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Northwest Portland is riding a crazy wave of restaurant openings. Two new cafes opened near NW 21st yesterday, which means three new restaurants opened in that neighborhood on October 17. Portland Mercury reports that prolific juice bar Greenleaf has fired up its blenders in Slabtown, its second location in Northwest Portland. But that’s not all: The alt-weekly noted that Queue Coffee started brewing mere steps away, serving lattes and the like with beans from local roasters (think: Extracto and Tanager). Just down the street is Kashmiri restaurant Bhuna, which opened yesterday, as well.
According to the Merc story, Bridge Development is both the landlord and tenant of Queue; the property managers opened the coffee shop to fill some of its ground-floor retail. This new cafe is an experiment: If it performs well, more Queues will open in the retail spaces of other Bridge apartments and office buildings. But don’t worry, this product of vertical integration is incorporating some of Portland’s better artisans: Beyond its Portland-sourced coffee, Queue serves Petunia’s and Lauretta Jean’s pastries.
Greenleaf is much more of a household name for spin class enthusiasts and health geeks. The company’s six locations all feature the same crunchy classics, with quinoa, chia, and acai bowls complementing its assortment of juices and smoothies.
Yesterday’s opening boom isn’t totally random: Northwest Portland has been having a moment this year, with a new sushi restaurant, Vietnamese soup spot, and breakfast cafe now open in the same area. Still to come are a gin bar, hip tavern, and artsy cocktail lounge. Oh, and who could forget Bar West, the new restaurant coming to the Wildwood space? It’s only fitting that the legendary, shuttered restaurant on NW 21st would find a new resident during the Northwest Portland renaissance.
• Queue Coffee [Official]
• Greenleaf [Official]
• Queue Coffee is Now Pouring Espresso Drinks in Slabtown [Merc]
• Smoothie News: Greenleaf Goes Brick & Mortar in the Pearl [Merc]
• Portland’s First True Kashmiri Restaurant Opens Wednesday [EPDX]
