Filipino food is having a moment in the U.S. And it's about time! Luckily, my hometown is doing its part to fuel the movement. Here are some of our favorite Filipino restaurants in Portland.
Growing up in Portland, Oregon in the 1980s, there were no Filipino restaurants. Zero/Sero. Wala. I filled up on adobo, menudo, dinuguan, lumpia, and pancit at home. Or at a Filipino-American function.
Now, Portland is home to a growing number of award-winning Filipino food trucks, cafes, bakeries, and restaurants. Here our list of some of the best Filipino eateries to check out the next time you are in PDX!
Table of contents
Baon Kainan
Named one of the Best New Food Carts of 2021 by The Oregonian, Baon Kainan serves up classic Filipino dishes with a modern twist.
Owners Ethan and Geri Leung take pride in creating next-generation Filipino food, where they out their own spin on traditional dishes. For example, their Chicken Adobo ($12) (perhaps one of the most well-known Filipino foods) takes a different approach than most recipes we've tried, including our own Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo! It's lighter on the vinegar and tamarind and is slightly grilled, where most others are slow cooked more like a stew. But the end result: delicious!
For another satisfying dish, try the Tosilog ($13) which includes garlic rice topped with fried eggs and perfectly cooked pork belly. And for something truly unexpected, go fo the Kare Kare Fries ($13). Kare Kare is a traditional Filipino oxtail and peanut stew. The Baon Kainan version uses braised beef instead and serves it over a bed of crispy fries.
For dessert, consider the Ube Bibingka ($4) -- a soft, pillowy cake made with purple yams and topped with coconut crumbles. Bonus: it's also gluten-free!
LOCATION:
807 NE Couch, Portland, Oregon
HOURS:
Monday, Thursday and Friday 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
CLOSED Tuesday and Wednesday
Learn more at the Baon Kainan website
Fork and Spoon
If you're looking for delicious Filipino food in outer Northeast Portland, check out Fork and Spoon. It's located right on Sandy Boulevard with street parking around the restaurant.
You could make a meal from several options on their Snacks menu. Pork or Chicken Lumpia is $6 for 9 pieces. Empanadas are $4. Pandesal Sliders with Sisig & Fried Egg or Spam & Fried Egg are $5 each.
If you're here for the classic Filipino favorites, you can enjoy Pork or Chicken Adobo for $12. Bistek and Sisig are both available for $14 each. Kare Kare is $16. I recently enjoyed a Sisig Canton mash-up with a fried egg on top - it was a special on the menu and it was absolutely delicious!
In the mood for noodles? Pancit Bihon or Pancit Canton are both $12.
When in doubt, go for the Combo Plate. You get Adobo, Pancit Bihon, Lumpia, and Rice for $19.50.
They also have kids meals that are between $6 and $6.50, and the pork skewers are super tasty!
LOCATION:
10634 NE Sandy Blvd.Portland, OR 97220
HOURS:
Tues - Sat 11am - 7pm
Sun, Mon Closed
Learn more at the Fork and Spoon restaurant website or call 503-867-7716.
Hunny Beez food truck
On the west side of Portland and need to satisfy your Filipino food cravings? Hunny Beez has you covered. With two food carts in Newberg and Aloha, Hunny Beez describes itself as American comfort food infused with Filipino flavors. And the menu doesn't disappoint.
If you're in the mood for a burger and like a little heat, try the Stinger ($14). It comes with sriracha mayo, jalapenos, and sriracha sauce. Or for something a bit milder, check out the Pineapple Kicker ($14), which includes sweet chili mayo and grilled pineapple.
If you're looking for a serious meat fix, you can build you own meat plate ($15). Choose from pulled pork, chicken, or our favorite, brisket and rib. Each comes lumpia and a choice of sides including rice, pancit, and mac salad.
Hunny Beez also has a good kids menu, with items including kids pork lumpia, mac & cheese, and grilled cheese.
LOCATION:
910 E 1st St, Newberg, Oregon
HOURS:
Daily 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Read more about Hunny Beez Food Truck in our full review.
Magna Kusina
Tucked away in the heart of the Clinton neighborhood in SE Portland is where you'll find one of the best Filipino restaurants in Portland, Magna Kusina.
Chef/Owner Carlo Lamagna opened it 2019 after a stint as as head chef at Clyde Common. Two years later, Food & Wine magazine named Lamagna one of the Best New Chefs of 2021. And The Oregonian awarded Magna Kusina Restaurant of the Year.
From the moment you arrive, you'll be treated like family -- in a good way! We stopped in for dinner with our kids and my 100% Filipino parents, who are very discerning when it comes to Filipino food. From the super friendly wait staff to a quick visit from Lamagna himself, everyone at Magna Kusina made us feel welcome.
The Food at Magna Kusina
The food gave us a warm, cozy feeling as well. One of our favorite dishes included the pancit bihon ($17), a combination of thin rice noodles and housemade egg noodles mixed with veggies and topped with fried garlic.
Another must have is the Sisig ($15), crispy pork bits marinated in soy sauce and a Filipino cirtus juice called calamansi. On top sits a fried egg, green onion, and chilis. Think of it as crispy comfort food!
And don't forget dessert, especially at Magna Kusina. When we went, there were two desserts on the menu, so of course we had both!
Biko ($9) is a coconut sticky rice topped with Filipino shortbread. So good. But the seasonal mango pie ($9) was even better. It came with mango compote in a crisp puff pastry shell and freshly made ice cream.
After we all finished, we turned to my parents to see what they thought. Their verdict: two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Dine at Magna Kusina
LOCATION:
2525 SE Clinton St, Portland, Oregon
HOURS:
Thursday - Sunday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Learn more at the Magna Kusina website
St. Barbra's Pinoy Bakery
Did you know that Portland is home to its very own Filipino bakery? St. Barbra's Pinoy Bakery opened in 2015 in a downtown cozy spot not too far from Portland State University.
The exterior is unassuming, but don't let that fool you. The pastries and other baked goods on offer inside are anything but. Start with the ensymadas ($2.75). They usually have different varieties of this sweet pastry available. We decided to get a traditional one, flavored with vanilla cream, as well as an ube ensymada, made with purple yams.
Other treats like ube cheesecake and leche flan also tempted us during our visit, as did the Spanish sweet bread ($4 for 8) and the pillowy pandesal rolls.
St. Barbra's also does warm food. Choose from pansit, adobo, and an assortment breakfast burritos, all made to order. Pro tip: It's best to call and order these ahead to minimize your wait time.
LOCATION:
2311 SW 6th Ave, Portland, Oregon
HOURS:
Wednesday & Thursday 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am- 5:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
CLOSED Monday and Tuesday
Read our full review of St. Barbra's Pinoy Bakery on the blog.
Learn more at the St. Barbra Pinoy Bakery website
More Portland-area Filipino Restaurants
Looking for more Filipino restaurants in Portland? Try out one of these!
Filipino Recipes
If you're looking to make delicious authentic Filipino recipes at home, try some of our well-tested recipes! We love Instant Pot Chicken Adobo, How to Make Filipino Lumpia, Beef Caldereta, Filipino Pork BBQ Skewers, and Slow Cooker Filipino Short Ribs Adobo.
Try making our Pandesal recipe or recipe for Instant Pot Garlic Rice as side dishes.
Filipino desserts like Taisan (chiffon cake) and Ube White Chocolate Chip Cookies will help complete your Filipino feast!
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