MISSISSIPPI 

Mississippi Avenue is a vibrant North Portland neighborhood with tons of cute shops and fun restaurants. Just a few years ago, the area had a bad rap, but many of the shop owners saw potential in the historic storefronts. With help from the Rebuilding Center on Mississippi, many of the storefronts were renovated with secondhand materials from old Portland buildings. In a short amount of time, Mississippi has quickly become a thriving Portland destination with a ton of foot traffic!

SHOPS

Pistil’s Nursery

Pistil’s is one of my favorite shops on Mississippi and my favorite nursery in Portland! This place is like wonderland for plant lovers. The storefront offers beautiful ceramic planters, hanging planters, and a terrarium building section. Stepping into the greenhouse from the shop, you are greeted by a jungle of indoor and outdoor plants and a wall of beautiful ceramics. The outside nursery is equally as charming with chickens running amok. Trust me, this place is a gem!

Wanderlust Wild Hearts

I absolutely love this shop’s mission; to support artisanal traditions and ethical fashion by offering consciously created and sustainably produced goods. All of the beautiful items in the store are either handmade by the store or directly sourced from local, fair trade, or American made artisans. Each season, the owners of Wanderlust & Wild Hearts travel to different regions of the world to bring back beautiful items to sell. By shopping at this store, you are supporting this amazing mission!

Ped X North

Every time I step into this store, I get major shoe envy! Ped X offers a variety of cute styles, all of good quality. The store is owned by two friends who wanted to bring more local shoe store options to Portland. They also sell goods from independent designers. By shopping at Ped X you are supporting local, small businesses.

Land Gallery

This shop is a must stop if you love stationary, cards, and prints! Land Gallery is a gift shop and art gallery featuring art from independent artists in the Northwest. This is a great spot to shop for gifts for friends and family. You might not realize it, but there is a gallery up the stairs where Land hosts shows. Be sure to go up and check it out!

Animal Traffic

If you are a lover of trendy vintage threads and the outdoors than Animal Traffic will speak to you! Their shop is curated with amazing vintage finds like classic Levi jeans, folk dresses, graphic tees, and Pendelton flannels. They also sell great outdoor gear like hiking backpacks and boots. It’s definitely a fun store with lots to browse through!

Worn Path

Worn Path is another one of my favorite stores on Mississippi offering a variety of goods to shop from such as books, clothing, and locally made items. They also sell trendy outdoor equipment like backpacks, knives, apparel, and even skate board decks. This is another fun spot for outdoor lovers to shop from!

RESTAURANTS

Porque No

Even with the large selection of great restaurants to eat at in Portland, Porque No is one that we always come back to. I love the quirky, ethnic/eclectic interiors and brightly colored exteriors of their Mississippi and Hawthorne locations. You can’t beat their $3 tacos and $9 burrito bowls. My favorite is the Bryan’s bowl with their home made tortilla chips. Great prices for great food!

Little Big Burger

If you a burger lover like my boyfriend, than Little Big Burger is a must try. Their ingredients are delivered fresh daily and cooked to order so you know that you are eating quality food. I love the bold With burgers under $5 dollars and fries under $3, you can’t beat it!

Laughing Planet Cafe

Right next door to Little Big Burger and Blue Star Donuts is the Laughing Planet Cafe. At Laughing Planet you will find healthy food options such as bowls, soups, salads, smoothies, and juices. This restaurant has a really friendly atmosphere with brightly painted walls and murals. One step inside and it’s like you’ve been transported back to your childhood!

Verde Cocina

With several locations around Portland, the Mississippi cafe is their newest spot. Verde Cocina offers family friendly brunch, lunch, and dinner options. Whether you are a meat eater, vegetarian, vegan, or Paleo, you will find something delicious to eat. The whole menu is actually gluten free! is There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate any party size. The cafe space is light and open and the bar is simply beautiful. It’s a great spot to enjoy some yummy mexican food.

Radar

Radar is a popular brunch spot on Mississippi for tapas and cocktails. The brick interior, open shelves, and light fixtures give this restaurant an industrial feel. I love the trendy bistro tables and round mirrors. This spot is a little more spendy with plates at about  $12-18, but well worth it for the atmosphere.

TREATS

Blue Star Doughnuts

In the mood for a great doughnut? Blue Star has been serving gourmet donuts to the Portland area since 2012. Their French brioche dough and frosting are made fresh everyday with high quality ingredients. Blue Star has a wide array of unique flavors. To name a few, there’s the Blueberry Bourbon Basil, the Sweet Potato Frittata, and the Matcha Latte. My favorite flavors are the Horchata and the Chocolate Ganache; I’m a sucker for anything chocolate or glazed!

Ruby Jewel Scoops

The heavenly smells wafting out of this ice cream shop reel me in every time! Ruby Jewel’s fresh ingredients are sourced from local farmers and artisans in the Pacific Northwest. All flavors are hand crafted at their Portland location daily. One of the treats you absolutely cannot miss are the ice cream cookie sandwiches. My favorite is the Caramel with Salted Dark Chocolate squished between two yummy chocolate chip cookies.

Bars & Breweries

Stormbreaker Brewing

My first visit to Stormbreaker was on a packed Friday night with a group of friends and it was a blast! There is a ton of indoor and outdoor seating. We sat at one of the picnic style tables outside near a fire pit. I really liked that they had a great menu of appetizer plates to share with friends. They also offer burgers and sandwiches if you are looking for something more filling. I can’t speak for their beer because I don’t drink beer, but the ciders they offer are delicious.

Mississippi Studios & Bar Bar

Bar Bar is connected to the popular Mississippi Studios, a local music venue. You would never guess it, but the building is actually a renovated church! I’ve been to a few shows at Mississippi Studios, it’s a great, intimate setting to listen to live music. Bar Bar is a fun spot to enjoy food and drinks with friends. There is a very spacious outdoor area with fire pits to enjoy as well. I recommend sharing their fries with friends!