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Fried plantains, avocado, pikliz, and more on a plate from Kann.
Griot at Kann.
Eva Kosmas Flores

Where to Find Stellar Caribbean Food in Portland and Beyond

For those seeking Jamaican jerk chicken, lechon asado, and more

by Ron Scott and Olivia Lee Updated
View as Map
Griot at Kann.
| Eva Kosmas Flores
by Ron Scott and Olivia Lee Updated

Portland has several restaurants representing Mexico, Central American countries, and much of South America, but the cuisines of the islands scattered throughout the Caribbean are limited to a handful of spots around the city. In recent years, however, newcomers like Haitian restaurant Kann, Guyanese food cart Bake on The Run, and Cuban cocktail bar Palomar have joined the ranks of longer-standing Caribbean favorites like Pambiche, showcasing the region’s distinguished cuisine.

The cuisines of the Caribbean are an an amalgamation of countless culinary influences — including West African, Latin American, European, and South Asian — incorporating ingredients like rice, beans, cassava, peppers, and plantains; however, cooking styles and dishes vary greatly between each island. From a cocktail bar serving Trinidadian doubles to a Northeast Portland spot plating ackee and saltfish, these are the Caribbean restaurants and carts every Portlander should know. For more options throughout Central and South America, feel free to check out the larger Latin American cuisine map; for more specifically Cuban dishes, this map may help.

Note: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission

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Jamaican Homestyle Cuisine

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After having little luck finding Jamaican food in Portland, Keacean Phillips decided to open a Jamaican food cart in 2014, and eventually found her way into a restaurant thereafter. Customers here have plenty of options for spicy and flavorful chicken or beef, as well as curry goat and oxtail. First-timers should order the saucy, fall-off-the-bone oxtails with a side of hazelnut-brown fried festivals, though it’s hard to go wrong here.

441 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217
(503) 289-1423
(503) 289-1423

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Yaad Style Jamaican Cuisine

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Yaad Style has been putting out a full roster of Jamaican dishes on MLK Blvd since it opened in 2016. The menu stretches beyond typical jerk chicken plates and includes Jamaica’s national dish: ackee and saltfish. The traditional breakfast dish combines ackee, a tree fruit originating in West Africa, and salted cod, all fried up together with peppers, onions, and spices. The dish arrives with “rice and peas,” dumplings, and seasonal veggies. Visitors will also find a good selection of vegan Jamaican dishes, a relative rarity in Portland.

3532 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd ste-A, Portland, OR 97212
(503) 432-8066
(503) 432-8066

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Pambiche

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Certainly the patriarch of the Caribbean food scene here in Portland, Pambiche continues to draw customers to its dine-in and patio service on Glisan, in the eastern end of Kerns. Owner John Maribona has been dazzling diners with rich and flavorful dishes from his own family recipes for more than two decades. All the items here are solid and time-tested, but it might just be the empanadas made in-house that will bring customers back for return visits. The rich and layered ropa vieja is worth an order, as well.

2811 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 233-0511
(503) 233-0511
Pulled pork is swimming in gravy beside rice and salad.
Plato Cubano at Pambiche.
Ron Scott/Eater Portland

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Kann

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Heavily accoladed and often booked up, the opulent Southeast Portland restaurant Kann pays homage to owner and celebrity chef Gregory Gourdet’s Haitian roots. Since its recent opening in the fall of 2022, Kann has meticulously executed Haitian dishes like akra, crispy taro root fritters, and twice-cooked griyo, Haiti’s national dish; they appear alongside renditions of other Haitian plates through Gourdet’s distinct culinary lens. A dinner reservation at Kann is tricky to snag, but those lucky enough to nab one are in for a dining experience like no other found in Portland.

548 SE Ash St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 702-0290
(503) 702-0290

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Sousòl

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When getting into Kann is too much of a challenge, pros know to try to pop into Sousòl, chef Gregory Gourdet’s sleek cocktail bar adjacent to the restaurant. Cocktails rely heavily on tropical fruit juices and cordials, as do the bar’s extensive nonalcoholic drink list. When it comes to food, Sousòl tends to explore the wider Caribbean culinary canon, offering Haitian staples like akra as well as Trinidadian doubles, Jamaican beef patties, and Cuban mojo pork. The bar accepts walk-ins only, making an impromptu visit far easier than a visit to Kann.

227 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 702-1142
(503) 702-1142

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Love Belizean

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This Southwest Broadway spot is one of the only places to find Belizean food in Portland, with bottles of Marie Sharp’s hot sauce next to a menu of warm yellow curry, coconut rice, and red beans. The Belizean chicken is a favorite, fall-off-the-bone and perked up with vinegary onions and a fresh salad. When choosing from the wide range of hot sauces, the heat levels, written on a chalkboard, start from “mild” and go all the way up to “fiery hot.” Due to its popularity as a go-to weekday lunch destination, customers walking in during the later afternoon hours may be met with a “sold out” sign posted at the door; it’s best to pop by early or order ahead.

1503 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
(503) 421-5599
(503) 421-5599

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Papi Sal's

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Known for bridging Philly’s sandwich culture with Puerto Rican flavors, Papi Sals, originally a food cart, is now operating out of White Owl Social Club on Southeast Belmont. The famous “jawn”— 20-hour roasted pernil, broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, and sofrito mayo folded into a fresh baked sesame hoagie roll — remains a permanent fixture on the menu, along with other sandwich variations like the chicken tender or Italian cold cut jawn. The tostones nachos — crispy fried green plantains with pernil, pique cheese sauce, shredded lettuce, and salsa criolla — make for an unmatched late-night bar snack. Papi Sal’s rotating specials, like the pernil or guava and cheese-filled empanadas, are often a must-order.

1305 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(720) 708-9152
(720) 708-9152

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Bake on the Run

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Located within Lil’ America, a new food cart pod featuring BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ chefs in Southeast Portland, Bake on the Run is quite possibly the only spot in Portland specializing in Guyanese cuisine. Mother-and-son duo Bibi and Mike Singh showcase the flavors of Guyana, particularly Guyanese bakes, lightly fried puff bread pockets stuffed with popular fillings like Guyanese Chana Aloo curry (tender chickpeas and potatoes) and bacalhau (Portuguese salted cod). First-time visitors to the cart receive generous samples of both filling options to try out. For a sweet treat, the bake bombs — flash-fried pillowy balls of dough with chocolate-filled centers — make for an explosive bite. 

1080 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 877-8602
(503) 877-8602

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Cubo

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Alongside Pambiche, Cubo has been one of the grand dame Cuban spots in Portland for more than a decade. The vibrant Hawthorne Boulevard cafe serves a menu of Cuban treats, including tropical fruit-filled cocktails and mini-empanadas filled with guava and cream cheese. The spicy mojo shrimp — which arrives with plantains, rice, and beans — is a particular standout.

3106 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 544-7801
(971) 544-7801
Shrimp is seen with a spicy red sauce atop rice and served with beans on the side in a bowl
Spicy Mojo Shrimp
Ron Scott/EPDX

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Palomar

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Portland is home to a number of Cuban restaurants, but Palomar is one of the city’s only Cuban bars. Owner Ricky Gomez shakes and blends daiquiris of all styles here, from the subtle and sophisticated to the fruity and frozen, as well as mojitos, Cuba libres, and other cocktails with Caribbean roots. Out of the kitchen, Palomar knocks out Cuban-inspired plates such as crispy-fried croquetas de jamon, tenderly juicy lechon con mojo, and vegan ropa vieja made with jackfruit. Ask about Palomar’s rotating flavors of house-made sorbet and tres leches cake to end the night on a sweet note.

959 SE Division St #100, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 357-8020
(971) 357-8020
A plate of food at Palomar in Southeast Portland.
Mojo-braised wings at Palomar.
Carla J. Peña/Eater Portland

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Boriken Restaurant

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Since 2014, Boriken has served outstanding Puerto Rican fare in the heart of Beaverton. It might just be the only restaurant in town where someone can find mofongo: fried green plantains mashed with garlic, salt, and olive oil, combined with meat or seafood. Diners can pick through the extensive menu and enjoy classic Puerto Rican dishes such as pernil and meat-stuffed turnover pastries called empanadillas. When it comes to drinks, Puerto Rico was the birthplace of the piña colada, after all.

12800 SW Canyon Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 596-3571
(503) 596-3571

Also featured in:

Havana Station

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Situated within the Portland Mercado food cart pod, Havana Station serves classic Cuban plates like ropa vieja or picadillo with rice, beans, and sweet crispy maduros (plantains). Alternatively, Havana Station’s Cubano sandwich — slow-cooked pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard stacked between two layers of buttery bread — is substantial for those wanting a quick on-the-go bite. Whether opting for a plate or a Cubano sandwich, any menu item here is guaranteed to have a robust flavor.

7238 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206
(971) 600-0302
(971) 600-0302
A plate of ropa vieja at Havana Station.
Ropa vieja plate at Havana Station.
Olivia Lee/Eater Portland

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Bistro Cubano

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Bistro Cubano frequently manages to lure Portlanders craving Cuban and Caribbean fare down to its location in the heart of Oregon City. This cozy, tucked-away corner restaurant features an array of cocktails to sip alongside panko-breaded mahi-mahi, basted with a turmeric-tinted coconut milk and roasted with potato, stewed tomato, and garlic. The lechon asado — slow-roasted pork marinated in a garlicky-citrus sauce — is a specialty available as an entree plate served over rice, beans, sweet plantains, and rice, or as a filling in one of the restaurant’s several Cubano variations.

709 Main St Suite 101, Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 387-5678
(503) 387-5678
fish is seen swimming in a coconut milk reduction with tomatoes
Mahimahi at Bistro Cubano.
Ron Scott/Eater Portland

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Jamaican Homestyle Cuisine

441 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

After having little luck finding Jamaican food in Portland, Keacean Phillips decided to open a Jamaican food cart in 2014, and eventually found her way into a restaurant thereafter. Customers here have plenty of options for spicy and flavorful chicken or beef, as well as curry goat and oxtail. First-timers should order the saucy, fall-off-the-bone oxtails with a side of hazelnut-brown fried festivals, though it’s hard to go wrong here.

441 N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217
(503) 289-1423
(503) 289-1423

Yaad Style Jamaican Cuisine

3532 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd ste-A, Portland, OR 97212

Yaad Style has been putting out a full roster of Jamaican dishes on MLK Blvd since it opened in 2016. The menu stretches beyond typical jerk chicken plates and includes Jamaica’s national dish: ackee and saltfish. The traditional breakfast dish combines ackee, a tree fruit originating in West Africa, and salted cod, all fried up together with peppers, onions, and spices. The dish arrives with “rice and peas,” dumplings, and seasonal veggies. Visitors will also find a good selection of vegan Jamaican dishes, a relative rarity in Portland.

3532 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd ste-A, Portland, OR 97212
(503) 432-8066
(503) 432-8066

Pambiche

2811 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232

Certainly the patriarch of the Caribbean food scene here in Portland, Pambiche continues to draw customers to its dine-in and patio service on Glisan, in the eastern end of Kerns. Owner John Maribona has been dazzling diners with rich and flavorful dishes from his own family recipes for more than two decades. All the items here are solid and time-tested, but it might just be the empanadas made in-house that will bring customers back for return visits. The rich and layered ropa vieja is worth an order, as well.

2811 NE Glisan St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 233-0511
(503) 233-0511
Pulled pork is swimming in gravy beside rice and salad.
Plato Cubano at Pambiche.
Ron Scott/Eater Portland

Kann

548 SE Ash St, Portland, OR 97214

Heavily accoladed and often booked up, the opulent Southeast Portland restaurant Kann pays homage to owner and celebrity chef Gregory Gourdet’s Haitian roots. Since its recent opening in the fall of 2022, Kann has meticulously executed Haitian dishes like akra, crispy taro root fritters, and twice-cooked griyo, Haiti’s national dish; they appear alongside renditions of other Haitian plates through Gourdet’s distinct culinary lens. A dinner reservation at Kann is tricky to snag, but those lucky enough to nab one are in for a dining experience like no other found in Portland.

548 SE Ash St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 702-0290
(503) 702-0290

Sousòl

227 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

When getting into Kann is too much of a challenge, pros know to try to pop into Sousòl, chef Gregory Gourdet’s sleek cocktail bar adjacent to the restaurant. Cocktails rely heavily on tropical fruit juices and cordials, as do the bar’s extensive nonalcoholic drink list. When it comes to food, Sousòl tends to explore the wider Caribbean culinary canon, offering Haitian staples like akra as well as Trinidadian doubles, Jamaican beef patties, and Cuban mojo pork. The bar accepts walk-ins only, making an impromptu visit far easier than a visit to Kann.

227 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 702-1142
(503) 702-1142

Love Belizean

1503 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

This Southwest Broadway spot is one of the only places to find Belizean food in Portland, with bottles of Marie Sharp’s hot sauce next to a menu of warm yellow curry, coconut rice, and red beans. The Belizean chicken is a favorite, fall-off-the-bone and perked up with vinegary onions and a fresh salad. When choosing from the wide range of hot sauces, the heat levels, written on a chalkboard, start from “mild” and go all the way up to “fiery hot.” Due to its popularity as a go-to weekday lunch destination, customers walking in during the later afternoon hours may be met with a “sold out” sign posted at the door; it’s best to pop by early or order ahead.

1503 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
(503) 421-5599
(503) 421-5599

Papi Sal's

1305 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Known for bridging Philly’s sandwich culture with Puerto Rican flavors, Papi Sals, originally a food cart, is now operating out of White Owl Social Club on Southeast Belmont. The famous “jawn”— 20-hour roasted pernil, broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, and sofrito mayo folded into a fresh baked sesame hoagie roll — remains a permanent fixture on the menu, along with other sandwich variations like the chicken tender or Italian cold cut jawn. The tostones nachos — crispy fried green plantains with pernil, pique cheese sauce, shredded lettuce, and salsa criolla — make for an unmatched late-night bar snack. Papi Sal’s rotating specials, like the pernil or guava and cheese-filled empanadas, are often a must-order.

1305 SE 8th Ave, Portland, OR 97214
(720) 708-9152
(720) 708-9152

Bake on the Run

1080 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214

Located within Lil’ America, a new food cart pod featuring BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ chefs in Southeast Portland, Bake on the Run is quite possibly the only spot in Portland specializing in Guyanese cuisine. Mother-and-son duo Bibi and Mike Singh showcase the flavors of Guyana, particularly Guyanese bakes, lightly fried puff bread pockets stuffed with popular fillings like Guyanese Chana Aloo curry (tender chickpeas and potatoes) and bacalhau (Portuguese salted cod). First-time visitors to the cart receive generous samples of both filling options to try out. For a sweet treat, the bake bombs — flash-fried pillowy balls of dough with chocolate-filled centers — make for an explosive bite. 

1080 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 877-8602
(503) 877-8602

Cubo

3106 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

Alongside Pambiche, Cubo has been one of the grand dame Cuban spots in Portland for more than a decade. The vibrant Hawthorne Boulevard cafe serves a menu of Cuban treats, including tropical fruit-filled cocktails and mini-empanadas filled with guava and cream cheese. The spicy mojo shrimp — which arrives with plantains, rice, and beans — is a particular standout.

3106 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 544-7801
(971) 544-7801
Shrimp is seen with a spicy red sauce atop rice and served with beans on the side in a bowl
Spicy Mojo Shrimp
Ron Scott/EPDX

Palomar

959 SE Division St #100, Portland, OR 97214

Portland is home to a number of Cuban restaurants, but Palomar is one of the city’s only Cuban bars. Owner Ricky Gomez shakes and blends daiquiris of all styles here, from the subtle and sophisticated to the fruity and frozen, as well as mojitos, Cuba libres, and other cocktails with Caribbean roots. Out of the kitchen, Palomar knocks out Cuban-inspired plates such as crispy-fried croquetas de jamon, tenderly juicy lechon con mojo, and vegan ropa vieja made with jackfruit. Ask about Palomar’s rotating flavors of house-made sorbet and tres leches cake to end the night on a sweet note.

959 SE Division St #100, Portland, OR 97214
(971) 357-8020
(971) 357-8020
A plate of food at Palomar in Southeast Portland.
Mojo-braised wings at Palomar.
Carla J. Peña/Eater Portland

Boriken Restaurant

12800 SW Canyon Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005

Since 2014, Boriken has served outstanding Puerto Rican fare in the heart of Beaverton. It might just be the only restaurant in town where someone can find mofongo: fried green plantains mashed with garlic, salt, and olive oil, combined with meat or seafood. Diners can pick through the extensive menu and enjoy classic Puerto Rican dishes such as pernil and meat-stuffed turnover pastries called empanadillas. When it comes to drinks, Puerto Rico was the birthplace of the piña colada, after all.

12800 SW Canyon Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 596-3571
(503) 596-3571

Havana Station

7238 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206

Situated within the Portland Mercado food cart pod, Havana Station serves classic Cuban plates like ropa vieja or picadillo with rice, beans, and sweet crispy maduros (plantains). Alternatively, Havana Station’s Cubano sandwich — slow-cooked pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard stacked between two layers of buttery bread — is substantial for those wanting a quick on-the-go bite. Whether opting for a plate or a Cubano sandwich, any menu item here is guaranteed to have a robust flavor.

7238 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206
(971) 600-0302
(971) 600-0302
A plate of ropa vieja at Havana Station.
Ropa vieja plate at Havana Station.
Olivia Lee/Eater Portland

Bistro Cubano

709 Main St Suite 101, Oregon City, OR 97045

Bistro Cubano frequently manages to lure Portlanders craving Cuban and Caribbean fare down to its location in the heart of Oregon City. This cozy, tucked-away corner restaurant features an array of cocktails to sip alongside panko-breaded mahi-mahi, basted with a turmeric-tinted coconut milk and roasted with potato, stewed tomato, and garlic. The lechon asado — slow-roasted pork marinated in a garlicky-citrus sauce — is a specialty available as an entree plate served over rice, beans, sweet plantains, and rice, or as a filling in one of the restaurant’s several Cubano variations.

709 Main St Suite 101, Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 387-5678
(503) 387-5678
fish is seen swimming in a coconut milk reduction with tomatoes
Mahimahi at Bistro Cubano.
Ron Scott/Eater Portland

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