Napkin art at Bertie Lou’s Cafe

Please put this on the wall 🖊️

Various pieces of art on napkins, drawn with a ballpoint pen

There’s plenty of inspiration for your own sketches.

Photo by PDXtoday

Bertie Lou’s Cafe has been serving the hungry, occasionally hungover, and often humorous residents of Sellwood and the surrounding neighborhoods since 1943.

For years, customers have joined the tradition of turning the blank canvas of their napkins into creative works of ballpoint pen art. A hallowed selection of these magnum ope-uses are reverentially framed and hung up for all to see.

One word of advice — it’s a good idea to leave at least one napkin unmarked, especially if you ordered the The Hog Wild Omelet.

More from PDXtoday