It's almost been a month since my weekend trip to Portland but it's hard to forget all the amazing eats I had along the way. From brewery bar hopping in downtown to eating late night noodles in one of Portland's trendiest restaurants, here's a rundown of where to eat and drink in the city.

THE GRILLED CHEESE GRILL

Address: 1027 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211

The first stop on our Portland trip, with a line as long as an Instagram cheese pull...this place was worth the wait! The grill's slogan, "Come by for a taste of your childhood. (Unless your childhood sucked, and then we'll let ya have a taste of ours.)" reeled me in with its cheeky satirical slogan. I opted for a breakfast sandwich named The Hunter which had Tillamook Cheddar, Bacon, Ham and Egg on French White with a side of pickles and tomato soup for dipping. This was by far one of the best first bites on a trip! Whatever childhood this sandwich came from transported me to a bougie kindergarten cafeteria full of rich celebrity children aka (this is how I imagine Kylie will cook for her baby) and I am here for the fantasy!

LUC LUC VIETNAMESE KITCHEN

Address: 835 SW 2nd Ave, Portland, OR 97204

The line for this place was around the corner when my friends and I first tried to come here on a Saturday night. We quickly gave up and came back the following day to try our luck again. Distinguished by its modern asian atmosphere, loud hip hop music blaring in the background, and trendy patrons; I could see why this place was so popular. My friends and I absolutely loved the Beef Brisket Pho, perfect for warming up during the colder Portland months. The Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Bowl was ok and worth trying out but the Pho was the clear winner of this round. Come here early to grab a spot in line!

GRAVY

Address: 3957 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227

Located right down the street from our Airbnb, this restaurant was another popular brunch venue with a wait time of 50 minutes in the cold and rain. It's hard to find a restaurant in Portland that didn't have a wait! Thankfully we were rewarded with great food and even better biscuits! The portions here are enormous and the price point was very cheap considering what you'd pay for a small brunch course in LA. We absolutely loved the biscuits and gravy, more so the gravy because was it so rich, meaty, and the perfect savory sauce to pour over everything. We also enjoyed the perfectly fluffy pancakes, country fried steak and eggs dish with a side of crisp hash browns. If you can handle the wait, come here for a damn good meal!

Mind your own bisuits and life will be the gravy

PORTLAND CIDER HOUSE

Address: 3638 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

What better way to wash down breakfast than with a cider tasting? we're on vacation so it's fine! With 30 ciders on tap, it's one of the largest cider houses in Oregon with some of the most diverse collections of cider in North America. We opted for the cider tasting which allowed us to sample 6 ciders of our choosing for only $10, such a deal! They also offer a full bar menu and weekly events which you can view on their website.

Cider tasting for $10 at Portland Cider House

NONG'S KHAO MAN GAI

Address: 1210, 609 SE Ankeny St C, Portland, OR 97214

I never thought a simple plate of meat and rice from a humble restaurant would be so profound but it was and so much more! Down-home Asian style cooking at its finest (aside from my mothers) this simple Pork and Rice dish (Khao Kha Muu) was like a warm hug in my stomach that left a lingering presence long after my meal. I'm not sure if it was the cold rainy weather that got to me but this dish was the snug, comforting place I needed to be surrounded by that night. Come here to feed your soul and your stomach!

Pork Hog (Carlton’s Farm) braised in coca cola, coco powder, Thai and Chinese herbs and spice on jasmine rice, pickle mustard greens and boiled egg with pickle Thai chili sauce

FAT HEAD'S BREWERY

Address: 131 NW 13th Ave, Portland, OR 97209

Upon first glance, we may have dubbed this place as the Applebees of breweries for it's All-American decor and pedestrian neighborhood hangout vibe but were pleasantly surprised to find good beers and great food! The giant pretzel with mustard and beer cheese dipping sauce (which will not get you drunk) but make your belly happy is a must eat. Wash it down with one of their 42 beers on tap, relax a bit and then hit up your favorite book/vintage store after.

Giant Pretzel: House-made beer cheese, Head Hunter mustard & honey mustard. You’ll need a beer for this

BLUE STAR DONUTS

Address: 3549 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

Steps above the novelty donuts you'll see spinning in the glass carousel at Voodoo Doughnuts, Blue Star offers fresh made batches of high quality pastries with gourmet fillings. Known for their famous butter-rich brioche dough, these donuts are some of the best in the city! The donuts manage to taste light, greaseless and well-balanced which makes it hard to say no to just to one. Made fresh every morning, each day 15-20 different flavors are made available for customers to purchase in stores. Not sure what to try? My advice is to taste test at least three different donuts, you can walk it off later.

The perfect first bit of this Oregon Apple Butter donut

POK POK PORTLAND

3226 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97202

Creative Thai street food with a modern twist, I was excited to try this place the most during our trip! The cocktails, wings, and coconut rice were my absolute favorite from this meal and if I wasn't leaving so soon after I would have ordered a third round. I'm not a huge fan of wings but this was remarkable! The perfect balance of sweet and savory with a deep caramelized fish sauce coating on the chicken bones had me drooling for more. We also tried the Kaeng Hang Leh (Pork Stew), Naua Naam Tok (Thai Flank Steak Salad) and Khao Soi (Egg Noodles in Yellow Curry) which deserved honorable mentions.

I dare you to Thai and stop me from eating those wings up!

Drinks: Mango Alexander, Drinking Vinegar and Tamarind Whiskey Sour

With so many options to choose from, the city has long supported everything from global food carts to gourmet coffee shops on every block in the city. The food scene has become so much more than just a novelty and Portland is now one of the most interesting places in the country to eat. I've only scratched the surface, but this is a great start for your next visit to Portland.

Do you have any favorite restaurants, diners, coffee shops ect. you enjoy in Portland? Send me a tip so I can check it out during my next visit!