Noteworthy Neighborhood Dining in NE Portland

Tin Shed Cafe
1438 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211
(503) 288-6966



Our culinary adventures in Portland went beyond Eggs Benedict at Mother’s Café. We did our best to sample cool street food (grinders at the Saturday Market), big city Thai, coffee and chocolate whenever we could.

For one evening’s dinner, we joined our son and his girlfriend at the Tin Shed Café in NE Portland. An easy train, then bus from downtown and a quick walk up Alberta brought us to a very comfortable and cool little eatery. The outdoor patio and general cool funkiness reminded both of us of Hyde Park in Boise’s North End.

The menu was vegan friendly; the bar poured liquor (one of the largest after dinner brandies I’ve witnessed) as well as wine by the glass and had an exciting selection of beers on tap. We enjoyed a delicious late dinner that featured curries, veggie burgers, a fun quesadilla with strawberry jam as the counter point to the jalapenos, and really yummy rice pudding. It was ‘70’s FM night on the house music, and I kept hoping that the sign that proclaimed, “spontaneous music happens” would prove to be true.

The service was solid and friendly, and the atmosphere very cozy. The Tin Shed really has a friendly neighborhood feel to it while reflecting a more worldly view with their menu. Breakfasts are rumored to be pretty awesome, we didn’t get the chance, but the dinner was a delight.

Fabulous Eggs Benedict while in Portland

Mother’s Café & Velvet Lounge at Stark and 2nd in Downtown Portland.

I have always loved the Northern Exposure episode where Chef Adam waxes poetic (or obsessive) about the perfect harmony of the egg yolk mingling with the Hollandaise sauce creating a sensation that even angels go ga-ga for.

Face it, Eggs Benedict is a delicious culinary adventure. One of my all-time favorites. On our recent trip to Portland Oregon, we enjoyed very nearly perfect Eggs Benedict in a very cool downtown eatery. The place is known as Mother’s Café, and is located on Stark and 2nd. We were tipped off by a helpful clerk at the Rack while buying (yes, you’re correct) an umbrella to protect us from a wet Portland day’s weather.

There was quite a wait, all crowding the entry on that wet Sunday morning. We called from the store and asked to be put on the list, which cut our time jostling in the entry down considerably.

An old building with lots of mirrors everywhere, reflecting a very dedicated and pro staff that moved constantly. Service was savvy, prompt and quite pleasant. Mother’s featured a special brunch cocktail, a wonderful menu of sweet gooey things, some healthy things, and some traditional and not so traditional things. We had Benedict on the brain, though the berry cakes and malted waffles with piles of fruit that cruised by our eager appetites while waiting up front all showed great promise.

If you are in Portland, we strongly recommend a trip to Mother’s. It was a highpoint and fun to be in a restaurant that has the ‘feel’ as well as fabulous food!