Portland Restaurants and Bars Closed Today Because of the Air Quality and Fires

Portland’s air quality is currently worse than any other major city in the world’s. Many restaurant and cart owners have decided to close to protect employees and their own lungs

by Brooke Jackson-Glidden Sep 11, 2020, 10:35am PDT

Brooke Jackson-Glidden is the editor of Eater Portland.

Oregon’s air quality has hit levels higher than any other major city in the world, according to the air quality tracker IQAir. The Department of Environmental Quality currently reports that the city’s air quality is around 325 AQI, or air quality index — in other words, the air is officially “hazardous,” which could negatively impact even the healthiest individuals who spend too much time outside. Seniors, individuals who are pregnant, and those with asthma are at higher risk.

For that reason, many Portland restaurant owners and food carts have closed their outdoor dining areas, but some are going even further by closing altogether to avoid causing too much harm to their employees and themselves. Of these, certain businesses are going dark through the weekend, to play it safe. Below, find a list of restaurants and bars that are staying closed today. Know of another restaurant staying closed? Email pdx@eater.com. This story will be updated.