Washington County dwellers access Forest Park from trailheads seldom known to Portlanders, and post-hike dining options can be equally off the radar. Well worth the trek for even far-flung eastsiders is the relaxed, inviting European-style bistro Bethany’s Table. The menu leans more Italian than French, with house-made pastas and deep commitment to local, seasonal ingredients. Pair entrees with tasty wines from the newly remodeled climate-controlled wine cellar, or grab dinner components to-go from the marketplace, including impeccable Bolognese sauce (with a vegetarian mushroom version), chicken liver mousse, and rounds of chocolate chip cookie dough.

Close to the Linnton Loop trailhead, El Sazon is a gem too easily missed driving up Highway 30. Powered by soft, flavorful tortillas, the modest taco truck punches above its weight, with a specialty in fish and shrimp burritos, tacos, tortas, and even ceviche. Terrestrial proteins like pastor and chicken are tender and amply seasoned. The nearby 7-11 is handy for those looking for a broader range of beverage options, as well as a convenient duel-use stop for Sauvie-bound beachgoers acquiring a parking pass.

St. Johns may be on the east side of the Willamette River but it’s well to the west of Portland’s downtown and just a brief jaunt — via bike, car, or on foot — across the iconic St. Johns Bridge to Forest Park’s Ridge trailhead. St Johns is packed with delicious options, but none as nourishing after a brisk hike as Urban German Wursthaus. Relax on the spacious patio while inhaling Berliner currywurst with pommes frites and sipping on a German (or locally brewed German-style) beer, while gazing across the river at the recently conquered hillside. And few sausage-party establishments offer so ample a range of meatless options, including vegetarian spätzle and vegan schnitzel.

A café within a park within a park, Umami Café is one of the most serene settings in all of Portland. Synthesizing the wild, natural harmony of Forest Park with the more regimented beauty of adjacent Washington Park, the Portland Japanese Garden is a tranquil feast for nearly all the senses. For the remaining ones, settle in at Umami Café for tea sets featuring matcha, genmaicha, and other teas alongside delicate confections like castella and mochi. The view of the lush Japanese garden is stunning in all seasons due to floor-to-ceiling windows. Note: admission to the garden is required to access Umami Café.

This eye-popping fuchsia espresso cart is true to its name, concocting drinks with names like the caffeine-loaded “nuclear weapon” and the cold brew “potion.” Most are combos of familiar components like espresso, dairy, and sweet additives, but the distinct results are a fun change of pace in a town with more than a few almost-identical coffee shops. The food menu is similarly expansive and eclectic, supplementing breakfast staples with pita dogs and flautitas in a cup — all foods are halal. Situated in the parking lot of the Montgomery Park office building, Coffee Lab is closed weekends.

Few dishes hit the spot after a chilly, damp forest hike better than a bowl full of warm, tender noodles. Bing Mi graduated from a popular nearby food cart — which continues on — to this cozy restaurant. While the cart specializes in jianbing, a kind of crepe from northern China, noodles and dumplings are the name of the game here. Sweet bean flavored zha jiang mian is the flagship noodle offering, and 10-piece dumpling sets include combos of ingredients like pork, cabbage, chives, and shrimp. Check the boards for current beer and wine offerings.

Reliable, unpretentious sandwiches and other deli staples won’t necessarily garner awards (though chef and owner Scott Weaver was mentored by James Beard), but in the case of Elephants, it’s a path to a successful eight-location local empire. On the way to or from Forest Park, the grab-and-go convenience of Elephants’s hot and cold sandwiches is tough to beat. The vast menu including pizza, soups, burgers, and salads can be a bit daunting, so come prepared to combat decision fatigue.

Portland mourned the loss of beloved Goose Hollow Inn founder (and two-term city mayor) Bud Clark in 2022. It’s perhaps a testament to that love, or the purity of Clark’s original vision, that the Inn motors on, largely unchanged, not just since Clark’s passing but over the preceding decades. Goose Hollow Inn remains a stubborn oasis of Portland’s blue collar yet idiosyncratic past, from an era when nobody outside of Oregon took Portland seriously and Portlanders returned the compliment. But rest assured, it’s not just a beacon of misty-eyed nostalgia — the beers on tap are top notch, the cocktails are strong and affordable, and the Ruebens are as good as advertised.