Portland Picnic Planner
Updated: May 11, 2009
Take note: $5 footlongs are not picnic-worthy fare. And while a picnic on your front lawn beats eating inside on a hot day, our city's wealth of parks means you shouldn't waste time eating on the back patio when picnic season hits. Here's where to spread your blanket and fill your picnic basket when the sun comes out.
On this page:Provisions, Picnic Spots.
Provisions
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Elephants Delicatessen
Read Reviews115 NW 22nd Ave, Portland, OR 97210 (map)
Bring a big basket if you're shopping at this neighborhood delicatessen and bakery for picnic provisions. Well-heeled gourmands stock up on artisan breads, palate-pleasing deli salads and made-to-order sandwiches--all available to go should you wish to enjoy these sumptuous treats in the great outdoors.
Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods
Read Reviews2518 NE 15th Ave, Portland, OR 97212 (map)
You could craft an entire picnic from the artisan meats and cheeses displayed at this neighborhood mercantile's cheese counter. Or, pre-order one of its picnic backpacks (containing an assortment of cheese, salami, olives, dried fruit and nuts, cheese-friendly spreads and crackers) and your picnic spread will be ready for you when you arrive.
Meat Cheese Bread
Read Reviews1406 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214 (map)
On your drive up to Mt. Tabor park, make a side trip to this Eastside artisan sandwich shop. The friendly staff will wrap up hot and cold sandwiches to go, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy a smoky chicken combo or BLB (bacon, beets, and lettuce) on sourdough on a bench in the park.
Portland Farmers' Market
Read Reviews1001 SE Water Ave Ste 455, Portland, OR 97214 (map)
Get to the market early Saturday morning to wander the vendor booths and create an impromptu South Park blocks picnic. Breakfast finds tend toward coffee, muffins and hearth-cooked bagels; for lunch, put together a meal with fresh-baked baguettes, artisan cheeses and a pint of jewel-toned raspberries.
Picnic Spots
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Jamison Square Park
Write a review810 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 (map)
Kids can play in this urban park's fountain and shallow tide pool while mom and dad enjoy a gourmet, grown-up meal on the lush lawn. For easy, grab-and-go picnic fare, pick up a gourmet pizza pie and fresh fruit sodas at Hot Lips Pizza across the way.
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Laurelhurst Park
Read ReviewsSE 39th Ave and SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214 (map)
With its tree-lined paths and open green spaces, there's an old-world elegance to this quintessential neighborhood park. If you've got kids in tow, picnic near the pond and let the resident ducks and turtles entertain them. For a romantic night, cuddle up together to share an artisan sandwich beneath a canopy of trees.
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Washington Park Rose Garden Amphitheatre
Read Reviews2368 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97201 (map)
It's a touristy pick for a picnic but the setting and the city views at this multi-tiered, landscaped park can't be beat. Unfurl your picnic blanket near the International Rose Test Garden and feast on lunch or supper as a floral breeze wafts by.
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