Best of ________________ in Portland.

[Carpenter Dave]

My family and I are moving to the Portland area when school gets out. We like all typs og food from every end of the scale. We like high end as well as funky little hole in the wall places. Please shar your "MUST NOT MISS" places with me. Please notate when kids are not appropriate (we will tape 'em to the wall and let the dogs watch em)

[Leonardo]

Here's Williamette Week's guide from last fall:
http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3250/8...

My "Must not Miss" list:
Pizza: Ken's Artisan
Hot Chocolate, handmade truffles: Sahagun
Open air market: Portland Farmers' Market
Cannoli: Di Prima Dolci
Upscale Japanese: Murata
Cheaper Japanese, handmade noodles: Hakatamon
Coffee: Stumptown
Bakery: Pearl
Backup Bakery: Grand Central
BBQ: Podnah's
Special Occasion: Paley's
Gelato: Stacatto
Thai: Typhoon
Dim Sum: Wong's King
Chinese: Jin Wa
Breakfast downscale: J & M Cafe
Jewish deli: Kenny & Zuke's

[Calamityville]

What part of town are you settling in? I have a strong eastside bias, so consider that when reading my suggestions.

Here are some sites worth checking out. There are two major food boards in town.

http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/
http://www.portlandfood.org/

Good recommendations at http://www.extramsg.com/ - I strongly dislike his White or Carolina Blue font on Gray background website format (hard for my aging eyes to read), but he provides good starting points for many different types of cuisine.

There are several blogs related to dining in PDX. Hit some of the websites above and then ask for related sites - you'll get more recommendations than you can hit or afford in a year of two.

Fine dining with a good dose of Portland - Higgins and Wildwood

Bread - Pearl Bakery or Grand Central

Coffee with your kids - Jim and Patty's on NE Fremont

Thai - Chaba Thai, lunch is ok with kids

Mexican - LaBonita for lunch and OK with kids. You and Mom and Margaritas, Taqueria Nueve.

Burgers with your kids, Mike's in a couple of locations.

McMenamins is for better or worse an interesting place for burgers and beer. Try Kennedy School or Edgefield or for funky the White Eagle.

Old Portland - Try Dan & Louis Oysterbar, Huber's or the Ringside.

Vietnamese - Lot's of choices, Pho Hung, Oregon or Van for noodles. My Cahn for other choices. Lot's of Bahm My choices in town.

Local Stuff - we've got lot's of Farmer's markets, New Seasons for Groceries, Phils, Gartners or Viande for Meats, Pasta Works for interesting if not inexpensive ingredients.

Wine - Lot's of stores and an hour to Pinot Noir country - don't limit yourself to the names that get the review, there are lots of family wineries that don't get any press and are lots more fun to seek out.

Beer - more beers than I can name - the great majority are English Ale styles, not enough or any pilsners or Belgian styles (my opinion

)

Spirits - make an appointment and check out Clear Creek Distillery

Welcome in advance to Portland

[strephking]

Calamityville - i will be in Portland in three weeks and planning 3 days in wine country. can you give me the names of some of the family wineries you are referring to above. i love finding the wineries off the beaten path!!!! thanks in advance.

[Carpenter Dave]

We have not yet been down to

We have not yet been to Portland and do not know the city. My wife works for Providence Hospital and I will be going to work in the construction ind. We are looking forward to exploring a new place and all that it holds. Thankyou so much for the in depth reply.