It suits people who like to do everything on foot: a bakery breakfast on 21st, an afternoon of browsing on 23rd, dinner out and a hike without moving the car. The streetcar ends at NW 23rd, and the library and the Friendly House community center are a short walk from either main street.
Updated November 2026
Where to eat and drink
Ken’s Artisan Bakery
Breads, croissants and cookies come out of Ken’s on NW 21st every day from 8 a.m. A few doors down, the bakery’s Annex turns to sourdough pizza on Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings.
Besaw’s
Besaw’s traces its roots to 1903 and sticks to breakfast and lunch, a comfort-food brunch room where weekend service runs an hour later than weekdays.
St. Jack
Chef Aaron Barnett’s restaurant is an ode to the bouchons of Lyon: chicken liver mousse, escargots, moules and steak frites, with madeleines or mille-feuille to finish. Walk-ins are taken as well as reservations.
Serratto
Serratto cooks across the Mediterranean, mostly Italian and French, with house-made pastas, stone-oven pizzas and a seasonal menu. Happy hour runs from 4 to 5 p.m. every day.
Breakside Brewery Slabtown
A few blocks north of the 23rd Avenue shops, this Portland brewery’s Northwest pub pours Breakside’s own beers, barrel-aged releases included, with a food menu to match.
Papa Haydn
The cake case is the reason to come. Papa Haydn has been making Viennese-inspired desserts since 1978, from Boccone Dolce to triple chocolate cake, and the NW 23rd dining room serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch too.
Shops worth a wander
Betsy & Iya
Betsy & Iya makes its jewelry by hand in Portland and sells it from a shop on NW 24th, alongside ceramics, candles, books and cards.
Kitchen Kaboodle
A Portland kitchen store since 1975, Kitchen Kaboodle’s Northwest shop sits upstairs at the corner of NW 23rd and Burnside, stocked with cookware, cutlery and dinnerware. Drop off dull knives for next-day sharpening.
Liner & Elsen
One of Portland’s longest-running wine shops pours free tastings every Saturday afternoon and themed flights on the first and third Fridays of the month. The shelves run from France and Italy to Greece, Austria and the U.S., with sake, cider and sherry too.
Things to do
Forest Park from Lower Macleay
The Lower Macleay trailhead on NW Upshur is the neighborhood’s front door to Forest Park, more than 5,000 acres with over 80 miles of trails, including the 30-mile Wildwood Trail. The first 0.2 mile is paved and accessible.
Pittock Mansion
High in the hills above the neighborhood, Pittock Mansion looks out over the city; admission covers the house, the Gate Lodge and the current special exhibit. Hikers can reach it on the Wildwood Trail, and free parking is available on the gravel turnouts along Pittock Drive.
Freakybuttrue Peculiarium
Billed as the world’s weirdest art gallery, the Peculiarium on NW Thurman mixes movie-style gore, selfie spots and vending machines stocked with edible bugs. It’s goofy rather than frightening, with no jump scares.
Wallace Park
Five acres of everyday neighborhood park: an accessible playground, a fenced off-leash dog area, a basketball court, and soccer and softball fields.
Community
Northwest District Association
The all-volunteer neighborhood association works through committees on planning, safety and livability, and parks and events. Membership is free for anyone who lives, owns property or runs a business in the district.
Friendly House
This nonprofit community center runs preschool and after-school care, senior services including Elder Pride Services for LGBTQ+ older adults, fitness classes and a full-court gym. Volunteers sign up through its online volunteer hub.
Northwest Library
The Multnomah County branch on NW Pettygrove fills its calendar with storytimes, tech help drop-ins, tween game nights and teen study nights, and it has community rooms for meetings.
Forest Park Conservancy
The conservancy runs regular work parties across Forest Park, raking and repairing trails and pulling invasive plants. No experience is needed; tools, gloves and training are provided.
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