Food has the phenomenal power to transport you to a different place, but that doesn’t just apply to the dishes served at restaurants. Portland is home to international markets and grocery stores stocked with all kinds of ingredients to help you expand your culinary horizons. Here are a few to try.
Montelupo Italian Market | 344 NE 28th Ave.
Whether you’re browsing while waiting for a table at the restaurant or simply picking up a gift bundle to-go, it’s hard not to salivate a little at the fresh products. You’ll find house-made red tomato sauce, dry pastas like mafaldine and fusilli, and beer (Double Mountain Brewery) and wine (Coopers Hall) collabs. Good luck not taking home a panna cotta or tiramisu for dessert — it won’t work.
Mama Pauline’s African Market | 4606 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
This shop fills a niche with goods from the continent, inspiring the gastronomy of countries like Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and several Caribbean nations. On top of what you need for bobotie or kachumbari, it also sells clothing and skincare materials.
El Campesino PDX | 6611 SE Powell Blvd.
Shopping for pan dulces, salsas, carne asada and other Mexican meats? This mercado is the place to be; friendly staff will help you find anything you’re looking for.
Uwajimaya | 10500 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy., Beaverton
Part Japanese grocery, part ramen joint, part bookstore, this outpost of the Pacific Northwest chain has it all. You could spend an hour in the candy (or saké) aisle alone, but just make sure to stop by the deli for some poke.
Nam Phuong Market | 6834 NE Sandy Blvd.
Since 1997, this family business has purveyed Vietnamese and pan-Asian items like pho noodles and bao. Despite a recent remodel and downsize, the sauces and spices selection is as plentiful as ever.
