We’re ready for voting in the next category of The Oregonian’s Readers Choice Awards.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who sent in nominations for their favorite brunch spot in the Portland area. Although one person didn’t want to play our reindeer games, they gave us a chuckle with this nomination: “My kitchen. There is zero reason to put on clothes and wait in line for an hour for eggs.”
We took the six restaurants that received the most reader nominations and rounded them out with four choices from our dining critic Michael Russell to create our list of 10 finalists. While we didn’t specify when asking for nominations, Russell noticed that readers gravitated toward everyday brunch places in their suggestions, so he ruled out weekend-only brunches for his picks.
And with a wealth of options remaining, he had a hard task choosing only four. Some standouts that didn’t make the list of finalists: Besaw’s is a pretty glam spot these days. Gravy still has lines on Mississippi. Genie’s Cafe and Bertie Lou’s Cafe are properly Old Portland, Grits N’ Gravy is one of the few Black-owned brunch places in town, and Hunnymilk is more on the creative side.
Read on to learn about the finalists, and you can vote once a day at the bottom of this post until the poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. We’ll reveal the top 5 vote getters next week.
Broder
This popular Nordic brunch spot has three Portland locations (plus outposts in Hood River and Astoria) offering hearty brunch options. The Lost Eggs, or Forlorade Agg, with soft-baked eggs, creamed spinach and smoked ham baked in a cast iron skillet, are a favorite among repeat customers. So are the Aebleskiver, delightful pancake-like balls paired with a lemon curd and lingonberry jam.
Broder Söder, 8800 S.W. Oleson Rd. and Broder Nord, 3765 N. Mississippi Ave., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; Broder Café, 2508 S.E. Clinton St., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily; broderpdx.com
Cafe Rowan
This Southeast Portland cafe received dozens of nominations. The menu offer a wide range of dishes to choose from, including breakfast burritos, shrimp and grits, bananas Foster French toast and a lobster Benedict. We have our eyes on The Avocado, a toast with spring peas, watermelon radish, Meyer lemon tahini and more.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, 4437 S.E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., caferowan.com
Named for a pair of kitchen appliances essential for any brunch spot (a grill and broiler), Flattop & Salamander was the runaway winner in the nominations race with more than 100. The menu includes chicken and waffles with hot chile honey or maple-bacon butter, corned beef hash with poblano peppers, and biscuits and gravy with frizzled onions.
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, 1401 S.E. Morrison St., Suite 117, flattopsalamander.com
The menu at Jam on Hawthorne is smartly balanced between sweet and savory. You can order one of several scrambles, loaded hashbrowns or lemon-ricotta pancakes. There are several vegan and gluten-free options.
8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 2239 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. jamonhawthorne.com
Little Griddle
This cafe with two locations was featured on Yelp’s list of the top 100 brunch restaurants in the country in 2021 and 2023. It offers a large menu including a variety of Benedicts (like Huevos Benedictos with braised spiced pork shoulder), breakfast skillets (like a bacon cheddar hash), biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes and blueberry French toast.
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 3566 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 3520 N.E. 42nd Ave.; littlegriddlecafe.com
Mother’s, which opened in downtown Portland in 2000, emphasizes home-style cooking. The breakfast menu includes frittatas and scrambles as well as a wild salmon hash, a lox platter and pancakes.
Brunch is served 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, 121 S.W. Third Ave., mothersbistro.com
Some dishes at Northeast Portland’s Proud Mary come topped with edible flower petals.Mark Graves |The Oregonian
This Australian cafe feels like it’s been beamed from an alternate dimension, one where hippie food hasn’t just challenged the mainstream, but actually overtaken it. We like the towering avocado toast on whole-grain sourdough bread, and the pancake is one of Portland’s prettiest, a rich, cake-y, plate-filling ricotta hotcake topped with a cornucopia of crunchy candies, sweet creams and edible flower petals.
8 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, 2012 N.E. Alberta St., proudmarycoffee.com
Redwood
This restaurant in the Montavilla neighborhood makes everything from scratch, according to their website. The menu changes frequently and includes plenty of breakfast dishes — like a bacon-arugula scramble that has caramelized onions and goat cheese, or huevos rancheros or loaded hash browns — as well as sandwiches and salads.
9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, 7915 S.E. Stark St., redwoodpdx.com
This staple of the Portland brunch scene has three locations, including one in the Portland International Airport’s Concourse B, with varying menus. Choices include favorites like praline bacon, cream cheese cinnamon rolls, and chicken and waffles.
Brunch is served 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. daily, 2337 E. Burnside St. and 1131 N.W. Couch St., screenddoorrestaurant.com
Tin Shed’s Way Out West features crispy corn tortillas, jasmine rice, ranchero beans, two eggs, sharp Tillamook cheddar and salsa fresca.Mims Copeland | The Oregonian
Tin Shed’s reputation was built on its veggie scrambles, potato pancakes and pint mimosas. And you can’t forget the dog-friendly patio and “For Puppies” section of the menu.
8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 1 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 1438 N.E. Alberta St., tinshedgardencafe.com
Cast your vote here
You can vote once a day until the poll closes at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.
Mims Copeland is a social media producer and covers trending topics for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach her at mcopeland@oregonian.com
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