Karen Brooks eats, drinks and thinks about food for Portland Monthly, as the magazine's trend-spotting food critic. Karen's reviews and think pieces ferret out the restaurants, food carts, and maverick thinkers defining Portland's food voice. In 2017, Karen won one of the food world's most prestigious titles: the James Beard Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Reviewer Award. She's penned nine books on food and drink, and in 2020 guest-starred on Hulu's food series, Eater's Guide to the World.

Food

Korean BBQ Omakase, Karaoke Headline Han Oak's Much-Awaited Sequel, Jeju

We got the deets on the new restaurant, opening next weekend, with a fresh vision of whole-animal Korean barbecue.

06/15/2023 By Karen Brooks

Food News

The New Ritz-Carlton, Portland Restaurant Might Just Surprise Us

No tuxedos here. Two new chefs, Pedro Almeida and Lauro Romero, are ditching preconceived notions from kitchen hierarchy to snobby vibe.

05/30/2023 By Karen Brooks

Lunch

5 Great Grab-and-Go Sandwiches for Portland Picnics

Pick up an easy lunch with takeout from Ken’s Artisan Bakery, Café Olli, Oyatsupan, and other Portland restaurants.

05/17/2023 By Karen Brooks

Dining Picks

Portland’s Essential Outdoor Dining Spots

Seven places with a singular blend of food and fun, from Oma's Hideaway to Coquine Market Cafe to Gado Gado.

05/11/2023 By Karen Brooks

Where to Eat Now

A Whirlwind Food and Drink Tour through Portland's Dame Collective

Clandestino, Chelo, Dame, Lil' Dame, Sea Can, Bialy Bird, and Matcha Freak—all live in just a few connected spaces.

05/10/2023 By Karen Brooks

Dining Picks

Where to Grab Mother’s Day Brunch

From coconut guava french toast to dim sum to a classic eggs benny.

05/08/2023 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Restaurant Closures

Portland’s Acclaimed Castagna Is Dead. Long Live Castagna.

Remembering two decades, four acclaimed chefs, and one gusty woman who powered the storied Portland restaurant.

05/05/2023 By Karen Brooks

Dining Picks

Portland’s Essential Outdoor Dining Spots

Behold: a wine-lovers' patio den carpeted in Astroturf, a hidden spot for sashimi and next-level cocktails, and a strip-mall A-frame with one table only.

04/24/2023 By Karen Brooks

Food News

Why San Francisco’s Coveted Good Food Awards Quietly Moved to Portland

On April 21, the coveted craft food award ceremony will make its local debut at Revolution Hall. Founder Sarah Weiner reveals why the Rose City is the place to be.

04/11/2023 By Karen Brooks

Coffee

The Definitive Guide to Portland’s Best Indie Coffee Shops

The revolutionary roasters and old-school cafes shaping Portland’s dynamic new coffee culture.

04/05/2023 By Jordan Michelman, Matthew Trueherz, Karen Brooks, Katherine Chew Hamilton, and Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Food Events

McMinnville's Okta to Bring Michelin-Star Chefs for a Mini Food Festival in June

Expect an intimate dinner with 5 world-class chefs, LA’s Aitor Zabala to London’s Leandro Carriera. Plus: Solstice in the Fields at the restaurant's one-acre farm.

03/16/2023 By Karen Brooks

Lunch

15 Places to Grab Lunch in Portland

Trouble finding the perfect place to “do lunch"? From Lebanese standbys to classic sushi, here’s a list of some of our favorite lunch spots across the city.

03/15/2023 By Matthew Trueherz

Eat This Now

Lauretta Jean’s Grapefruit Saltine Pie Is Bonkers Good

It’s salty, sweet, and fiercely tart. How Portland’s iconic pie shop on SE Division blew our mind with grapefruit curd and a saltine crust—just in time for Pi Day.

03/09/2023 By Karen Brooks