Bellpine — Restaurant in Portland

Bellpine is considerably more difficult to review than the lobby bar, Meadowrue. Your experience will vary substantially depending on if you are dining for breakfast, lunch, or dinner - and the number of people in your party. With that in mind, I dined alone for all three.

My first experience with Bellpine was for lunch. If you are booking a table through OpenTable, be warned that it may try to show you available tables when the restaurant is actually closed for transition hours between services. The restaurant had to call me to ask if I would be able to come in earlier as OpenTable offered a table at closing time. Lunch itself was a very mixed experience. While my salmon was very good once it came out, it took so long to come out that even my server admitted it was taking much longer than they thought it should. After almost 40 minutes, they did offer to bring the side salad I also ordered out first, which is something I would have expected to begin with. They did generously comp my dessert because of the wait. While I can't recall their name, they did check in on me regularly and met expectations.

My second experience was for breakfast, which went much more smoothly. While not exactly remarkable, the fresh toast I had with a side of breakfast potatoes met expectations. Sides are served in a cast iron dish comparable in size to a butter dish that you would put in the refrigerator.

My third and most recent experience was for dinner, and at last, Bellpine exceeded expectations. My server, Craig, was the first I've had at Bellpine to truly leave a lasting impression: highly attentive, extremely courteous, and genuine in the service provided.

However, because of limited options and a significant difference in size and price between the "For the Table" and "Grand Dishes" plates, dinner would be the one service I would not recommend dining alone for unless you are celebrating something. It would arguably be more accurate to call the "For the Table" dishes appetizers; while their quality is equal to that of the "Grand Dishes", they are significantly smaller for an average of $25 a plate. The "Grand Dishes" are absolutely intended to be split among two or more people. Takeaway boxes are of course available, but you are highly unlikely to finish one of them alone.

While the cocktails are, like Meadowrue, limited in offerings, Bellpine has - by far - the best stocked bar in Portland. If you can think of it, the literal binder of spirits and wines is likely to have it - both domestic and international offerings. Be sure to leave room for dessert, even if it will be almost too beautiful to eat. The variety of flavors present are on an equal level of the main dishes.

Overall, Bellpine is best experienced for dinner, just not alone. For breakfast, expect to spend around $50 per person. For lunch, around $80. For dinner, AT LEAST $200 - but keep in mind the "Grand Dishes" are intended to be split, and all of them are over $100. That said, dinner, if splitting a Grand Dish, is about...

I had the immense pleasure of dining at Bellpine recently, and it was nothing short of a culinary masterpiece. From the moment I walked through the door, the ambiance enveloped me with just the right amount of warmth and elegance, creating the perfect setting for an unforgettable evening.

The service was exceptional - attentive, knowledgeable, and delivered with a genuine passion for the food and wine they were presenting. The team made me feel welcome and guided me through the menu with insightful recommendations that enhanced the entire experience.

Now, onto the food—each dish was an exploration of flavors and textures that delighted my palate. Everything on their ‘For The Table’ menu was a symphony of taste that set the tone for what was to come. Their ‘Grand Dishes’ were a highlight, executed to perfection with every element on the plate complementing the others in harmony. The Forest Dessert was the crowning glory, a dessert that was both inventive and indulgent, leaving me savoring every last bite.

The wine list is a true treasure trove for any wine enthusiast. With an extensive selection that spans the globe, there is something for every taste and occasion. The passion and expertise of Wine Director, John Roussin, was evident in the thoughtful pairings they suggested, each wine was chosen with care and presented with a great story of the winemaker that elevated the dishes they accompanied. I loved the range of offerings, from small producers to classic vintages and rare finds, all of which added the ultimate enjoyment to the meal.

In every aspect—food, wine, service, and atmosphere— Bellpine delivers a dining experience that is unparalleled. This is a place where culinary artistry meets exceptional hospitality, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I look forward to returning regularly and experiencing more of what this outstanding restaurant...

We've previously been to Bellpine bar for drinks a couple of times and had nice experiences. We recently went for dinner on Christmas Eve. The day of the reservation we were called to let us know that they had decided on a pre fixe menu, this was not on their website when I made the reservation or the day prior to our reservation but we still went. We had a drink at the bar first, we waited 15 minutes for my drink. The bar was only half full and they had 5 people working behing the bar, it didn't seem like they had direction or a specific area that each person was taking care of the guests, they definitely seemed scattered. When we were seated at dinner the host gave us only the food menu, no drink or wine list so we asked for it. It took at least 10 minutes before our waitress greeted us & took our drink order. (The restaurant wasn't full & it was still early evening) After 10-15 minutes we asked the waitress for the status of our beer, we noticed that until we had asked she hadn't gone to the bar to check on it nor had anyone at the bar or service manager brought it to us. The three courses were ok, they were small portions and nothing that wowed us. We are fortunate to live in Portland where there are amazing restaurants and we had expected more from Bellpine especially with the accolades that the two chefs have. After the dessert course the waitress brought the bill, she didn't ask if we wanted coffee or after dinner drinks. The Bellpine log dessert was our favorite out of all of the dishes. I wouldn't rush back for dinner, maybe we'll go back next year for lunch. We expected the management/service/training to have been much smoother for this restaurant and frankly we expected the food to amaze us. With so much competition for great dining in PDX we don't feel obligated to rush back. The view and the dining room ambiance is...