Off the Griddle is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Owned by Ashley Arthur and Dan Harding, the business started as a food cart in 2010 before becoming a brick and mortar restaurant in southeast Portland's Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood in 2017. The menu includes vegan and vegetarian burgers, as well as breakfast options, salads, sandwiches, and cocktails.

Off the Griddle
Map
Restaurant information
Established2010 (2010)
Owner(s)
  • Ashley Arthur
  • Dan Harding
Food type
Street address6526 Southeast Foster Road
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97206
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°29′20″N 122°35′43″W / 45.4888°N 122.5953°W / 45.4888; -122.5953
Seating capacity54
Websiteoffthegriddle.com

Description

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The vegetarian diner[1] Off the Griddle operates on Foster Road at 65th[2] in southeast Portland's Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood, near Foster-Powell.[3] The 1,480-square-foot space has a seating capacity of approximately 54 people. According to Eater Portland, the interior has a "funky atmosphere of the late '80s and early '90s", a color scheme inspired by Saved by the Bell, a large wristwatch, a bowling lane as a bartop, a fake fireplace, and reclaimed church pews for seating.[4] Portland Monthly said the restaurant has "fun, retro vibes" and a hamburger piñata.[2]

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The menu has included vegan and vegetarian burgers, as well as French fries.[5] Burger varieties include a jalapeño cheeseburger and the Smoky Bleu,[6] which has been described as a barbecue-tempeh-bacon-and-blue-"cheese" burger. Patties are made from leeks, mushrooms, and wild brown rice, among other ingredients.[3] Off the Griddle has also served salads, sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese bowls.[7][8]

The restaurant also serves brunch; among breakfast options is biscuits and gravy, a breakfast burrito,[9] jackfruit brisket hash, a "brunch wrap supreme", walnut meatloaf Benedict,[10] and the Blue Plate, which has house-made sausage, hash browns, a biscuit with gravy, and either eggs or a scramble with tofu and herbs.[11] Waffle options include the plant-based fried "chk'n" and waffles, pumpkin with sweet cream, and blue corn with fruit.[12]

Among 1990s-themed cocktails[13] is the Cinnamon Toast, which has cinnamon whisky, root beer, and coconut-vanilla ice cream.[7] Bloody Mary varieties include Spicy (jalapeño), Gazpacho (cucumber, pepper, and garlic), and Bangkok (Thai basil and ginger).[11] The drink menu also includes Arnold Palmers and "kimosas" (half kombucha and half juice).[10]

History

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Off the Griddle started as a solar-powered[7] food cart at the intersection of 50th and Division in 2010, before moving into a brick and mortar space previously occupied by music bar Gemini in 2017.[5][14][15] The business is owned by Ashley Arthur and Dan Harding,[3][16] and has shared a space with A.N.D Cafe.[12][17]

Reception

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Carrie Uffindell included Off the Griddle in Eater Portland's 2017 overview of the city's "most worthy" waffles.[12] The website's Waz Wu included the business in a 2021 overview of the city's "hottest spots for vegan brunch right now",[10] and Nathan Williams and Janey Wong included Off the Griddle in a 2023 overview of recommended eateries in Foster-Powell.[11] The restaurant has been included in The Oregonian's "ultimate guide to Portland's 40 best brunches".[18] VegOut recommends the restaurant for "classic comfort food with a vegan twist".[9] Off the Griddle ranked second in the Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant category of VegNews' 2023 overview of the best vegan establishments in the United States.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Woodstock, Tuck (2017-06-29). "How the Vegans Conquered Portland". Portland Monthly. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  2. ^ a b Woodstock, Tuck (2017-04-20). "Celebrate Earth Day at Off the Griddle's Grand Opening". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  3. ^ a b c Bamman, Mattie John (2017-04-11). "Off The Griddle Declares Opening Date on SE Foster". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  4. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2017-04-21). "'Saved By the Bell' Meets 'The Breakfast Club' Inside Off the Griddle". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  5. ^ a b Dresbeck, Rachel (2011-11-22). Cheap Bastard's Guide to Portland, Oregon: Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Less!. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-7627-7578-1. Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  6. ^ Bowen, Dana (2012-08-05). "Food of the People: Portland's Food Cart Revolution". Saveur. Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  7. ^ a b c "Off the Griddle". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  8. ^ Butler, Grant (2017-12-27). "How vegan comfort food swept Portland in 2017". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. OCLC 985410693. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  9. ^ a b "Where to Get Vegan Brunch in Portland, Oregon". VegOut. January 17, 2024. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Wu, Waz (2018-02-22). "Portland's Hottest Spots for Vegan Brunch Right Now". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-01-05. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  11. ^ a b c Williams, Nathan (2021-11-18). "Where to Eat and Drink in Foster-Powell". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  12. ^ a b c Uffindell, Carrie (2017-10-27). "Portland's Most Worthy Waffles, Mapped". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  13. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2017-06-13). "A.N.D. Cafe Moves Into Off the Griddle; Shutters East Burnside Location". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  14. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2017-03-21). "Prepare for the Return of Off the Griddle's 'OTG Burger'". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  15. ^ Harelik, Tiffany (2012-07-17). Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook: Portland Edition, Volume 1. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62584-039-4. Archived from the original on 2024-06-04. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  16. ^ Giegerich, Andy (July 6, 2017). "Counter offensive: How Portland restaurants are shifting business models to manage rising costs, pay disparity". Portland Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  17. ^ "Vegan, Vegetarian or Gluten-Free Brunches". Portland Mercury. 2017-07-12. Archived from the original on 2022-07-10. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  18. ^ Russell, Michael (2019-04-11). "The ultimate guide to Portland's 40 best brunches". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  19. ^ "The 28 Best Vegan Restaurants in America". VegNews.com. 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2024-06-03. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
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