. You’ll probably spend around $15-20 if you go.
Portland’s Voodoo Donuts are rather famous, but they are quite far from the bus stop, and the line is always long. Fortunately there is a great donut shop closer by. Sesame sells freshly made donuts 7 days a week. In addition to a variety of doughnuts, Sesame hasother pastries including a giant cinnamon roll. Sesame Donuts may feature more classic pastries but it also has seasonal promotions, from heart=shaped donuts for Valentine’s Day to jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Sesame is an excellent stop if you’re looking for sweets and some hot coffee.
Colorful produce at the PSU Saturday Farmers Market (Credit: Instagram @portlandfarmers).
The Saturday market is an excellent place to head to for lunch. The one in PSU is mostly focused on fresh fruits and veggies, but there are a number of stands there serving freshly made food. Among the fresh produce stands there are five stands which sell ready-to-eat food inclusind pizza and African food.I favor the tamale stand, but you had better get there fast! The stands only have so much food, and when things are sold out, they won’t be restocked till next week. I also recommend picking up some fresh fruit to snack on throughout the week.
Lunch & Dinner
Joe’s Burgers is a local chain, with one location super close to the bus stop. You can get a great burger for under $10 and a hotdog for under $6. They also have gluten free and vegetarian friendly options. The food is greasy, but it is a lot tastier than the burgers they serve in the dining hall. Joe’s has a friendly atmosphere, excellent take-out options, and a colorful interior design. There’s usually a few sports games playing on TV with low volume. I like to go with friends for a tasty meal while we tell each other the craziness of the day.
Orders ready to be grabbed by the customers, burgers and fries from Joe’s Burgers. (Credit: Instagram @joesburgers).
This local Mexican restaurant is close to campus. If you eat here, you can expect to spend around $15-$20. The food is tasty and often plenty. It may not be the cheapest, but, if you are stuck on where else to go for a meal, I’d recommend it. There is also an organic grocery store next door to the restaurant.
If Someone Else is Buying
There are a lot of poké places around Portland, and they are all delicious. However if you like your poke complicated, it can get a little pricey. I recommend Joy Poké Bar. The food is prepared with care, and the pricing is reasonable for what you’re buying. The restaurant has a friendly atmosphere, and also offers take-out.
Poké with edamame, sesame, and avocado. (Credit: Instagram @joypokebarpdx).
Luc Lac is an excellent place to have a meal, however they do charge slightly more than the average college student tends to pay for a meal. If you have a hankering for good Vietnamese food and a family member willing to pay,then this is the restaurant for you.
Bar/Microbreweries
Portland is famous for its microbreweries. If you are visiting you will certainly want to try one of them. It’s hard to go wrong. However, if you are having a hard time deciding, Culmination Brewing is a good place to go. Their brews are house made, and the environment of the place is really in tune with the Portland spirit. They also deliver.
Night Scene
Students don’t usually leave campus after the Pio Bus stops running. However we have Maggie’s on campus. Maggie’s is an excellent stop if you’re hungry. The many different coffees and teas will aid late night studying, and the pastries, sandwiches, and rice bowls will satisfy you if you’re looking for a fresh meal. If you are in the mood for snacks look no further than Maggie’s. It has an excellent selection of healthy and unhealthy snacking options. Maggie’s is open from 8:30am till 11:59pm every weekday to keep you going.
The outside of Maggies before the morning coffee rush. (Credit: Lewis & Clark college website)
Dessert
The Salt and Straw ice cream shop is a favorite among Lewis and Clark students. It has a wide variety of flavors, including experimental and seasonal ones. For example, in the summer there are a variety of flavors including berries like “Birthday Cakes and Blackberries” and “Goat Cheese Marionberry Habanero”. It is a hole in the wall shop, so a bit hard to find, but the icecream is worth the walk.
Portland’s most famous donut shop! The lines may be long, but the doughnuts are unusual and tasty. A lot of students like to buy the bucket of day-old donuts and bring them to parties. If you have the patience to wait in line, then this is a must-taste.
Voodoo Donuts get their name from their emblematic “Voodoo Doll” doughnut which is filled with raspberry jelly, covered in chocolate, and speared with a pretzel stake. Fun fact, the facial characteristics are usually different, for a fun, zany feel! (Credit: Instagram @voodoodoughnut)
