Portland’s Mexican food scene doesn’t get enough credit. It’s tempting to constantly frame a city’s Mexican restaurants and carts against those of Los Angeles or El Paso, but in the case of Portland, that flattens the great Oaxacan and Yucatecan spots
that have been thriving here for years, not to mention the uniquely homegrown takes on the cuisine that compellingly argue for foraged mushroom flautas and Columbia sturgeon enchiladas. Portland’s Mexican restaurants, food carts, and mercados use heritage masa nixtamalized in town for tamales and tacos, stock delis with flavorful nopales salads, and simmer moles passed down through generations.
Pop-ups like Machetes, Ancestro, Astral, Mi Cocina, and Metlapil are also proving to be some of the city’s most exciting places for Mexican fare, bringing fresh regional offerings to the table or experimenting with form and flavor. Pivoting between one-off events and seasonal or long-term residencies (and the occasional hiatus), it’s sometimes hard to put a definitive dot on the map for these spots, so be sure to follow their Instagrams for the latest updates.
From the old-school tiendas ladling bowls of menudo to the newer carts slinging birria, the destinations in this guide reveal the layers and nuances of the city’s take on Mexican cuisine. New to the map this time are two spots for Mexican-style brunch, La Osita PDX and the new iteration of República, as well as Picadrip, a go-to for street snacks like esquites and chamoy-drenched fruit, and Madrina Cocina Mexicana. Sadly, we’ve had to say goodbye to a few spots as well.
Don’t see a favorite Mexican restaurant? Check out the birria, burrito, and taco maps, or download the Eater app for iOS to create your own custom guides.
— Additional reporting by Krista Garcia
