We all know that Portland’s weather doesn’t always lend to dining outside. In fact, more often than not, we’re running from our car to the inside of a cozy warm restaurant as fast as we can to avoid getting drenched by the Northwest drizzle! There are a few great restaurants for dining al fresco with the kids this summer – take advantage of them when the sun is shining!
Breakside Brewery
Breakside is one of Portland’s favorite dining destinations any time of year, but when it’s sunny and warm out, there’s no better place to be. The big doors roll up to make the entire restaurant open to the outside, plus, there is a large area outside with big long picnic tables for families to get some sunshine, food and a pint for mom and dad. 820 Northeast Dekum Street, Portland or online at www.breaksidepdx.com
Cup & Saucer Café
Cup & Saucer has a few locations around Portland, but their café on North Mississippi is our pick for outdoor dining. There are tables and chairs outside on the sidewalk and in the little courtyard in front of the café – perfect for enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner (they serve all three!). Cup & Saucer has a ton of great menu options for kids and we love their commitment to sustainability and to using the best quality cage-free, hormone and antibiotic free eggs in their dishes. 3746 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland or online at www.cupandsaucercafe.com
Grilled Cheese Grill
Technically a food cart that makes its home in a double-decker bus (yes, you read that correctly), the Grilled Cheese Grill also has a section of outdoor picnic tables for munching on your lunch! We especially love it here because their menu caters to the entire family – get a basic kid’s grilled cheese for just $2.50 or customize a gourmet grilled cheese creation that will make your mouth water. And, they even have
homemade tomato soup! 113 Southeast 28th Avenue, Portland or online at www.grilledcheesegrill.com
Lucca
Here’s a culinary challenge for you – find a place that is super kid-friendly, but with food that will knock your socks off AND an outside dining option. Look no further than Lucca in Portland’s Alameda neighborhood. On warm days, they set up tables outside along the sidewalk so you can enjoy their delicious Italian menu while getting some fresh air. The kid’s menu is perfect, fresh, simple and delicious and comes with a drink and ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert. Yum! 3449 Northeast 24th Avenue, Portland or online at www.luccapdx.com
Firehouse
Firehouse gets bonus points for not only having a wonderful, family-friendly dining patio (that is enclosed so kids can’t escape into the street!), but also for the best hospitality – the servers and staff are extremely accommodating at Firehouse, making dining there such a great experience. They don’t have a specific kid’s menu, but their margarita pizza is a favorite for little diners, as is the fried cauliflower (really!). 711 Northeast Dekum Street, Portland or online at www.firehousepdx.com
Tin Shed
If you ask a random Portland-er what the best spot in town is to grab a meal outside, there’s no doubt that you’ll hear the Tin Shed named over and over again. With outdoor seating in the patio and the colorful garden in the back, both of which are kid-friendly (and dog-friendly too!), the Tin Shed is a popular choice for dining al fresco. Parents and kids will love the tasty and inexpensive kid’s menu where everything is $2.50. 1438 Northeast Alberta Street, Portland or online at www.tinshedgardencafe.com
Laughing Planet Café
Sometimes a sunny day calls for some great Mexican food, don’t you think? Check out Laughing Plant’s location on Belmont – they have a super and casual outdoor dining area with regular- and kid-sized picnic tables. Laughing Planet features a vegetarian menu that is also very focused on healthy food – nothing is fried and you won’t find processed foods on the menu here. Kids will especially love the Beans, Cheese & Chips on the menu – whole pintos with jack cheese and chips to scoop it all up! 3320 Southeast Belmont Street, Portland or online at www.laughingplanetcafe.com
-- Katie Kavulla
