Luncheonette — Restaurant in Portland

Luncheonette is one of those cozy, hidden gems that I don’t actually want to talk about; I want to drop by and get to sit at our fav table! And they have such cute little tables and the music/vibe is impeccable! Their hot plates, sandwiches, salads and desserts are all unbelievably delicious and comforting. We ordered their special, the roast pork sandwich and potato salad for lunch. We ended our meal with a slice of miso caramel apple pie and cranberry tart!

The special was astonishingly good! Creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon topped with ikura was chefs kiss. It went so well with the refreshingly, tangy and herby salsa verde salad!! The handmade hash brown is hands down the BEST hash brown in Portland. It was so fluffy and light yet delightfully crispy. The sourdough bread and cranberry jam perfectly complemented everything else. 💯

The roast pork sandwich had this really tangy relish that paired soooo well with the pork and mozzarella!! The potato salad was also so delicious!!! We’re excited to try more of their salads!!

The desserts were also super impressive. The tart and pie crusts were SOOO well done!!! Flavorful, flaky pie crust with tender apples 10/10 would eat it again!! And the raspberry tart??? We love a good tart!!

p.s. we got the matcha buckwheat cake for a post dinner treat!

We can’t wait to come back and try everything else...

It honestly pains me to give Luncheonette 3 stars. I was so excited for a casual lunch spot in this part of town. The food is delicious, and the ambiance, especially the outdoor patio, is great. But the portion-to-price ratio is pretty disappointing.

We went with a friend and spent over $100 for the three of us: three sandwiches (one vegan), three “salads,” three coffees, and one shareable dessert. The pork sandwiches were tasty, but small for the price. And the salads… ouch. The portions were embarrassing. All three came out on one small plate, and each was maybe two bites max. They were $8 each… Maybe they are still figuring things out since they just opened, but it wasn’t a great first impression.

To be fair, there were some real highlights. Service was excellent, the desserts (especially the cinnamon roll) were divine, and the unlimited coffee was great. Would we go back? Yes, for dessert and coffee. But...

Alex and Angela have created a Portland gem with their thoughtful take on luncheon and early dinner. Every dish shows off fine-dining precision in a casual setting: a tahini-based cabbage Caesar topped with toasted and puffed rye berries, a sourdough milk bread cinnamon roll with crème fraîche icing, a buckwheat matcha cake as rich and doughy as a financier, and a seasonal tomato pie with a perfectly buttery crust held together by ricotta. The creativity here rivals world-class kitchens like Lazy Bear - yet it feels warm, accessible, and deeply satisfying. I would happily eat every meal here for the...