{"id":87322,"date":"2018-08-08T09:00:02","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T09:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=87322"},"modified":"2026-11-13T09:33:34","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T09:33:34","slug":"portland-hipster-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/portland-hipster-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"A hip hipster’s guide to Portland, Oregon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hipster Portland lives mostly on the east side of the river: SE Hawthorne, Belmont and Division for vintage shops and food carts, the Alberta Arts District for galleries, and N Mississippi Avenue for breweries and gigs. Downtown, Powell\u2019s City of Books is the one stop every visitor makes.<\/p>\n

We checked every bar, caf\u00e9 and restaurant below in November 2026 and took out the ones that have closed since this guide was first written. For more on the rest of the country, see our USA travel guides<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Find somewhere to stay among the hostels in Portland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Portland\u2019s hipster neighbourhoods<\/h2>\n

While Portland is peppered with excellent hipster joints, many of the best are found in SE Portland, around Belmont, Hawthorne, and Division streets. Hawthorne<\/strong> is chock full of alternative pizza joints, vintage warehouses, food carts, New Age lovers of kitsch and a number of crazy concert venues.<\/p>\n

Northwards, Alberta Arts District<\/strong> attracts both curious tourists and quirky artists to its galleries, designer boutiques, a caf\u00e9 that specializes in pies, and, of course, the Salt & Straw of Pear-&-Blue-Cheese ice cream fame.<\/p>\n

Hugging the Willamette River, N Mississippi Avenue<\/strong> and its surrounding industrial area is booming with breweries, from German-styled Prost! to tune-loving Mississippi Studios.<\/p>\n

A bit off the beaten path, St. John\u2019s<\/strong> is a beloved neighborhood with its own special, unpretentious charm. Nestled between the Willamette and Columbia rivers, St. John’s is what many locals claim Portland was back in the day–old dive bars, artsy boutiques and a tight-knit community. If you want the honest hipster without all the snobbery, St. John’s is the way to go.<\/p>\n

Most of these areas are a short bus or bike ride from downtown, so base yourself centrally and hop across the river. If Portland is one stop on a bigger trip, our guide to backpacking the USA<\/a> helps you plan the rest.<\/p>\n

\"hipster<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7: @zackspear<\/em><\/p>\n

Hipster things to do in Portland<\/h2>\n

Mission Theater<\/h3>\n

Though Portland has no shortage of stylish, hipster theatres, its the\u00a0Mission Theatre<\/strong> that stands out with its vaudeville-like stage and mezzanine. As a historic location renovated by local legends businessmen the McMenamin Brothers, the Mission draws diners in with Old World carpets and Moroccan lanterns.<\/p>\n

Powell’s City of Books<\/h3>\n

Of course, no coverage of Portland could neglect Powell\u2019s City of Books<\/strong>, the indelible, literary landmark of downtown. Powell’s calls itself the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world, with around a million books over an entire city block, the perfect hidey-hole for hipster book worms!<\/p>\n

The Witch’s Castle<\/h3>\n

Tucked away in Macleay Park stands the Witch’s Castle<\/strong>. Relatively reachable from NW Portland, this little hidden gem is a way to get out of the city without ever leaving city limits. Built in the 1930s, after being damaged in a storm and abandoned in 1962, it was mostly forgotten until some curious hikers and high schoolers brought it back to its moss-covered, spooky glory.<\/p>\n

The Japanese Garden<\/h3>\n

Even hipsters need a break sometimes. Get away from it all at the Japanese Garden<\/strong>, 12 acres of elegant stone lanterns, koi ponds, terraces, traditional Japanese villas and stunning Japanese maple trees.<\/p>\n

Shanghai Tunnels<\/h3>\n

According to some, secret passages under Portland\u2019s Chinatown–the Shanghai Tunnels<\/strong>–were once used to kidnap unsuspecting passersby to work as sailors on ships–a practice known as \u201cshanghaiing.\u201d You can take a tour of the underground tunnels, complete with colorful anecdotes and ghost stories.<\/p>\n

Thrift and vintage shopping in Portland<\/h2>\n

Portlanders love to shop at thrift stores, and no matter what neighborhood you\u2019re in, you can bet you\u2019ll stumble into one. You can\u2019t go wrong with Buffalo Exchange,<\/strong> with locations downtown across Powell\u2019s and just off of Hawthorne. Hawthorne is also home to Crossroads Trading Company<\/strong>, a consignment store with a bit more delicate taste. Dressing for a themed party or troubadour troupe? The massive warehouse of the Red Light Clothing Exchange<\/strong> never fails.<\/p>\n

\"Hipster<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7: @pergratiamdei<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Hipster bars and Portland nightlife<\/h2>\n

From classy cocktails to world-renowned taprooms, Portland\u2019s got your thirst covered.<\/p>\n

Secret Society<\/h3>\n

If you want to continue the night at a hidden speakeasy, Secret Society<\/strong> serves only vintage cocktails and absinthe.<\/p>\n

Basecamp<\/h3>\n

Hopping mad for a good beer? Head over to Basecamp<\/strong>, who have been brewing lagers and ales onsite since 2012. This craft brew bar thrives on its passion for the outdoors, adventure, and, of course, the hops.<\/p>\n

Horse Brass<\/h3>\n

No place says English-style brewpub more quite like the Horse Brass<\/strong>. Located on the end of Hawthorne, this bar impresses with its classic dark wooden d\u00e9cor, and a jaw-dropping beer list that includes cask-conditioned ales, sours and good old-fashioned lagers straight from Bavaria.<\/p>\n

Multnomah Whiskey Library<\/h3>\n

Should you find yourself in SW Portland, the Multnomah Whiskey Library<\/strong> will take care of you. A cozy, vintage ambiance, and a collection of more than 1,500 distillations is sure to put you on the right track.<\/p>\n

Hipster coffee shops in Portland<\/h2>\n

Stumptown<\/h3>\n

Portlanders love their coffee, and no one does it with more flair and favoritism than Stumptown<\/strong>, named after one of Portland\u2019s own monikers. Its caf\u00e9s are dotted around town and at the airport, so check the map before you set off, as some of the original branches have closed.<\/p>\n

\"Hipster<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7: @pergratiamdei<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Rimsky-Korsakoffee House<\/h3>\n

The reportedly haunted historic Rimsky-Korsakoffee House<\/strong> in SE Portland serves some of the most eclectic desserts and coffee in a turn-of-the-century Craftsman. Open from 7pm to late into the night, it\u2019s the ideal cozy atmosphere to whisper your scandals and secrets or just enjoy a good ole pot-au-chocolat.<\/p>\n

The White Owl Social Club<\/h3>\n

The White Owl Social<\/strong> Club on SE 8th is a beloved hipster bar in the Buckman neighborhood. Crowds range from the unpretentious post-work crowd to the vegan hipsters who come for the live bands.<\/p>\n

Cathedral Caf\u00e9<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Cathedral Caf\u00e9<\/strong> mixes cozy and eclectic with this artisanal food and brews. Its wooden tables and weekend brunch can make anyone feel right at home.<\/p>\n

Hipster restaurants and food carts<\/h2>\n

If Portland is famous for anything, it\u2019s the range of inexpensive, high-quality, wildly delicious and diverse foods. From food carts to brunches, if you spent your whole visit in town just eating, you\u2019d have spent your time well.<\/p>\n

Voodoo Doughnut<\/h3>\n

Bagging itself a well earned spot on the tourism trail, no visit to Portland is complete without dropping in to Voodoo Doughnut<\/strong>. With wacky flavors in Old Town Chinatown, this is Portland in a nutshell. Bonus tip: if the queue is long, try the eastside shop on NE Sandy Blvd instead.<\/p>\n

\"Hipster<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcf7: @star5112<\/a><\/p>\n

Luc Lac<\/h3>\n

Luc Lac<\/strong> is a tiny Vietnamese tapas joint that surprises everyone with world-class cocktails and mouthwatering Vietnamese small plates.<\/p>\n

Pambiche<\/h3>\n

Pambiche<\/strong> boasts authentic Cuban dishes like Adobo-rubbed pork shoulder in a restaurant that looks like it was splashed with a rainbow hose.<\/p>\n

Pine State Biscuits<\/h3>\n

Brunch lovers should head Pine State Biscuits, <\/strong>a Deep South-inspired eatery known for their range of fried chicken biscuit sandwiches.<\/p>\n

Tin Shed<\/h3>\n

Alberta is home to the Tin Shed<\/strong>, who does brunch like no one else–potato cakes, eggs, signature burritos, burgers and Bloody Margaritas.<\/p>\n

Cartopia<\/h3>\n

If you can\u2019t choose between Portland\u2019s amazing restaurants, never fear. Head to Cartopia <\/strong>on Hawthorne and 12th, just one of the many food cart pods in the city. Here you can sample several cuisines in one evening; the line-up of carts changes, so just wander and pick whatever smells best.<\/p>\n

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Find your crew in Portland<\/h2>\n

Portland is easy to explore with company. Join a Linkup<\/a> at your hostel for a food cart crawl or a night on Hawthorne, check the Portland events page<\/a> for gigs and markets, and if you’re visiting in the cooler months, see our best places to visit in January in the USA<\/a>.<\/p>\n