The Portland of my childhood was a unique blend of wooded hills and a charming, somewhat gritty urban core. While we didn’t have the extravagance of cities like Los Angeles and New York, Portland boasted an abundance of fresh, local produce that piqued the interest of exceptional culinary talent. Consequently, over the past couple of decades, the City of Roses has cultivated a food scene that rivals those of much larger culinary capitals. Today, Portland showcases everything from upscale dining establishments where reservations disappear in an instant to casual food carts—an iconic Portland feature—offering global cuisines.