Iconic Roe Relocating to 'West-side Space'

The O dropped titanic news late yesterday evening: Hidden-restaurant Roe, widely considered one of Portland's top-tier seafood restaurants, is vacating its SE Division venue and moving to "a West-side space." Moreover, B&T Oyster Bar, the restaurant Roe has been hiding inside, will close for good.

The last day of B&T's service is September 4, but Roe will stay open until construction at its new location is complete. At that time, The Rockin' Crab and Boiling Pot, a hole-in-the-wall spot for Cajun and Creole seafood located next to the Fubonn Shopping Center, will take over, opening its second location.

While the exact West-side destination is still a secret, chef, owner, and James Beard-nominee Trent Pierce tells The O the new space will have a chef's counter, a "speakeasy" vibe, and most importantly, more room. When Roe opened in a 365-square-foot space within what is now B&T Oyster Bar in 2012, it had just 30 seats and a tiny kitchen. Pierce expects Roe to reopen "later this year."

With the expanded space, Pierce will likely finally have the room to take the critically acclaimed restaurant to new heights. The hidden restaurant won't be hidden anymore, and he's already added a promising team member, Eve Kuttemann. Kuttemann has trained in many of France's top kitchens and has been operating the historically inspired Sage Hen pop-up. At Roe, she's focusing on pastry.