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Much ado is made about the power lunch, but without the siren call of a power breakfast, some of us wouldn’t make it out of bed in the morning, rendering the whole power lunch thing a moot point. Should you need a better incentive to rise, shine, and head downtown to your cubicle than bad breakroom coffee and/or a paycheck, try one of these morning meal meccas.
When you grow up, opportunities for pure fantastical delight can sometimes feel thin on the ground...which is when I step into this sweet downtown wonderland, where rows of housemade cupcakes and confections dance before your eyes. (Hey, this IS a fantasy, ok??) And if Who Needs a Brownie? cookies are your idea of a balanced breakfast, they open weekdays at 8:30am.
When I used to live in Goose Hollow, one of my favorite guilty morning pleasures was to slip into Gracie's incomparably elegant dining room en route to work, sit in one of the swanky booths, and order a slab of ham and a side of bruleed pineapple. Strange, but true. And delicious. Otherwise, get their dreamy German pancake.
Starting at 7am weekdays and 8am weekends, this East Coast-style downtown deli will line your stomach with pastrami and eggs, 3-egg lox omelettes, cheese blintzes, a full assortment of housemade bagels and bialys, and their Breakfast Dog--a grilled Sabrett with eggs, bacon, and cheddar. And if that can't roust you from your Tempurpedic, I don't know what will.
This sleek new-fashioned diner inside the Marriott City Center has fun with their comfort food, dreaming up artery-mocking fare like the cheese curds, gravy and chili-smothered Trainwreck and their infamous donut burger. In that vein (sorry), get the bacon, banana mousse and peanut butter sauce-slathered Elvis Sighting French toast and a beef jerky Bloody Mary for breakfast. (Starts at 6:30am on weekdays, 7:30am on weekends.)
Four of the nicest words to hear in the morning, besides "it's a snow day", are "breakfast served all day." So no rush to get to this beloved downtown sandwich slinger for your heap of a ham & egg breakfast roll, but they do start serving at 8am if you're making a pre-office run.
Rooms with a view are nice, but breakfasts with a view are even more delicious, and this downtown bistro (inside the Hotel Fifty) serves their house smoked salmon hash and roasted mushroom omelettes with a direct line of sight to the Willamette River. Breakfast commences daily at 6:30am.
With its blue gingham tablecloths and old-fashioned counter seating, this homey cafe is a small town throwback in the heart of the (little) big city. Interesting seasonal fare is trés PNW, like the oyster omelette and cauliflower black kale hash. Weekday breakfast commences at 7am, weekend brunch at 8am.
Banish bleary eyes and morning brain fog and gird yourself for a wondrous workday (haha) with homemade toaster tarts, Reuben croissants and a few rye and praline liquor-laced Cafe Imperials at this creative corner cafe. (Check the company policy on three-cocktail breakfasts first, please.)
If you dream of breakfasting on grilled flatiron steak & eggs and strawberry rhubarb buttermilk pancakes in a cowhide-covered banquette inside a downtown luxury hotel atrium, you've come to the right place. (The breakfast bell rings at 6:30am daily, for you early early birds.)
Equally fetching in rain (booth-lined brick-walled bar) or shine (petunia-draped patio), this downtown favorite is perfect for a pre-theater dinner or post-theater cocktail. They also serve a picturesque brunch, particularly if you sit in the atrium.
Even if you aren’t normally a cocktail person (Huh? What?) order one of hottie bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s creations—the barrel-aged Negroni is a perfect accompaniment to the beautiful people-watching. PS: Now serving brunch on weekends--think black trumpet mushroom quiche, buttermilk waffles with chicken-fried quail, and beignets with maple cream.
Leave all your preconceived doughnut notions at the door of this light & bright downtown fried dough pusher, and prepare to be rather amazed by the from-scratch brioche belly busters within, like the Valrhona Chocolate Crunch, rum raisin-studded apple fritters, and sugar 'n spice beignets. Opens at 7am on weekdays, 8am on weekends.
Those seeking Disneyland-worthy lines and cream-filled cock 'n balls will be overjoyed with their experience at this 24-hour downtown doughnut den.
With the same rustic-cool aesthetics and come hither menu as its North Portland brethren, Tasty n Sons' new westside sister restaurant is already a downtown hit. Must-indulges include the smoked coppa steak sandwich with fried onions, and the Budapest coffee cake.
