Off the more trafficked restaurant rows of Alberta, Killingsworth, or Northeast 42nd, Aladdin’s sits alone at the north end of the neighborhood, quietly offering some of the best Syrian and Lebanese dishes in the city. Mediterranean entrees like flavorful shawarma and tender kabobs are served in generous portions, and both vegetarians and vegans will find plenty to enjoy, including falafel, grape leaves, mujaddara (sometimes called megaddara), and tabouli. Check Aladdin’s Instagram for special events like cooking classes and belly dancing nights.

A hidden gem in the ground floor of a 1930s house on Northeast Ainsworth, KISS Coffee — short for “keep it sweet and simple” — has become a magnet gathering place for Concordians since opening in 2019. The coffee brewed from Seven Virtues beans is solid, but perhaps the greater draw is the stellar food menu, with hearty all-day breakfast and lunch favorites like white cheddar bruschetta, burritos with sausage or mushroom gravy, and buttery house-made scones.

An essential piece of Concordia since 2006, Extracto roasts its beans in-house on a vintage 1950s roaster and has built a loyal following of both neighborhood locals, Portlanders from other ’hoods, and out-of-town coffee nerds. Extracto hasn’t let any of this go to its head, remaining a low-key, unpretentious coffee shop with plenty of space to savor a brew on all but the busiest weekend mornings. The modest selection of baked goods is reliably tasty but can be picked over by afternoon.

In a neighborhood with plenty of cocktail competition, Wilder has thrived by embracing its friendly, unpretentious vibes, excellent and reasonably priced cocktails, and the hearty fare a full kitchen affords. Sip on a rye-heavy Velvet Revolution between bites of Wilder’s beloved honey-Dijon fried chicken, or wash down a vegan kale and garbanzo burger with a tequila-mezcal-and-pistachio Frere Conte.

Some Portland ramen shops create ramen in subdued surroundings intended to focus the senses on the subtle flavors and textures of the meal. Then there’s Toyshop, which uses ramen as a launchpad for an iconoclastic multi-sensory party, with DJs, pinball, old-school arcade video games, projected movies, and pop culture-themed pop ups (see: a recent Buffy the Vampire Slayer event). Yet the food is good enough to not get completely lost in the sauce here, with house-made noodles, complex broths, and flavor-packed ramen concoctions like umami-rich kimchi shrimp ramen or the herbaceous clam and coconut ramen. The cocktails are even more daring, including see-it-to-believe-it combos like the gin and Gogurt mystery machine and Lego-shaped Jell-O shots.

A casual taqueria consistently knocking street food staples out of the park is as essential to a Portland neighborhood as a good coffee shop. Concordia is lucky to have hosted Santo Domingo on the intersection of Killingsworth and 42nd for nearly two decades, and the tacos, burritos, and chilaquiles are as good as ever. Throw in some of Portland’s best moles, breakfast burritos, generously mixed margaritas, and a spacious patio, and you have a veritable Mexican stalwart on your hands.

Celebrating its ten-year anniversary in July 2023, eclectic cocktail destination Expatriate may have seen beloved partner restaurant Beast across the street end its story, but those tea leaf salads, onion sandwiches, and impeccable burgers still hit the spot, and most nights will find bartenders dipping into their deepest bag of tricks to impress the most exacting of cocktail nerds. The indecisive should opt for the Diplomatic Pouch, essentially a dealer’s choice drink for any guest.

Translating to “feast of love” in Hindi, Daawat a Ishq is one of the newest additions to the neighborhood, offering lovingly prepared South Asian fare like chili paneer and pani puri, alongside a host of vegetarian and meat curries, 10 different styles of naan, and lassis ranging from sweet to salty. Daawat a Ishq has a spacious patio, but the indoor dining space is limited, so consider takeout on colder days.

Incorporating Basque and Andalusian flavors and techniques with the local bounty of the Pacific Northwest, chef Javier Canteras’s tapas menu evokes a leisurely trip through Iberia, highlighting the bold flavors of the region — like fresh anchovies and dry-cured chorizo — in settings both inspired and traditional. Sip like a Sevillano and pair your dinner with a glass of sherry or one of the house vermouths. This spot should be especially popular after Canteras defeated Bobby Flay on national TV, so reservations are recommended.