written by Julie Lee | photo by Kathleen Nyberg/McMenamins
If orange is the new black, in Portland, biscuits and gravy is the new orange. Satiating and simple, there isn’t much wrong you can do to this breakfast staple and lots of ways to do it right. Here are some of our favorite haunts that do just that.
Zeus Cafe’ at McMenamins Crystal Hotel
What bloody mary’s are to olives, gravy is to chorizo; good without, better with. Atop buttermilk biscuits baked fresh and with a couple of eggs as wingmen, Zeus Cafe’ does B&G right. Bonus points for location, at a holiday shopping crossroads of The Pearl, city center downtown and Northwest Portland’s gift filled brick and mortars.
303 SW 12th Ave. | mcmenamins.com
Besaw’s
Its baaaaaaccck!! It feels like forever, but Besaw’s has only been gone from our restaurant repertoire for six months. We can breathe again Portlanders. Just in time for a post-holiday-shopping-coma-lazy afternoon, the crazy good, scratch biscuits and sausage gravy makes its return when a hundred year old brunch darling reopens.
1545 NW 21st Ave | besaws.com
City State Diner & Bakery
As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans, and when restaurants specialize in breakfast, you know you’re off to a healthy (or not so healthy) start. City State Diner makes breakfast its with no excuses, slinging gravy-laden specialties such as a three-meat breakfast meatloaf topped with gravy or the gravy train: bacon and eggs stacked on an open-faced biscuit and topped with gravy.
128 NE 28th Ave. | citystatediner.com
Industrial Cafe & Saloon
In the one-up contest for Portland’s best biscuits & gravy, Industrial Cafe and Saloon’s Gears & Gravy is two thick, flaky buttermilk biscuits topped with sage and pork sausage gravy, or for vegetarians, a savory mushroom rosemary alternative.
2572 NW Vaughn St. | industrialcafepdx.com
Pine State Biscuits
Pine State Biscuits is the mothership of all things biscuits and gravy. It’s in the name, y’all. Massive, puffy biscuits are stacked high and doused with a fountain of gravy. The exquisite result resembles a mountain overflowing with hot white lava. Best hangover food ever. We’re just sayin’.
2204 NE Alberta
1100 SE Division #100
125 NE Schuyler St (take out window)
We have been to Pine Street Biscuits several locations on several occasions and it is always fantastic. Everything we tried was great. Can’t wait until we can eat there again (we are out of town). May have to try the others also…