Time to get your drink on! Amazon delivers beer and wine to Portland in two hours or less!

Time to get your drink on! Amazon delivers beer and wine to Portland in two hours or less!

Portlanders love Amazon Prime and who wouldn’t? A Pacific Northwest-based company (sure, it’s in Seattle, but we won’t hold that against them) that offers free two-day shipping, streaming video and music, and even home delivery within a couple hours for just $99 a year? Where do we sign up?! (actually, click here if you want to start the addiction)

What could make it better? How about delivery of beer and wine in two hours or less?

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Portland versus Seattle: Eat it!

Portland versus Seattle: Eat it!

Portland and Seattle are both becoming renowned the world over for their diversity in food. Whether it’s Seattle’s eclectic chefs or Portland’s homegrown bacon and eggs, both cities have a lot to offer. So, in Sunset Magazine’s recent comparo – who wins?

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Portland’s all about the food!

Portland’s all about the food!

Have you seen the Travel Channel’s Man v. Food? The host, Adam, eats everything imaginable, and in his recent video post, he sets his sights on Portland. Both Cooking Light magazine and Man v. Food love Portland’s amazing repertoire of restaurants and eateries.

Not familiar with the Travel Channel’s Man v. Food? This guy goes up against the biggest meals you can imagine in a desperate attempt to… well… actually, we have no idea what he’s trying to prove. It’s one of those “car crash shows” where you can’t turn away because it’s so horrible to imagine you have to keep watching.

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Casa Naranja

Casa Naranja

What is it?

Casa Naranja serves Mediterranean tapas in the good ol’ Mississippi in Portland. For any one confused by tapas (like I was), these are just small plates of food… tasty, tasty food.

Where is it?

Address: 4205 North Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503-459-4049
Hours: Tue-Thu: 4-11pm, Fri-Sat: 4pm-12am, Sun: 4-9pm, Mon: Closed
Website: www.casanaranjapdx.com

How is it?

Casa Naranja was one of those restaurants that I always meant to try, but whenever I walked by, I never got the courage to go inside. Maybe it was the fiery sign that I found intimidating, or maybe it was the single flight of stairs that I would have to walk up in order to go inside. Whatever it was, I have no idea what made me not want to venture in… tapas are tasty (and alliterative)!

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Rock Bottom Brewery

Rock Bottom Brewery

What is it?

Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant is a chain of brewery/restaurants … except it’s not a chain. How can this be? Each location has its own brewmaster and own special brews. In addition, they all share a menu with so much variety that it’ll make your mouth drop open (though that could also be from the beer).

Where is it?

Address: 206 Southwest Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97204
Phone: 503-796-2739
Hours: Mon-Sun Open at 11am
Website: www.rockbottom.com

How is it?

You can find Rock Bottom Brewery right in the heart of downtown Portland, conveniently located for those on foot, but it can be a giant pain to find parking. Trust me, it’s worth the frustration.

In the interest of full disclosure, I first heard of Rock Bottom directly from its brewmaster, Van Havig, who, sadly, does not have a handlebar mustache and drive a 1920s Mercedes-Benz as his name made me imagine. What Van lacks in German cliche, however, he more than makes up for in mad brewing skills, having won a gold medal for his Merry Prankster brew at the Great American Brewing Festival.

In addition to a wide selection of beer, Rock Bottom features some of the greatest food I’ve had in Portland, both in terms of taste and scope – their portion sizes are not messing around. Come hungry, and leave packed full.

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The Hilt Bar

The Hilt Bar

What is it?

The Hilt Bar, located on NE Alberta, perfectly demonstrates what makes Portland so great; the exterior nearly screams boring and dull while the reality held just inside is astounding. The Hilt is a jewel in the rough with a mind-blowing happy hour menu, a wide selection of tasty beer and a truly laid-back atmosphere.

Where is it?

Address: 1934 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211
Phone: 971-255-1793
Hours: Daily, 4pm-2:30am
Website: www.thehiltbar.com

How is it?

Walking on Alberta St. will introduce you to Portland’s predominate, up-and-coming Northeast neighborhood (aptly named Alberta much in the same way the Mississippi neighborhood is named after its main street, too).

Restaurants and bars dot the street on both sides, and you’ll be bombarded with a variety of wonderful places to shop and eat. You might miss the almost nondescript exterior of The Hilt Bar, and even if you notice it, you’ll probably disregard it as a dive bar.

Doing so would be a huge mistake. Epic, even. Some Portlanders (myself included) feel compelled to describe almost everything as epic (though it really fits here, I promise).

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