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Charming Southeast Foster Road is home to a wide variety of bars, restaurants and shops.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
This bike- and pedestrian-friendly Southeast Portland neighborhood has a character all its own.
The misty land of Douglas firs and Oregon white oaks has always been home to indigenous nations of the region, such as the Chinook, Cowlitz and Clackamas tribes. Foster Road, a diagonal street in a city of square grids, has also long been part of Portland’s landscape and once served as a footpath for Indigenous people who moved between the Willamette River and Johnson Creek.
Today, that road is at the heart of Foster-Powell, a bike- and pedestrian-friendly Southeast neighborhood with its own character. FoPo is home to unique experiences you can’t find anywhere else in the city, and that’s what makes it a perfect Portland neighborhood to explore.
Where to Eat in Foster-Powell
Since 2001, Chinese Vietnamese bakery An Xuyên has earned a spot as a neighborhood favorite, serving banh mi, pastries, bao and sticky rice. The baguettes and pastries are all made in-house, and can be found across town at grocery stores and restaurants. Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival tip: An Xuyen is one of the few places in town that bakes their own mooncakes, and they sell out every season, so be sure to take home a few of these delicacies when you see them on the shelves.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
You really can’t help but feel like you’ve sat down for a home-cooked, comfort food meal at Tambayan, with their menu of staple Filipino dishes. Diners return for their chicken or pork adobo and halo-halo, and the menu is rounded out with the classic pancit (who doesn’t love a noodle dish?) and house specialties, such as crispy pata. If the food doesn’t make you feel like you’re at home, wait until one of the aunties from the kitchen drops by to ask how the meal was and sweetly chide you for not eating enough.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
Where to Drink in Foster-Powell
Right next to An Xuyên, Thunderbird Bar is a low-key, vegan-friendly bar with a solid food menu. Part of Portland’s Lightning Bar Collective, well-known for fully vegan bars like The Bye and Bye, the vegan choices here go perfectly with a drink menu that includes classic cocktails with a twist and no-frills boilermakers. (Plus, they’ve got a slushie machine churning CBD frosé.)
Carnelian Coffee is a cozy coffee shop where you can pick up a bag of perfectly micro-roasted beans to prepare at home or grab a drink to stay and enjoy the very chill vibes for a while. Their cases are stocked with vegan pastries that are well-paired with caffeinated drinks. The Thunderegg, named after Oregon’s state rock, is an extra creamy cortado topped with chocolate sauce, Lyle’s Golden Syrup and a dash of cocoa powder. The shop is named after a sunset red-orange stone, and all kinds of rocks are displayed throughout this neighborhood gem.
Top off your day with a visit to Yoonique Tea, a boba shop with an extensive menu. They also specialize in matcha through their in-house pop-up Whisk & Bloom, which is available on-site from Thursday to Sunday and in select locations around town on other days of the week — check their Instagram for the latest schedule.
The dog-friendly Starday Tavern has what nearly everyone would want in a neighborhood hang-out: movie and game nights, live bands and a French bulldog mascot named Ghengis. They called themselves “the most OKest bar in Portland,” which is a low-key way of saying, Come have a seat with all the other regulars. Starday has a jam-packed events calendar with music performances, bands and open mic nights. You can’t miss the bright yellow building as you cruise down Foster. Check their events calendar to see what’s on during your visit.
What to Do in Foster-Powell
Grab your dancing shoes and get to Tango Berretin. This Foster Road dance hall, surrounded by a tango-inspired mural, offers classes for dancers of all levels or drop-in sessions with live music to dance Argentine tango. And for more arts and culture, visit Performance Works NorthWest, an incubator for contemporary performance run by Linda Austin. Check out local and national performers showcasing experimental yet accessible works of art.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
Know Before You Go
The Portland Mercado was heavily damaged by fire on January 3, 2024. Many of its carts are currently open for take-out, and outdoor seating is available on-site. However, the main building and commissary kitchen are closed, with a planned reopening in 2026.
Established in 2015, the Portland Mercado is a must-visit destination that already feels like a city institution. It’s home to fun and food with food carts and a juice stand. You can sample flavors from across Latin America, and it’s the perfect space to check out live music and pop-up experiences such as Fiesta Caribeña and Dia de Muertos. Nearby, the newly renovated Foster Food Carts offer a mix of local flavors and international cuisine.
At Red Castle Games, you’ll always find a welcoming table and tasty snacks. Resupply at the cafe bar, which offers light eats and drinks, during D&D games and card tournaments. You can also pick up board games and minifigs for all your tabletop play needs.
Where to Shop in Foster-Powell
It may sound silly, but hear us out — it’s a shame there isn’t a friendly discount art supply and custom framing shop in every neighborhood. Anchored at the northern tip of Foster Road since 1995, I’ve Been Framed is the go-to shop for all your art-making needs. Choose from bundles of barely used colored pencils, brand-new oil paints and drafting and bookbinding tools or pick out a journal to jot down all your new Portland experiences.
Credit: Christine Dong for Portland in Color
Prepare to be amazed (and prepare to spend some money) at the legendary Crossroads Music, a unique music mall of over 40 independent vendors selling LPs, 7-inch singles, 12-inch singles, compact discs, music DVDs & Blu-rays, music posters, music memorabilia and stereo gear.
If you’re heading out to the wilds beyond Portland, be sure to stop into Foster Outdoor. This outdoor store can outfit you for any hike or overnight trip, from sunscreen to backpacks, and you’ll also find the best new brands, as well as consignment clothing and gear.
Inside the Kaah Market, find fresh-baked concha pastries and tortillas. Stock up on homemade salsas from their deli section or purchase spicy sausage and fresh cuts of meat from their carniceria butcher shop. Choose from their many Latine imports — think dried chilies, woven goods, clay pots, and chili-coated candies.
Vegan Guide to Portland
From hearty vegan comfort food to plant-based fine dining options, discover the many excellent vegan restaurants Portland has to offer.
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