Small Plates Charmer Fenrir Plans Move to Larger Space this Winter

The proprietors of southeast Portland homey den of small plates Fenrir, Ian Wilson, Tyler Haupton, and John James Dudek, announced last week that on August 1st they will shut the doors at their current location (2005 S.E. 11th Ave). The reason? One year and four mouths after opening, the restaurant has quickly outgrown its intimate "re-purposed apartment" space above Cellar Door Coffee.

Along with upping their seating capacity to 48 people, the new larger kitchen will allow chef Wilson to expand the Cascadian-Scandinavian menu. Meanwhile sommelier/bar manager Hauptman will grow the wine program.

Aesthetically, the new space will mirror the current location with the key addition of a 16-foot long reclaimed oak communal table and a bar to match. These new seating spaces will not only allow the Fenrir team to accommodate more dinners, but also create space for events like chef’s dinners and their annual 4/20 taco pop-up, PDXiCali.

Although the owners have yet to reveal precisely where they are moving, co-owner and front of house manager Dudek says they’ll be relocating somewhere nearby in Southeast. He adds, "We love the area, we love our regulars, and we don’t have any interest in opening somewhere else right now. We’re on track to open the doors at the new spot this winter."

—Lisa Knisely