Inside Sweet Jam’s New All-Day Outpost in Northeast Portland

A second outpost of Southern-influenced restaurant Sweet Jam is readying for its opening on September 18 in Northeast Portland. Restaurateur Frank Taylor is behind the eatery, which recently took over the former Horn of Africa space at 5237 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.

Taylor was born in Dickinson, Texas, and eventually went on to open several restaurants in Detroit including Seldom Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, Magnolia, Detroit Fish Market, and Detroit Breakfast House. In 2010 he moved to the West Coast and helped open Portland Prime as well as Quartet. Last year, Taylor debuted the flagship location of Sweet Jam on 8775 SW Canyon Ln. near Beaverton with help from another Detroit area expat and chef Jerry Nottage. Nottage also previously worked at Seldom Blues.

The 2,700-square-foot restaurant seats 90 and features a large wall of windows flanked by wood booths and four-top tables. The owner plans to keep blues and jazz music on the speakers and host live bands on weekends.

Sweet Jam 2.0 location will expand on the menu offered at the original on SW Canyon Ln. with breakfast, lunch, and a new dinner service. Diners can expect dishes like chicken and waffles, jambalaya, collard greens, fried catfish, and dirty rice.

Photographer Dina Avila got a sneak peek inside the new Sweet Jam ahead of the 7 a.m. Monday opening. Take a tour of the space in the gallery below.

• Sweet Jam Starts Southern-Frying on NE MLK Jr. Blvd. [EPDX]
• All Eater Inside Coverage [EPDX]