If This Old Town Could Talk
Come ashore in Portland like so many long before you in Old Town Chinatown, port of call to sailors, immigrants, and wayfarers of all sorts in centuries past. The walls and stones are mortared by history, and these merged neighborhoods tell the gritty and true story of the Burnside Downtown area. Where once stood a simple mariners wharf now shows new signs of development and rebirth, where the wonderful pearls of Portland’s history are being polished to a high sheen. Outside of lower Manhattan, there remains no higher a concentration of 1880s cast-iron façade buildings in our country today than in Portland. At one time, Portland’s Chinatown was once the largest of its kind in any city on the west coast. Original Shanghai tunnels still line the basements of many of Old Town’s historic buildings. Get mixed up in the beautiful ambiance that is Old Town Chinatown. You may never want your ship to sail anywhere else.
Get Out & See the Place
Take in what’s unique, bizarre, and exciting about Portland with any of these great tours. The Portland Bike Tour lets you ride together and make your own pilgrimage to discover what mysteries our history unfolds. Portland Underground Tours gives you a glimpse into the side of Portland you may have never seen, and the Brewcycle provides a one-of-a-kind, two hour pubcrawl experience, merging everything you love about beer and party buses with everything you love about biking and sightseeing. It’s truly the perfect way to experience Portland. While you’re in Portland, make sure to spend some time admiring the exquisite horticultural displays at the Lan Su Chinese Gardens, where tranquility and precision reign.
Spots We Recommend
There’s no end to the great food and drink options Old Town Chinatown has to offer, embodying the spirit which gave this community rise with our commitment to fresh and eccentric flavor and ingredients. Don’t miss out on any of these great dining options, including:
- Casba Coffee House
Local Mediterranean café with fabulous hummus, Turkish coffee and tea service - Red Robe Tea House
A Tea-taster’s paradise. Don’t miss the traditional Gong Fu tea service - Good Taste Restaurant
An old-school Chinese lunch spot with can’t-be-beat noodle soup bowls and requisite roast ducks in the window! - Theo’s
Delicious hand-made subs and sandwiches - Charlie’s Deli
Besides the nicest folks in town, they serve up a Bubbie-beating corned beef special! L’Chaim! - Davis Street Tavern
A romantic environment for some hand-crafted regional fare. Lunch + Dinner
- Hand Eye Supply
Ground-Zero for all things maker. Drool over gorgeous tool boxes, drafting tools, and yes, staplers!! - Bowery Bagels
Take it from us east-coasters- these are legit boiled-then-baked bagels. We serve the same in Café Society - Old Town Pizza and Brewery
Wood-Fired Pizza with gorgeous topping choices and top-notch locally-made beer - Voodoo Donuts
The classic spot for all things weird in Portland. Be daring and get a blood donut! - Mi Mero Mole
More than just mole sauce- lots of authentic Mexican artisan food and drink.