Part of outdoor goods store Snow Peak on Northwest 23rd Avenue, Takibi — the Japanese word for bonfire — specializes in foods cooked over an open hearth. Diners can watch the action in the kitchen, depending on where they’re seated in the sleek, minimalist dining room. On any given visit, the seasonal small plates menu may include grilled shishito peppers, falafel-like fritters made of chickpea and shiitake, char siu-like chicken of woods mushroom, or blueberry mitsumame with yuzu agar and blueberry syrup. The kitsune soba’s light dashi balances the bolder, smokier flavors that come out of the fire. On weekends, catch the vegan teishoku set with fried green tomatoes, Japanese curry, and green bean shiraae. The bar program includes thoughtfully concocted cocktails, like the Fir Coat made with Japanese gin and Douglas Fir brandy, as well as sake and nonalcoholic mixed drinks. 

Outfitted with leafy plants and paper umbrellas, Northwest 21st Avenue’s Top Burmese is an exploration into the Indian culinary influences of Myanmar. Vegan offerings include crispy triangle-shaped samosas served with sweet-and-spicy chili sauce, lightly funky fermented tea leaf salads, and turmeric-laden chickpea tofu curry with aromatic coconut rice. If you’re not able to get a table at Top Burmese, Kalvin and Poe Myint also operate Burma Joy, focusing more on Chinese dishes of Myanmar like kyay oh rice noodles, located a 10-minute walk away. Those who live in Beaverton can visit sister restaurant Bistro Royale. The vibrant cuisine and beautifully decorated dining rooms are memorable, but another highlight of visiting a Top Burmese restaurant is its fleet of robot servers ready to whisk bowls of khao soi to tables.

A tribute to Gregory Gourdet’s Haitian heritage, Kann is one of the most highly anticipated restaurant openings that Portland has seen in some time. The dining room is gorgeous, with its white oak furniture and high ceilings, but the best seat in the house is at the counter, with a view of the kitchen and roaring fire. Those who are lucky enough to snag a reservation can request the vegan menu — everything is gluten-free, by default — featuring family-style dishes like plantain brioche buns with whipped epis butter, fried green plantains with sliced avocado and spicy pikliz, blackened cabbage with African pepper sauce, peanut creamed collard greens, and a habanero-spiced chocolate peanut butter tart. For a quieter post-dinner nightcap, drop by moody subterranean bar Sousòl for cocktails and zero-proof beverages, paired with bar snacks like Trinidadian doubles — a curried chickpea flatbread with tamarind chutney.

Although tapas revolve largely around meat and seafood, vegans and vegetarians will be pleasantly surprised by this eastside tapas bar. One side of the sprawling dining room is lined with the turquoise-tiled bar, the other with large arched windows. However, once seated, the tables feel intimate, suitable for small groups and date nights. The menu includes a number of vegetable plates, many of which are vegan: hearty tomato-topped toast, fried cauliflower with piri-piri salsa, and pearl couscous Brussels sprouts salad. To accompany the tapas, one of Bar Casa Vale’s three centerpiece paellas comes with seasonal vegetables, radish slices, and microgreens. A highlight of the extensive bar menu is the selection of Iberian-style gin and tonics, served with rosemary, cucumber, and citrus twists.

Many of Portland’s pasta shops can whip up a vegan dish or two, but Lilla is the only one that’s entirely vegan with a number of gluten-free options, as well. At this cute cafe with tiled walls, butcher block tables, and bright blue eiffel chairs, start with small plates of potato croquettes with rosemary-garlic aioli, eggplant parmesan, and mushroom-topped polenta cakes. Large enough for sharing, entrees like handmade tagliolini with basil-hazelnut pesto and roasted squash risotto with pine nuts make Lilla a popular spot for vegan pasta and wine date nights. Although pasta is the restaurant’s specialty, it also serves margherita, pepperoni, and mushroom personal pizzas topped with sunflower mozzarella and almond parmesan.

Located in the Irvington neighborhood, this stylish vegan bistro with high ceilings and windows lined with plants is best known for its organic juices and healthy vegetable-centric fare. One of Blossoming Lotus’s longtime staples, the raw vegan nachos with spicy and nutty dehydrated chips topped with pecan chorizo crumbles, is a great choice for sharing. Entrees include a lentil-walnut burger on ciabatta bun and lemon-pepper-cashew cream pasta, while specials and multi-course menus feature dishes like oyster mushroom-tofu “crab cakes” with tomato caviar and lasagna with cashew bechamel sauce. The bar serves vegan wines and cocktails made with ingredients like mango-chili agua fresca and beet-infused vodka. 

This inviting, family-run vegetarian Indian restaurant with mandala wallpaper, ceramic tiles, and warm glowing lights is a Hawthorne neighborhood gem. Best enjoyed family-style, Maruti offers plenty of vegan dishes, such as samosa chole, onion-potato pakoras, daal tadka, chana masala, and vegetable biryani. Chef Rudra Parmar also serves vegan versions of Indian dishes that traditionally rely on dairy products (yogurt, paneer, ghee), including coconut cream-based tikka masala and buttery garlic naan — plus hard-to-find gluten-free naan too. Find vegan mango lassi, a coconut rose water mocktail, and classic cocktails like Manhattans and Old Fashioneds with an Indian twist, on the drink menu.

Portland’s only all-vegan dim sum house is now a pop-up at Aimsir Distilling’s Emerald Room every Sunday. Diners can catch a glimpse into the distillery floor while enjoying small plates of char siu bao, chile oil wontons, beancurd skin rolls, and bunny-shaped bawan dumplings. While amethyst-colored botanical cocktails are quite a departure from traditional dim sum tea service, the swanky Art Deco-influenced tasting room with bar and lounge seating makes for an excellent date night spot. Those looking to dine out on Mondays can check out Cyrus Ichiza’s new Italian-style concept Spina Rosa, featuring tapioca shrimp scampi, spaghetti and meatballs, and caprese salad with vegan mozzarella rosettes — also at the Emerald Room.

In a cool, breezy space on Southeast Division, groups of friends and couples on dates share stuffed Beyond meat or mushroom empanadas balanced by the spicy pop of pikliz, as well as inventive vegan snacks like coconut meat ceviche or fried banana flower tacos. Cocktails here come from countries throughout Latin America, from Brazilian caipirinhas to Peruvian pisco sours, though a lovely selection of nonalcoholic cocktails uses things like leche de tigre and pineapple juice for a very compelling alternative. With a warm, vibrant environment and plenty of dishes to share, Mestizo is a natural choice for celebration dinners.

A meal at this tavern-like restaurant on East Burnside feels like a quick visit to Jakarta, thanks to the enticing smell of spices, elaborate batik tablecloths, and murals depicting Indonesian landmarks. Wajan is a great introduction to traditional Indonesian cuisine, from snacks like gorengan deep-fried fritters to larger plates like nasi uduk with stir-fried tempeh, tapioca crackers, and pickled vegetables in turmeric peanut sauce. To make the latter vegan, ask for curried jackfruit in place of the egg. For extra heat, order one of Wajan’s house-made sambals. Diners will also find homestyle dishes that owner Feny grew up eating, like tahu goreng nanas — a fried tofu, pineapple, and greens dish from her parent’s hometown of Medan in North Sumatra. Cendol, a popular street food made of green jelly, sweetened coconut milk, and crushed ice, makes a great dessert for sharing.

This creative new vegan concept from food blogger-turned-chef Hannah Che draws its inspiration from traditional Chinese medicine. Using Chinese philosophies — like herbal medicine, the five flavor profiles, and yin and yang — and cooking techniques from her cookbook The Vegan Chinese Kitchen, the chef serves elegant plates like five-spiced yuca-taro cakes topped with Sichuan dry pot brassicas and crystal dumplings stuffed with beets and shiitake mushrooms at monthly pop-ups. Surong also celebrates centuries old traditional Buddhist dishes, like Chinese vegetarian “goose” made of beancurd skin and julienned vegetables. For pop-up details and reservations, follow along on Instagram.