Portland Neighborhood Guide: John’s Landing

In some parts of the city, it can be easy to forget the Willamette River exists. Not so in the sliver of South Portland known as John’s Landing, lying just south of South Waterfront’s gleaming towers and scrubs-clad masses. Bounded to the west by I-5, to the east John’s Landing faces that big ol’ body of water. Its banks feel wilder down here: Cottonwood Bay Natural Area has a tucked-away stretch of rocky beach and native stands of the namesake tree, and nearby Heron Pointe Wetland is home not just to herons but also to eagles, sandpipers, and beavers (spot a knee-high bronze version of the elusive rodent along the Willamette River Greenway near Cottonwood Bay). Kayakers and paddleboarders frequent the ramp at sprawling Willamette Park, while Willamette Sailing Club’s classes turn nautical dreams to reality. For indoor thrills, clamber up walls at the Circuit bouldering gym.

Residentially, John’s Landing is low-key, its streets lined with a quaint mix of bungalows, newer townhomes, and the occasional ornate Victorian. The strip malls of S Macadam Avenue—salons, frame shop, liquor store—have their utility, and those seeking hand-stretched mozzarella and Sauvie Island–grown strawberries can nab them at Zupan’s. A block off that busy drag sits cheery Here We Go Again, which sells lightly worn, upscale women’s clothes, mostly from the last couple of years. Look for brands like Madewell, Theory, and Trina Turk, plus like-new boots and designer handbags.

Homey Café du Berry has drawn a following for its French toast since it opened in the 1980s; former Trail Blazer Clyde Drexler would get two portions as part of his regular to-go order. Find big windows, airy rooms, and lovely sidewalk seating at the all-day JoLa Café, which rolls from breakfast egg sandwiches to steamed mussels and beef bourguignon at dinnertime. Saturdays and Sundays, beeline to Jen’s Pastries. You may have encountered baker Jenna Legge’s Portuguese bolos levedos (similar to English muffins) and other pastries at cafés around town, but weekends also bring exquisitely laminated specialty croissants, creative cruffins, and gorgeous slices of cake.

Tucked behind full-service camera shop Camera Solutions is Community Wine Bar, where winemakers Cristina Gonzales and Vivianne Kennedy take an inclusive philosophy to wine drinking—think sliding-scale flights, tastings in ASL and Spanish, and events with queer and BIPOC winemakers. The low-frills space is easily navigable in a wheelchair and boasts a solid board game selection. Around the corner, petite Fulton Pub, a McMenamins that was once a Prohibition-era saloon, slings pints and tots to crowds in cozy booths, at tables beneath a skylight hung with plants, and on a string light–festooned back patio. (Rumor has it Keanu Reeves once paid a visit.) For more of a dive, drop anchor at the Jolly Roger. While the pirate-themed bar’s east-side location is sadly no more, this spot still delivers on grog, grub, and a splash of maritime decor.