The Sports Bra in NE Portland

Portland has long been one of the most vibrant food cities in the country — and it’s no coincidence that some of its most celebrated kitchens and bars are led by women.

As a coworking community rooted in Northeast Portland and Beaverton, we at VIDA are proud to champion women entrepreneurs in every industry, including the ones feeding and pouring for our community every single day.

In this Women’s History Month 2026, we thought we would highlight some of the women-owned (or women-led) bars and restaurants we love most — right here in the Portland metro area… so whether you’re a VIDA member looking to host a team dinner, planning a night out with clients, or just want to put your money where your values are, this list is for you – enjoy!

Portland Women-Owned Restaurants & Bars

The Sports Bra — Northeast Portland 

25 NE 24th Ave

When chef-owner Jenny Nguyen opened The Sports Bra in April 2022, she created something the world had never seen before: a sports bar dedicated exclusively to showing women’s sports. Every screen in the bar plays live women’s athletics — Portland Thorns games, WNBA matchups, tennis, soccer, and more. The pub grub is no afterthought either, featuring family-recipe fan favorites alongside a drinks menu sourcing from women-owned producers like Freeland Spirits.

What started as a beloved Northeast Portland institution has grown into a national movement. In 2025, The Sports Bra announced franchise locations opening in Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and St. Louis — proof that a bold, women-first idea built right here in Portland is changing bars nationwide. It’s one of the most exciting women-owned businesses in Oregon, full stop.

Perfect for: Watching the game with your team, celebrating women’s sports, group happy hours

Coquine & Katy Jane’s Oyster Bar — Mt. Tabor  

6839 SE Belmont St

Multiple James Beard Award nominee and chef-owner Katy Millard has built one of Portland’s most beloved neighborhood restaurants in the Mt. Tabor neighborhood. Coquine is a French-inspired restaurant with a seasonal, locally sourced menu — the kind of place where you go for a special dinner and end up becoming a regular. By day, the adjacent Coquine Market serves espresso drinks, freshly baked pastries, and the legendary chocolate chip, salted caramel, and smoked almond cookies that have taken on near-mythic status in Portland food culture.

At night, the market space transforms into Katy Jane’s Oyster Bar, a casual seafood-forward dining experience with oysters, housemade hush puppies, martinis, and an exceptional wine list. The Oregonian ranked Coquine #3 on its 2025 list of Portland’s 40 best restaurants, and the New York Times has called it one of the most exciting restaurants in the country. This is a special one.

Perfect for: Celebratory dinners, client lunches, treating yourself to an iconic cookie

Kachka — Buckman 

720 SE Grand Ave

Chef-owner Bonnie Morales serves soul-warming Eastern European fare at Kachka, widely regarded as one of Portland’s most unique and enduring restaurants. The menu celebrates the cuisines of Russia, Belarus, Georgia, and Uzbekistan — mushroom stroganoff, rabbit in a clay pot, pelmeni — in a buzzing, lively space that feels celebratory on an ordinary Tuesday.

Perfect for: An adventurous dinner, groups, special occasions

Mestizo — Richmond / SE Division 

2910 SE Division St

Mestizo is a BIPOC women-owned Latin American restaurant celebrating bold, vibrant flavor and the joy of gathering. Naturally gluten-free and rooted in Latin American culinary traditions, the menu features tacos, small plates, craft cocktails, and larger shared dishes made with fresh ingredients and house-made salsas. With a warm indoor space and a lively patio, Mestizo is the kind of place that feels like a celebration every time you walk in.

Perfect for: Date nights, group dinners, patio season, gluten-free dining

Mother’s Bistro & Bar — Downtown Portland 

212 SW Stark St

Chef-owner Lisa Schroeder has been serving up comforting, home-cooked goodness at Mother’s Bistro since 2000. The menu is built around the idea that great food is the food your mother made — and each month Schroeder features a “Mother of the Month” (M.O.M.) guest menu honoring a different culinary tradition. It’s one of Portland’s true institutions, warm and welcoming for a reason.

Perfect for: Weekend brunch, out-of-town guests, soulful weekday lunches

Lovely’s Fifty Fifty — Boise Neighborhood 

4039 N Mississippi Ave

Sarah Minnick’s James Beard Award-nominated pizzeria is one of Portland’s most celebrated. Lovely’s Fifty Fifty is known for exquisite artisan pies topped with seasonal ingredients — think chanterelle mushrooms, squash and ricotta, or cured meats alongside local produce. The New York Times named Portland the best pizza city in the country, and Lovely’s is a big reason why. Minnick’s commitment to quality, seasonality, and community has made this a neighborhood gem for over a decade.

Perfect for: Pizza nights, date nights, celebrating local food culture

Friendship Kitchen & Stem Wine Bar — Kerns / Nob Hill 

Multiple locations, but the closest one to VIDA is at 2333 NE Glisan St.

Wife-and-wife team Trang Nguyen Tan and Wei-En Tan run the beloved Vietnamese restaurant Friendship Kitchen and its companion Stem Wine Bar. Friendship Kitchen serves beautifully crafted Vietnamese dishes — lobster cream cheese puffs, shaken beef, pho, chicken skewers, and playful cocktails — while Stem Wine Bar offers tastings, wine flights, and a distinctly welcoming vibe. Two women, two concepts, all heart.

Perfect for: Weeknight dinner, wine exploration, celebrating LGBTQ+-owned businesses

Güero — Mississippi / Kerns 

Multiple locations, but the closest one to VIDA is at 200 NE 28th Ave

Chef-owner Megan Sanchez’s Güero has earned raves for its perfectly crafted Mexican tortas and thoughtfully sourced proteins. Portland Mercury critics have called it a masterclass in textural balance — creamy, crunchy, tangy, and bright all at once. Sanchez brings precision and passion to every element of her menu, and the restaurant is a consistent favorite across Portland food circles.

Perfect for: Casual lunch, a quick and unforgettable bite

Doe Donuts — Hollywood District 

5150 NE Sandy Blvd

Portland’s first dedicated vegan donut shop, co-owned by Carly Sitner and Crystal Wegener, has been wowing Portland since it opened. Plant-based creations in flavors like salted vanilla bean, French toast, and their signature “Doe” donut (house-made pink strawberry milk and sprinkles) have earned national attention — including a feature on Phil Rosenthal’s Somebody Feed Phil. Proof that women-owned businesses in Portland aren’t just keeping up; they’re leading.

Perfect for: Morning meetings, vegan treats for your colleagues (we serve them at VIDA!), bringing joy

Even More Women-Led Spots Worth Knowing

Here’s a quick rundown of additional spots to add to your list:

In Portland:

  • AKADI PDX (SE Division, Hosford-Abernethy) — Chef-owner Fatou Ouattara grew up in Côte d’Ivoire and opened Portland’s premier West African restaurant to share the food she loves. Ranked among Portland’s best by Portland Monthly, The Oregonian, Time Out, and The Infatuation — with live music, Afrobeats bands, suya wings, attieke with grilled fish, peanut stew, and cassava fufu made from scratch. Ouattara also runs House of Flavor, a West African grocery at N Williams Ave.
  • Nostrana (SE Morrison, Buckman) — Chef-owner Cathy Whims has been Portland’s unofficial godmother of Italian cuisine for over two decades. Seven-time James Beard Award nominee, Nostrana just celebrated 20 years in 2025. Cut-your-own wood-fired pizzas, gnocchi every Thursday, and a Marcella Hazán-inspired tomato butter sauce. A true Portland classic.
  • Nong’s Khao Man Gai (multiple Portland locations) — James Beard-nominated chef-owner Nong Poonsukwattana built a Portland institution around one perfect dish: Thai chicken and rice, wrapped in butcher paper, served with a legendary sauce.
  • Elephant’s Delicatessen (multiple Portland locations): After more than 40 years, Elephant’s Deli has become a Portland icon, and this woman-owned, B-Corp certified company serves up creative and delicious soups, salads, sandwiches and more.
  • Bakeshop (NE Portland) — Baker-owner Kim Boyce’s whole-grain pastry shop is a Portland treasure: twice-baked almond croissants, seasonal fruit handpies, and maple swirls that have earned devotion since day one.
  • Bete-Lukas (SE Division) — One of Portland’s longest-running Ethiopian restaurants, serving lentil sambusa, stewed kale, beef kitfo, and beautifully spiced braises on tangy injera.
  • Normandie (Buckman) — Women co-owners Amanda Cannon Winquist and Heather Kintler run this coastal-inspired bistro drawing praise for its inventive menu and convivial atmosphere.
  • 23rd Champagne Poetry (Nob Hill) — Modern Pan-Asian from owner Dan Bian; one of the most buzzy recent openings in the city
  • Bar West (Northwest Portland) — Italian-inspired neighborhood bar from owner Summer Triato
  • Besaw’s (Slabtown) — A beloved Portland institution serving classic American fare, now led by owner Cana Flug
  • Cafe Nell (Northwest District) — A charming New American neighborhood restaurant from owner Vanessa Preston
  • No Saint (Vernon) — Casual Italian and pizza from owner Gabriella Casabianca
  • Someday (Richmond) — European-American small-plates bistro from owner Jessica Baesler
  • The Paper Bridge (Central Eastside) — Vietnamese fare from owner Quynh Nguyen
  • Ya Hala – Fairuz Room (Montavilla) — A Portland institution for Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine, led by owner Mirna Attar

Beaverton Women-Owned Restaurants

VIDA’s Beaverton location means we have deep roots in Washington County — and the Beaverton food scene is growing fast, with women at the helm of some of its most exciting spots, including:

  • Just a Dash (12400 SW First St) — Chef-owner Stephanie launched this women-owned scratch kitchen in 2007 (originally as Sweets by Stephanie) and has grown it into one of Beaverton’s most beloved neighborhood spots for lunch, meal prep, charcuterie boards, afternoon tea boxes, and catering. Featured on KPTV. Also runs Revel + Gather, an intimate event space in the same location.
  • Pholandia Bistro & Bar (10765 SW Canyon Rd) — A family-owned Vietnamese bistro and bar run by the Huynh family (registered by Amanda Huynh). Home-cooked-style Vietnamese cuisine — pho, noodle soups, and bistro plates — made with the kind of care and intention that keeps regulars coming back. A warm, community-centered spot on the Canyon Road corridor.
  • Ickabod’s Bar & Grill (12475 SW 1st St) — A Beaverton institution since 1979, family-owned and now run by owners Leslie and Bonnie. Classic American bar and grill: homemade chili, legendary burgers, Prime Rib Fridays and Saturdays, trivia nights, and live music on weekends. The kind of neighborhood ‘Cheers’ that has outlasted trends and kept a loyal community for 44+ years.

Why Supporting Women-Owned Matters

Portland and Beaverton are home to a thriving ecosystem of women entrepreneurs — and the food and beverage industry is no exception. According to a 2024 Portland Monthly report citing Census Bureau data, women own 39% of Oregon’s employer businesses, and Oregon ranks among the top states nationally for women-owned business growth.

When you choose to dine at a women-owned restaurant, you’re doing more than enjoying a great meal. You’re contributing to a woman’s livelihood, her employees’ livelihoods, and the kind of entrepreneurial ecosystem we all benefit from.

At VIDA Coworking, supporting women in business isn’t just a hashtag — it’s the reason we exist. Our Northeast Portland and Beaverton coworking spaces are built for women entrepreneurs and the businesses they’re building. From solo freelancers to growing teams, VIDA members are among the most motivated, creative, and community-driven business owners in Oregon.

If you’re looking for a workspace that gets it — come visit us at one of our two Portland-area locations, or explore VIDA Virtual, our women-focused virtual coworking community available anywhere in the world.

Know a women-owned bar or restaurant in Portland or Beaverton we should add to this list? Tag us on Instagram @vidacoworking or send us a message. We love celebrating women who build.

VIDA Coworking is a women-founded coworking community with locations in Northeast Portland and Beaverton, Oregon. We offer flexible memberships, private offices, meeting rooms, and a community of professional women doing meaningful work. #MakeLifeWork