Rain or Shine: Dossier’s Any-Weather Guide to Portland

A guide to places to play, fill up and discover in the City of Roses

EAT

With a food scene as adventurous as the rugged landscapes that surround the city, Portland is brimming with neighborhood hot spots and uncommon concepts. Located in Southeast Portland’s Mt. Tabor neighborhood, Coquine is all charm, right down to Chef Katy Millard’s mouthwatering homemade chocolate chip cookies. Open for brunch all week long, and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, Coquine is a favorite for its thoughtful food, intimate feel and proximity to the actual Mt. Tabor, where runners, park-goers, dog owners and soap box derby riders descend upon the forested park built atop the extinct volcano all year-round round.

Bringing Willamette Valley wine production into the big city, Cooper’s Hall is a beloved urban winery housed in a former auto body shop in the middle of Southeast Portland. Visit the spacious, sun-lit winery and taproom carefully decorated with strung-up lights, rows of rustic wine barrels and hanging greenery. Don’t skip over the fantastic house made wines on tap (you’ll likely want to take some home), and their seasonal taproom menu is simply delicious (the crispy fried brussels sprouts, rotating veggie burger and sugar-dusted brioche donuts are hits).

You don’t have to go very far for some tasty Tex-Mex cuisine. Right across the road from Dossier, Woodlark comfortably hosts Bullard’s Tavern. With classic cocktails, traditional bites like Shrimp and Grits, or delicious sweets such as Blackberry Baked Alaska, this cozy tavern offers dining for the refined and well-versed palette. The menu follows the culinary journey of Chef Doug Adam (yes, from Top Chef Boston) from his hometown of Bullard, Texas to the Pacific Northwest.

SIP

For your coffee fix, head to Portland’s central eastside for a perfectly prepared and flavorful cup of joe from Water Avenue Coffee. Supremely local and steadfastly committed to environmental, social and economic stewardship, more than 90% of the coffee roasted by Water Avenue is hand delivered to partners and coffee shops within a 50-mile radius of their Portland roastery.

Appropriately named, Good Coffee offers a delightful coffee experience with an extremely jittery, yet genuine staff. With multiple locations around town, including a shared space behind the Woodlark front desk, Good Coffee exceeds its name and offers great options like vegan burritos, lavender matcha lattes, and freshly baked pastries. Be sure to swing by early to beat the lines though, as this has become quite a popular option for the early risers of Portland.

Nothing beats the smell of freshly ground coffee in the morning, except when it’s combined with the scent of piping hot pastries coming out of the oven. Follow your nose to St. Honoré and get your day going with flaky treats and rich espresso. St. Honoré mixes up a hefty variety of honeyed croissants, soft baguettes, French macarons, and so much more.

DRINKS

Want to try something brand new, even to the city of Portland? Fortune presents a very vibrant atmosphere and has truly focused its energy on the wants and needs of Portlanders. Contrasting against the warmly lit Sentinel Hotel, this plant-based bar hypes itself up during the nighttime with a live DJ and serves brightly colored cocktails amidst beautifully painted murals. With all the classic American fare, minus the meat, Fortune displays innovative alterations to the favorite bites of our culture.

Want something a little stronger? With high industrial ceilings and a healthy plant community, Von Ebert Brewing has truly embraced the Portland lifestyle by mastering the art of American pub and flavorful hops. With all their proteins smoked rotisserie-style over maple and Pacific Northwest Alderwood, pair their award-winning beer with one of the many items from their lengthy menu.

If you’re seeking that old-school Portland cool, check out Abigail Hall. Camped out at the end of the corridor in the Woodlark Hotel, Abigail Hall keeps its curtains open and dims the lights to create an intimate and mellow whiskey setting. With fun floral patterns paired with conventional leather chairs, this bar delivers on the relaxed, yet quirky Portland vibe.

For a more remote and tree-lined hangout, head west to the appropriately named Skyline Tavern, tucked at the top of Skyline Boulevard, amidst the city’s revered and trail-packed Forest Park. Once a cash-only roadhouse saloon, Skyline Tavern now accepts credit cards, frequently hosts live music and famously allows patrons to bring their own meat to throw on the tavern’s charcoal grill. With indoor seating, a covered deck, camp-like seating out back and serene views of the woods all around, this century-old landmark, saloon has welcomed neighbors and friends of Forest Park for decades.

DO

Get cozy and ease into this ultimate self-care routine studio. With deep tissue massages, hydrotherapy pools, medicinal tea, and detoxifying facials, Root Whole Body takes the spa experience to a whole new level. Stop into their quick café, downward dog at their Yoga studio, or take a pause and be pampered. Using Swedish techniques to calm your nervous system, lavender aromatherapy designed to rejuvenate your senses, and seaweed facials to detoxify your skin, Root Whole Body will not only leave you feeling refreshed, but also completely recalibrated.

Once you’ve got your roots untangled, get your body moving with a day pass to Planet Granite over in the Pearl District. Offering yoga, group fitness classes, top rope climbing, bouldering and free weights, Planet Granite is the perfect way to pass a rainy afternoon or prepare for outdoor climbs down at Smith Rock State Park.

GET OUTSIDE

Rain or shine, Forest Park offers over 80 miles worth of well-maintained trails available to runners, walkers, four-legged friends and bicyclers (where marked). Frequented by outdoor enthusiasts regardless of forecast (the heavy tree canopy does offer a bit of shelter from showers), Forest Park is a rare, tranquil and beautiful retreat from Portland’s urban playground, and offers a quick escape into a lush, densely packed trail system tailormade for adventure.

Grab your umbrella (or leave it behind) and head down to Tom Mccall Waterfront Park. About a 10-minute walk east of the Dossier, the waterfront offers a popular stroll for locals and visitors. With bikers, rollerblades, and runners, this nice and easy paved walkway gives you gorgeous views of the Willamette River and the many bridges that cross it.