A Guide to the Ultimate Staycation in Portland’s Old Town-Chinatown

When thinking of a locale to staycation in the city, Old Town-Chinatown may not be top of mind for Portlanders. But many BIPOC-owned businesses have opened in the last decade, working to revitalize one of the most historic districts in Portland. Once the site of a bustling Chinatown and Japantown, the neighborhood is now home to a divergent mix of cultural institutions, queer venues, destination sneakerhead shops, and social service organizations. Below, find Eater Portland’s ideal itinerary for the ultimate weekend in Old Town-Chinatown.

Unwind with a rooftop hang

For a comfortable stay, check into the chic Hoxton or the more casual Society Hotel. Start your weekend by relaxing on the Hoxton’s rooftop. There, spicy margaritas and bites are available, including pollo pibil tacos, churros, and lip-puckering rockfish ceviche served with sweeping views at Tope. If you’d rather stretch your legs a bit, walk south to Departure Restaurant + Lounge for a view of the river and bridges. There’s a weekday happy hour that runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., which gives diners a chance to sample items like the cheeseburger bao or karaage at prices that will keep your wallet happy.

For dinner, try Pacific Northwest cuisine at Lilia Comedor

Lilia Comedor became a hit when it debuted on the South Waterfront in 2022, but in 2025 the restaurant made the jump to the North Park Blocks, taking over the former De Noche space on NW 8th Avenue. Chef Juan Gomez serves a hyper-seasonal menu that the team proudly calls “Pacific Northwest cuisine through the lens of a Mexican-American chef,” per the restaurant’s website. Given the dedication to fresh produce, the menu changes constantly, but diners can expect expertly plated masterpieces, such as a recent hamachi with squash blossoms and preserved Bulgarian aguachile. Choose between a chef’s counter experience, which ranges between $90 to $110 per person, or the a la carte menu, but it’s highly suggested to make a reservation on OpenTable ahead of time.

Venture across Burnside for brunch at Xin Ding Dumpling House, where chef Leon Liu handmakes the plump, gleaming dumplings that anchor the menu, which also features larger plates to share, soups, dry pot dishes, and noodles. Here, steamer baskets arrive with piping hot xiao long bao, dumplings packed with tender lamb, pork and leek potstickers, and dim sum classics like crystal shrimp dumplings. For a sweet finish, fluffy bao come filled with molten black sesame or salted egg custard.

Stroll around Lan Su Chinese Garden, a serene inner city oasis that was built in collaboration with Suzhou, China, one of Portland’s sister cities. At the garden’s recently revamped Yun Shui teahouse, visitors sit down to gaiwan tea service amid peaceful surroundings. Yun Shui’s tea ambassador can provide guidance on the menu, which includes over 20 Chinese and Taiwanese teas. The teahouse also serves wonton soup, congee, and Chinese pastries for visitors who are feeling peckish.

Asian comfort food and cocktails at Buranko

After a visit to the garden, grab a table at the laidback Asian fusion cafe Buranko for dinner. Cheers to the weekend with a Kyoto Fog (Bailey’s, vodka, matcha, soy milk, marshmallow) or a non-alcoholic honey-limeade fizz before tucking into dishes like okonomiyaki fries and linguine pad kee mao. The restaurant is also exceedingly family-friendly, with play areas for families who are staycationing with young ones.

For staycationers that still have some steam in them, a little fun is in order. Check ahead to see who’s playing at the Roseland Theater, Star Theater, or Dante’s. If a concert or show doesn’t feel like the move, head to the haunted mansion-themed bar Raven’s Manor for cocktails or take the party to the recently opened Badlands, a gay bar that hosts rollicking dance nights and drag performances.

Make a caffeine run to one of the neighborhood’s Black-owned coffee shops

Portland’s coffee scene and sneakerhead culture collide at Deadstock Coffee, where owner Ian Williams serves espresso drinks and the cafe’s signature Lebronald Palmer, a mix of cold brew, sweet tea, and lemonade. If you feel like venturing a bit out of the neighborhood, check out Less and More Coffee, a favorite shop of Williams. There you can order drip coffees or espresso, or branch out to some of the more unique offerings like the ssuk latte featuring mugwort sourced from Korea.

Drag brunches have proliferated in Portland in recent years, but old school drag prevails at Darcelle XV Showplace. The venue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of two drag clubs in the United States opened before 1970. Prior to his death, founder Walter Cole, also known as Darcelle, held the Guinness World Record for world’s oldest performing drag queen. Today, Darcelle’s protégé Poison Waters leads the troupe of Darcelle’s drag queens, who take the stage while guests tuck into brunch. Reservations for Sunday Funday brunch are recommended; cover includes a plated brunch and doors open at 11:30 a.m., an hour ahead of showtime.

…Followed by some light shopping

A visit to Barnes and Morgan, a hybrid tea shop and fashion house, is essential for fashion-minded folks. Enjoy a pot of one of the shop’s blends while browsing clothing from designer Amir Morgan. Next door, Goodies Snack Shop stocks things like Tochi snacks and Ice Queen paletas along with goods to take home, like Korean cosmetics, Vietnamese phins from Nguyen Coffee Supply, and condiments like the locally made Sao Noi chile oil.

Learn about the neighborhood’s history

Old Town-Chinatown’s rich history is stewarded at the Portland Chinatown Museum, where a permanent multimedia exhibition displays artifacts, oral histories, and video. Nearby, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon recounts the history of nihonmachi, or Japantown, and the resilience of Portland’s Japanese American community through World War II incarceration.

The cap to a great weekend: South American cuisine at Lechon

Make a reservation ahead of time for Lechon, a wood-fired South American restaurant down by the waterfront. In the warmly lit dining room anchored by eye-catching aquariums filled with undulating jellyfish, couples and groups sit down for dishes inspired by the Patagonia region and Peru, including pastel de choclo and lomo saltado.