Quick, casual, and easy, Cafe Yumm is a hyper-local chain serving burrito-adjacent rice bowls, which arrive with a swirl of the tangy-salty, hard-to-pin-down Yumm Sauce. The sauce makes the dish, as well as the optional jalapeno-sesame salsa; Cafe Yumm is good option for those looking for something fast, vegetarian-friendly, and unique to Oregon.

The spot with the closest proximity to the convention center, Spirit of ‘77 is one of Portland’s most popular sports bars for both its food and games. Visitors play foosball and skee-ball while they wait for platters of mortadella and coppa or fried chicken sandwiches served with a swipe of pimento cheese; on certain nights, it’s the spot to watch games around its projector screen or tvs.

Parked next to Oregon cider house Cider Riot, No Q’ No remains an under-the-radar spot with head-turning tacos, including a juicy chicken tinga and meaty carne asada. The thirsty can also grab a cider next door to eat and drink outside.

Gabriel Rucker’s Canard is an obvious choice for any time of day, be it for breakfasts of duck fat pancakes and simple goat cheese omelets or late-night glasses of wine and foie gras dumplings. The airy bar space, with plenty of natural light, is even a fun stop for a cone of soft-serve on hot days. Big spenders can upgrade and hit Le Pigeon — Rucker’s legendary special occasion spot — next door.

Located within the Jupiter Next hotel, Hey Love quickly became a stunner for its breathtaking, plant-filled bar space, where beautiful people drink fun frozen drinks garnished with pineapple. The cafe in the main hotel lobby isn’t a bad spot for a morning coffee, either.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai remains a bucket-list Portland restaurant, known as the home of Portland’s nationally celebrated Thai chicken and rice. Though the original cart is gone, the casual Ankeny restaurant still delivers the goods, as well as underrated alternatives like chicken with peanut sauce. Tourists should buy a bottle of the restaurant’s famous ginger sauce to take home.

Directly next to Nong’s Khao Man Gai, Marukin has a cult following of ramen devotees, who flock to the restaurant for its velvety tonkotsu shoyu, spicy tonkotsu red and vegan soymilk-based shio. The red is not too spicy and decadently silken, even better with the addition of bamboo shoots.

Elvis Room’s cheery and bright upstairs and sultry downstairs make it one of the coolest spots to drink on SE Grand, with hidden fountains, cherubs, and nooks to inhale fried pickles and knock back champagne drinks. The bar’s happy hour is hot, as well, with $2 Rainiers and $5 cocktails.

It’s not the buzziest spot, but Nicholas Restaurant has remained a stalwart for warm, massive sheets of flatbread, 24-hour-marinated kebab, and “pizzas” topped with seasoned lamb or labne since the ‘80s. It’s a smart choice for lunch, when saffron-seasoned rice bowls topped with shawarma and garbanzo bean salads are under $10.

Olympia Provisions is one of Portland’s great culinary wonders, an icon for cured meats and charcuterie. Still, its classy Southeast Portland restaurant is a stunner not just for its meat plate, but also for dishes like octopus a la plancha with chorizo and salsa verde. Its weekend brunch, serving everything from house-made biscuits and sausage gravy to sweetheart ham Benedict.