In a region that’s not exactly rife with diners, Shari’s is the de facto stand-in that’s at least more local than a Denny’s. Open 24 hours, 365 days a year, its stuffed hashbrowns or marionberry pie can be had any time the fancy strikes. The casual restaurant exudes woodsy ‘70s-era charm (it was founded in 1978 in Hermiston) but there are locations as far south as San Bruno and far east as Idaho Falls. 

That’s the original Original Pancake House, thank you very much. Founded in 1965, the original location, a chotchke-filled cottage (look closely: there are some James Beard awards hiding among the decorative plates) off Barbur Boulevard, unmistakably marked by a candy-striped awning, is still churning out giant sugar-powdered Dutch Babies. The Original Pancake House has spread throughout the U.S. and also has multiple branches in Japan and Seoul, so it’s forgivable to be unaware of the restaurant’s humble origins. 

With recent news of an expansion to Miami, Salt & Straw, balancing old-timey and sleek, has proven its ice cream bona fides beyond the West Coast. There’s no national shortage of creative ice cream purveyors — blue cheese and olive oil scoops are now practically par for the course — but not everyone would think to offer flavors like chocolate made with pork blood, a.k.a. sanguinaccio dolce, or spruce tips and rainwater.

For a spell, Japan appeared to have a fascination with all things Portland. The love affair might have faded with the closing of Tokyo’s Navarre and Blue Star branches, but the Japanese adaptation of the Multnomah Whiskey Library, the Tokyo Whisky Library, is still going strong. The Japanese version is similar to our Portland version, with tufted leather seating, exposed brick, and walls of backlit whisky bottles.

Yes, this seafood and chophouse chain with dark wood paneling, warm tones, and Craftsman light fixtures is now owned by Landry’s (Bubba Gump’s parent) and has multiplied across the country. While McCormick and Schmick’s remains a domestic affair, the now shuttered Oregon Bar & Grill, an upscale American restaurant in Tokyo, was at least at one point loosely affiliated with the homegrown venue. 

Portland stalwart Old Spaghetti Factory practically introduced Mizithra and spumoni to the city when it opened downtown in 1969. With its train car seating and Tiffany-style chandeliers, the family-friendly restaurant resembled a chain from the get-go, so it’s not surprising Old Spaghetti Factory has become a standby in many cities’ tourist districts.

The pizzeria that embodies Portland by offering toppings like pepperoni, nutritional yeast, tofu cheese, and an optional vegan ranch pentagram drizzle (gluten-free crust is a given) delivered in a box illustrated with anthropomorphic pot smoke. Sizzle Pie, open unusually late for Portland, would seem prime for expansion to college-type towns across the country. That’s not actually the case, however, as the farthest-flung location is in Reno. Once upon a time, though, there were two Sizzle Pies in Brooklyn.

Pork-centric sandwich cart turned brick-and-mortar, Lardo, has become a Portland institution. With its diverse sandwich line-up and charitable monthly chef collaborations a.k.a. “Chefwiches,” it’s easy to see why. With two Portland locations, this shop, outfitted in blood red walls and the requisite cuts of pork diagram, expanded to Las Vegas last year. Similar business, Bunk, didn’t fare so well when it tried to storm Brooklyn.

While Portland might seem like an unlikely birthplace for a Thai mini-empire, the city just rolls with bowls of khao soi and sticky, fish sauce-glazed wings, served on bright, floral oilcloth table-coverings. While the NYC and Los Angeles offshoots are now kaput, Pok Pok has expanded to Las Vegas, in the same casino food hall as other hometown fave, Lardo. 

Fluffy, soufflé-style Japanese pancakes have recently been taking the states by storm. But in an unexpected reverse commute, Portland’s d.i.y. pancake shop with a rustic, industrial vibe, Slappy Cakes, has exported its interactive concept to Osaka, as well as to Maui, Malaysia, and Singapore. 

While Taco Bell or even Del Taco get all the attention, the Northwest does have its own homegrown taco chain, love it or hate it. Famous for Mexi-Fries and deep-fried Crisp Burritos, Taco Time, started in Eugene 59 years ago, has been getting harder to find. There are only three locations left in Portland proper, though the chain, marked by a bright green cactus sign, is scattered throughout Oregon and Washington, with franchises even in Canada, Kuwait, and Curaçao.