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Xocotl serves cold-pressed juices, smoothies and more inside the Portland Mercado.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
Nutritious meets delicious at these healthy, vegetable-centric eateries.
3 min read
Tuck Woodstock
Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More
Portland may be known for its ice cream, doughnuts, cured meats and fish sauce chicken wings, but it’s also a heavenly spot for healthy food options such as salads and smoothies. Nourish yourself at these whole-food-focused restaurants.
Salads
When someone says “healthy food,” most people immediately think of salad, but not all piles of leafy greens are created equal. At Portland’s Crisp Salads, you can build your own nutritious masterpiece from a wide selection of seasonal ingredients, including a variety of greens, 10+ dressings and numerous toppings like toasted pumpkin seeds and cranberries. And with two locations in Portland, you’re never far from a fresh lunch.
Another salad standout, Garden Monsters, crushes the “rabbit food” stereotype with massive salads sure to satisfy even the biggest appetites. The “Paul Bunyan,” for example, comes loaded with grass-fed steak, red potatoes, bleu cheese and croutons. Prefer your salads sans meat? Swap out any animal protein for tofu or vegan chicken in any dish.
Vegetables
Portland provides plenty of options for loading up on local, garden-fresh veggies. Family-owned Verde Cocina piles plates with farmers’ market produce, garbanzo beans, earthy mole and tortillas hot from the griddle.
In addition to being a top-notch juice bar, local favorite Harlow is also a café offering vegetable-forward menu items — all vegetarian, mostly vegan — like breakfast scrambles, bowls and seasonal pastas. They have several spots around town, including locations in Division/Clinton, Northwest/Nob Hill and the Alberta Arts District.
Juice Bars
Folks looking for liquid meals have plenty of options in Portland. Local juice bars Kure, Poa Café and Best Friend have a wide array of fresh green juices and smoothies. Amp up your order with superfoods like maca, goji berries, turmeric and spirulina. If you’re still hungry, simply add a cozy oatmeal cup, macrobiotic lunch bowl or raw vegan dessert.
Want to kick it up a notch? If so, Xocotl offers uniquely delicious smoothie toppers, like the homemade chamoy (a salty, sweet-and-sour sauce) found on their signature Chamoyada. In addition to cold-pressed juices, smoothies and bowls, they also sell fresh-cut fruit peppered with Tajín (a mouth-watering, chili-lime seasoning). Healthy has never tasted so good.
Special Diets
Portland makes it possible to enjoy a great meal whether you eat soy-free, gluten-free, animal-free or all of the above. Laughing Planet is a quick-service restaurant specializing in nutritious and delicious fare. With multiple locations across the city, their menu offers an abundance of clean, whole foods, tons of fresh veggies and surprising global flavors.
Blossoming Lotus, another favorite among folks with special diets, offers gluten-free, soy-free, raw and vegan dishes. Take your pick from their selection of bowls, salads, soups and sweets. The juices and smoothies are excellent too.
Dessert
Ready to finish things off with something sweet? Pay a visit to Tiny Moreso, a whole food café and treat shop, and enjoy the delicious Rawdacious Cheesecake — get a slice, try a mini cheesecake or take a whole cake to go. Whichever option you choose, it’s 100% vegan and gluten-free. Speaking of gluten-free, Gluten Free Gem offers a wide variety of indulgent desserts — including cookies, brownies, cupcakes, cakes, doughnuts and more — in a dedicated gluten-free facility.
Vegan Guide to Portland
From hearty vegan comfort food to plant-based fine dining options, discover the many excellent vegan restaurants Portland has to offer.
Gluten-Free Restaurants
As the demand for gluten-free options has grown, Portland’s forward-thinking chefs have set their tables for diners with dietary restrictions.
Vegetarian Guide to Portland
Nearly every Portland menu features vegetarian options made from fresh, local ingredients, and many restaurants serve vegetarian food exclusively — experience the Portland vegetarian scene that foodies of all stripes have come to love.
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