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Head far west for tacos, dosas, burgers, and more
When Portlanders ask where all the good Mexican and Indian food is, they’re often directed towards Hillsboro, the city’s western suburb. There’s some truth in that, considering Hillsboro’s population is roughly one-quarter Latinx, and the city is home to a dense concentration of Indian markets and restaurants. However, Hillsboro is also home to exceptional Lebanese, Japanese, Central American, and Vietnamese restaurants, along with old school diners, delis, and taverns. And of course, the city is abundant with cross-cultural creativity, ranging from Mexican sushi to Indian pizza.
Like much of the westside, Hillsboro has become a place where established Portland carts and restaurants have multiplied. Mirisata, Top Burmese, and 808 Grinds have already set up shop, while The Sudra, Sizzle Pie, and more are on the way. That said, this map focuses on businesses exclusive to Hillsboro. For more westside representation, check out our Beaverton map.
Note: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.
With its ceiling covered in baseball caps, farmland feel, and a legendary burger, Helvetia Tavern is a popular pit stop off of Cornelius Pass. The jumbo burger is true to its name, which means circumference rather than height; diners who prefer more meat per bite can order a regular burger as a double. Burgers come with a bag of Tim’s potato chips, though the real move is to get a half-and-half order of fries and onion rings to share (or hoard).
A post shared by Helvetia Tavern (@helvetia_tavern)
A butcher shop with a cafe attached, this casual lunch spot with a touch of country flair serves a solid roster of sandwiches and burgers, including a stellar Reuben with house-smoked pastrami on marbled rye. The shop’s elk burger is another strong choice, arriving topped with provolone and chipotle aioli to stand up to the flavor of the meat. Daily specials feature a Friday cheesesteak slathered in jalapeno cheese sauce and Thursday’s Westside Dunk, a take on a French dip made with turkey.
A post shared by Yelp Portland (@yelpportland)
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Local beers are easy to find in Hillsboro, and ABV might be the city’s most popular brewpub. Here, the food is given equal importance to the regional beers on tap, including Hillsboro-based options like Victory’s raspberry wheat and Helvetia Cider’s Oregon blueberry. Bar food includes a pulled pork pizza with roasted garlic and sesame seeds, as well as a poutine topped with flank steak strips, onions, peppers, and cheese curds, finished crema and tomatillo salsa. ABV is open for delivery and dine-in.
A post shared by ABV Public House (@abvpub)
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This elegant strip mall restaurant is the destination for Southern Indian food, which means many of Chennai Masala’s tables are covered by massive paper-thins dosas, served with coconut chutney and sambar, fried vadas, and steamed idlys. Pre-pandemic, the lunch buffet full of steam table curries and pans of tandoori chicken might’ve been Chennai Masala’s biggest draw, but the popular all-you-can-eat deal has yet to return.
A post shared by Sam Bakall (@sambakall)
Also featured in:
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Vivi’s is Hillsboro’s solid Vietnamese choice, with classics like beef pho and crispy spring rolls covered. Unusually, tripe and tendon is nowhere to be found, though here the dac biet features chicken breast, beef, chicken, and shrimp balls, in addition to the usual flank steak. Juicy and char-streaked grilled meats come with rice and nuoc cham, unless they’re rolled in rice paper with herbs and cucumbers. However you order, it’s hard to go wrong.
A post shared by From:Her (@from.her3)
This new-ish Indian spot near the Hillsboro airport serves bright versions of the widely available standards in U.S. Indian restaurants — butter chicken, tikka masala, garlic naan — but some of the most fun on the menu lives in the chaat section: potato-stuffed panipuri; pav bhaji, a thick vegetable curry served with fluffy pav bread; and vada pav, sort of like a potato sandwich. Swad also offers a nice selection of Indo-Chinese dishes, including hakka noodles and crispy chicken 65.
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Lebanese and Persian fare share space at this casual Orenco Station restaurant. Considering both cuisines have kabobs and basmati rice in common, this pairing isn’t all that incongruous. It also means diners can mix and match; there’s no reason why pita, hummus, and tabouli can’t be interspersed with fesenjoon, stewed chicken with pomegranate molasses and walnut and ghormeh sabzi, a thick kidney bean stew, green with mixed herbs, with mast-o-khiar instead of tzatziki on the side. Sidewalk seating is also available.
A post shared by Tammy Guerrero (@tammyteaches1966)
Curry & Crust could just rely on the novelty of its most famous dish: pizzas topped with Indian dishes like pav bhaji or tandoori chicken. However, the restaurant’s straight-up Indian menu has its own roster of devotees, thanks to its gently spiced butter chicken and chef’s choice thali. If Curry & Crust has some of its mithai — or sweets — on the menu, they’re worth an order.
A post shared by Joy: a PDXcessive masticator. (@joyeatsworld)
With its substantial sake selection and ever-changing list of white board specials, Syun Izakaya is a big draw for Japanese food aficionados. Just off Main Street, this sprawling restaurant — filled with paper lanterns, plants, and fishing nets — feels more Hokkaido than Hillsboro. Nigiri and specialty rolls (sometimes featuring local seafood) are a big attraction at the carved wood sushi bar, though the comprehensive menu features fried dishes, noodles (both stir-fried and in soups), and izakaya staples like chicken yakitori, grilled mackerel, and okonomiyaki. Syun is open for indoor and covered outdoor seating.
A post shared by David Imani (@imani_gram8689)
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This sweet bakery in a renovated Hillsboro home is the place to be for pastel-hued macarons, doughnuts coated in inventive rotating glazes, and tall layer cakes by the slice or custom-ordered. Those seeking something savory can also order breakfast and lunch sandwiches, including ones on flaky house biscuits. It’s open for online ordering, as well.
A post shared by Decadent Creations (@decadentcreationspdx)
A local favorite, downtown Hillsboro’s Amelia’s, a.k.a. Amelia’s Exquisite Mexican Food, has been serving traditional fare from all regions of Mexico since 2007. The family-run restaurant with cheery brick red and saffron walls offers a legendary loco burrito, a two-pound behemoth bursting at the seams and drenched in mild green tomatillo salsa. The menu has been pared down since the pandemic started, but visitors will still find tostadas topped with stewed tinga, vegetarian huaraches, and ever-popular quesabirria, as well as more substantial dishes like Yucatecan cochinita pibl, mole poblano, and multiple Mexican dishes featuring flat-iron steak.
A post shared by Portland Food + Travel Guide (@foodbellypdx)
Ochoa’s is a popular counter service restaurant housed in a burnt orange building with a welcoming hand-painted sign on the facade. Taqueria is in the name, and there’s certainly a lot of fillings to choose from, though before deciding what to order, make sure to give the huge wall menu with individually framed photos of dishes a skim. That’s where diners will find entrees like fried fish, pork chops, and roast chicken served with beans and rice, as well as seafood cocktails and caldos.
A post shared by @visualcontraband_food
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It’s not scientifically proven, but taquerias embedded in supermarkets are often sure bets. At least that theory holds for Supermercados Mexico, where the tacos teeming with juicy al pastor and wonderful lengua beat any typical taco truck. And tacos are just a small portion of the menu, which covers most of the Mexican all-stars. As an added bonus, the taqueria’s well-stocked salsa bar provides a standout green avocado sauce, ideal for smothering burritos. For immediate gratification, Supermercados Mexico has a handful of decoratively tiled tables near the counter for dining in.
A post shared by Bytes & Flights (@bytesandflights)
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While Mexican cuisine reigns in Hillsboro, food from nearby Latin American countries also thrives in the suburb. One of the few full-on Guatemalan restaurants in the Portland area, Los Chapines is the go-to source for hearty soups and stews like jocon, with a green tomatillo-based broth; hilachas, shredded beef braised with tomatoes; and sopa de res, a weekend-only beef soup. This strip mall business also functions as a bakery and small grocery store.
A post shared by Javier Alvarez (@java2104)
With plenty of stained glass, burgundy booths, and a wood-paneled lounge in back, Hale’s is a delightful ‘70s throwback (with prices that nearly match). Regulars stop by for Monday meatloaf specials, hot turkey sandwiches, and classic diner breakfast spreads, which could call for a mug of drip coffee or a bloody mary, depending on the mood. Hale’s is open for dine-in.
A post shared by Hale’s Restaurant (@halesrestaurant)
Antojitos are typically refers to snacks in Mexico, but Hillsboro’s Antojitos House hopscotches around Central America, with a selection of Salvadoran pupusas, Honduran baleadas, and Venezuelan arepas and patacones. The latter is particularly special at Antojitos House: two flattened, fried green plantains stand in for bread, sandwiched around choice of meat with shredded cabbage and dressing.
A post shared by The Antojitos House (@theantojitoshouse)
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With its ceiling covered in baseball caps, farmland feel, and a legendary burger, Helvetia Tavern is a popular pit stop off of Cornelius Pass. The jumbo burger is true to its name, which means circumference rather than height; diners who prefer more meat per bite can order a regular burger as a double. Burgers come with a bag of Tim’s potato chips, though the real move is to get a half-and-half order of fries and onion rings to share (or hoard).
A post shared by Helvetia Tavern (@helvetia_tavern)
A butcher shop with a cafe attached, this casual lunch spot with a touch of country flair serves a solid roster of sandwiches and burgers, including a stellar Reuben with house-smoked pastrami on marbled rye. The shop’s elk burger is another strong choice, arriving topped with provolone and chipotle aioli to stand up to the flavor of the meat. Daily specials feature a Friday cheesesteak slathered in jalapeno cheese sauce and Thursday’s Westside Dunk, a take on a French dip made with turkey.
A post shared by Yelp Portland (@yelpportland)
Local beers are easy to find in Hillsboro, and ABV might be the city’s most popular brewpub. Here, the food is given equal importance to the regional beers on tap, including Hillsboro-based options like Victory’s raspberry wheat and Helvetia Cider’s Oregon blueberry. Bar food includes a pulled pork pizza with roasted garlic and sesame seeds, as well as a poutine topped with flank steak strips, onions, peppers, and cheese curds, finished crema and tomatillo salsa. ABV is open for delivery and dine-in.
A post shared by ABV Public House (@abvpub)
This elegant strip mall restaurant is the destination for Southern Indian food, which means many of Chennai Masala’s tables are covered by massive paper-thins dosas, served with coconut chutney and sambar, fried vadas, and steamed idlys. Pre-pandemic, the lunch buffet full of steam table curries and pans of tandoori chicken might’ve been Chennai Masala’s biggest draw, but the popular all-you-can-eat deal has yet to return.
A post shared by Sam Bakall (@sambakall)
Vivi’s is Hillsboro’s solid Vietnamese choice, with classics like beef pho and crispy spring rolls covered. Unusually, tripe and tendon is nowhere to be found, though here the dac biet features chicken breast, beef, chicken, and shrimp balls, in addition to the usual flank steak. Juicy and char-streaked grilled meats come with rice and nuoc cham, unless they’re rolled in rice paper with herbs and cucumbers. However you order, it’s hard to go wrong.
A post shared by From:Her (@from.her3)
This new-ish Indian spot near the Hillsboro airport serves bright versions of the widely available standards in U.S. Indian restaurants — butter chicken, tikka masala, garlic naan — but some of the most fun on the menu lives in the chaat section: potato-stuffed panipuri; pav bhaji, a thick vegetable curry served with fluffy pav bread; and vada pav, sort of like a potato sandwich. Swad also offers a nice selection of Indo-Chinese dishes, including hakka noodles and crispy chicken 65.
Lebanese and Persian fare share space at this casual Orenco Station restaurant. Considering both cuisines have kabobs and basmati rice in common, this pairing isn’t all that incongruous. It also means diners can mix and match; there’s no reason why pita, hummus, and tabouli can’t be interspersed with fesenjoon, stewed chicken with pomegranate molasses and walnut and ghormeh sabzi, a thick kidney bean stew, green with mixed herbs, with mast-o-khiar instead of tzatziki on the side. Sidewalk seating is also available.
A post shared by Tammy Guerrero (@tammyteaches1966)
Curry & Crust could just rely on the novelty of its most famous dish: pizzas topped with Indian dishes like pav bhaji or tandoori chicken. However, the restaurant’s straight-up Indian menu has its own roster of devotees, thanks to its gently spiced butter chicken and chef’s choice thali. If Curry & Crust has some of its mithai — or sweets — on the menu, they’re worth an order.
A post shared by Joy: a PDXcessive masticator. (@joyeatsworld)
With its substantial sake selection and ever-changing list of white board specials, Syun Izakaya is a big draw for Japanese food aficionados. Just off Main Street, this sprawling restaurant — filled with paper lanterns, plants, and fishing nets — feels more Hokkaido than Hillsboro. Nigiri and specialty rolls (sometimes featuring local seafood) are a big attraction at the carved wood sushi bar, though the comprehensive menu features fried dishes, noodles (both stir-fried and in soups), and izakaya staples like chicken yakitori, grilled mackerel, and okonomiyaki. Syun is open for indoor and covered outdoor seating.
A post shared by David Imani (@imani_gram8689)
This sweet bakery in a renovated Hillsboro home is the place to be for pastel-hued macarons, doughnuts coated in inventive rotating glazes, and tall layer cakes by the slice or custom-ordered. Those seeking something savory can also order breakfast and lunch sandwiches, including ones on flaky house biscuits. It’s open for online ordering, as well.
A post shared by Decadent Creations (@decadentcreationspdx)
A local favorite, downtown Hillsboro’s Amelia’s, a.k.a. Amelia’s Exquisite Mexican Food, has been serving traditional fare from all regions of Mexico since 2007. The family-run restaurant with cheery brick red and saffron walls offers a legendary loco burrito, a two-pound behemoth bursting at the seams and drenched in mild green tomatillo salsa. The menu has been pared down since the pandemic started, but visitors will still find tostadas topped with stewed tinga, vegetarian huaraches, and ever-popular quesabirria, as well as more substantial dishes like Yucatecan cochinita pibl, mole poblano, and multiple Mexican dishes featuring flat-iron steak.
A post shared by Portland Food + Travel Guide (@foodbellypdx)
Ochoa’s is a popular counter service restaurant housed in a burnt orange building with a welcoming hand-painted sign on the facade. Taqueria is in the name, and there’s certainly a lot of fillings to choose from, though before deciding what to order, make sure to give the huge wall menu with individually framed photos of dishes a skim. That’s where diners will find entrees like fried fish, pork chops, and roast chicken served with beans and rice, as well as seafood cocktails and caldos.
A post shared by @visualcontraband_food
It’s not scientifically proven, but taquerias embedded in supermarkets are often sure bets. At least that theory holds for Supermercados Mexico, where the tacos teeming with juicy al pastor and wonderful lengua beat any typical taco truck. And tacos are just a small portion of the menu, which covers most of the Mexican all-stars. As an added bonus, the taqueria’s well-stocked salsa bar provides a standout green avocado sauce, ideal for smothering burritos. For immediate gratification, Supermercados Mexico has a handful of decoratively tiled tables near the counter for dining in.
A post shared by Bytes & Flights (@bytesandflights)
While Mexican cuisine reigns in Hillsboro, food from nearby Latin American countries also thrives in the suburb. One of the few full-on Guatemalan restaurants in the Portland area, Los Chapines is the go-to source for hearty soups and stews like jocon, with a green tomatillo-based broth; hilachas, shredded beef braised with tomatoes; and sopa de res, a weekend-only beef soup. This strip mall business also functions as a bakery and small grocery store.
A post shared by Javier Alvarez (@java2104)
With plenty of stained glass, burgundy booths, and a wood-paneled lounge in back, Hale’s is a delightful ‘70s throwback (with prices that nearly match). Regulars stop by for Monday meatloaf specials, hot turkey sandwiches, and classic diner breakfast spreads, which could call for a mug of drip coffee or a bloody mary, depending on the mood. Hale’s is open for dine-in.
A post shared by Hale’s Restaurant (@halesrestaurant)
Antojitos are typically refers to snacks in Mexico, but Hillsboro’s Antojitos House hopscotches around Central America, with a selection of Salvadoran pupusas, Honduran baleadas, and Venezuelan arepas and patacones. The latter is particularly special at Antojitos House: two flattened, fried green plantains stand in for bread, sandwiched around choice of meat with shredded cabbage and dressing.
A post shared by The Antojitos House (@theantojitoshouse)
