11 Noteworthy Portland Restaurant and Bar Openings in 2026 So Far

An Italian restaurant from the former Dame chef debuts, Machetes settles into a new home, and a fresh food truck pod rises with several beloved carts in residence.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The article highlights 11 notable restaurant and bar openings in Portland, Oregon in the first two months of 2026. The openings include a Korean-influenced burger and sandwich spot, a matcha cafe milling its own Oregon-grown matcha, the return of a popular quesadilla pop-up, a new Northern Thai restaurant, a bagel pop-up, a wine bar, and several other new dining and drinking establishments across the city.

Why it matters

Portland's food and beverage scene continues to evolve, with a mix of new concepts, returning favorites, and diverse cuisines opening up in various neighborhoods. These openings reflect the city's ongoing culinary innovation and the resilience of its small business community, even in the face of challenges like the pandemic.

The details

The article covers 11 notable restaurant and bar openings in Portland in January and February 2026. These include Bbang, a Korean-influenced burger and sandwich spot; Mako Matcha Mill, a new matcha cafe milling its own Oregon-grown matcha; the return of the Machetes quesadilla pop-up; Ok Chicken & Khao Soi, a new Northern Thai restaurant; Red Hen Bagelry, a bagel pop-up; No Doubts Wine, a new wine bar; Golden Lotus Thai Kitchen; Estes Ristorante, a new Italian restaurant from a former Dame chef; and Pretty Ugly, a cocktail and burger bar.

  • Bbang opened on Wednesday, February 18.
  • Mako Matcha Mill opened the week of February 16.
  • Machetes began serving at Hey Love on Sunday, February 15.
  • Ok Chicken & Khao Soi opened on Friday, January 23.
  • Red Hen Bagelry began its residency at Red Sauce Pizza on Saturday, January 24.
  • No Doubts Wine opened on Saturday, January 24.
  • Golden Lotus Thai Kitchen held its opening on Friday, January 23.
  • Estes Ristorante opened on Friday, January 16.
  • Pretty Ugly opened on Friday, January 2.
  • Yui, a Thai restaurant, reopened on Friday, January 2 after a two-and-a-half year hiatus.

The players

Bbang

A new Korean-influenced burger and sandwich spot in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, owned by the same folks as Korean barbecue cart Doyaji.

Mako Matcha Mill

A new matcha cafe in downtown Portland that plans to mill Oregon-grown matcha in-house, owned by Edison Zeng and Emily Dewey.

Machetes

A pop-up serving Mexico City-style dishes including giant quesadillas, which has now found a permanent home at Hey Love on E. Burnside Street.

Ok Chicken & Khao Soi

A new Northern Thai restaurant from Earl Ninsom's hospitality group, located in the former Pok Pok space on SE Division Street.

Red Hen Bagelry

A pop-up bagel shop operating on weekends out of Red Sauce Pizza in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

Portland's dynamic food and beverage scene continues to evolve, with a diverse array of new restaurant, bar, and specialty food concepts opening up across the city's neighborhoods. These openings highlight the resilience and innovation of Portland's small business community, even in the face of challenges like the pandemic.