The May Hit List: Artigiano, Ox, Dough Zone, and More

Longtime Division pasta cart Artigiano — celebrating its 13th season! — is known for its seasonal alfresco osteria and dedication to authentic Italian recipes. This month, they’re celebrating lucky 13 with a series of blow-out dinners featuring the best of the season filtered through Italian classics and staples; a one-off oyster and clam dinner (think oysters on the half-shell, broiled with breadcrumbs, pasta con le vongole, vongole all’arrabiata, and more), and a quartet of springy surprise and favorites nights. Dinners range from $85-$125/person with an optional wine pairing for an additional $40.

Explore the entire month’s dinner reservations.

One of the metro area’s best fish and chips spots is now a lot closer. This spring, L.A. transplant Batterfish, from Irish-born chef Jason Killalee, traded its Happy Valley digs for a storefront on Southeast Belmont. The classic, arguably equally PNW dish gets the Midas touch here, arriving extra crisp with a paper-like crust alongside housemade fries and tartar sauce. Baskets arrive with fried salmon, cod, shrimp, or catfish, and dusted in a variety of batters, ranging from the definitive “traditional” to more creative options like “lemon basil” and “curry.” New at the Belmont location, find these fish and chips rolled into a burrito or tucked into tacos. Elsewhere on the expanding global menu is a burger, coated with bacon batter and fried; beer-battered spicy sausage; and a weekends-only lobster or shrimp roll.

The casual little sister to fine-dining restaurant Castagna, OK Omens is the wine-focused place you want to visit this spring. Come for the casual and actually deeply explanatory by-the-glass descriptions — such as the “Italian orange wine that tastes like wrapping a quince in zebra stripe gum” – and stay for Justin Woodward’s high-caliber, just-plain-fun food. Small snacks like warm beignets with white cheddar and honey granules kick off the menu before heading into appetizers like crudos and fried chicken bites. Larger-scale plates look like a crispy-crunchy torito salad tossed with corn nuts and cotija; seasonal entrees like morel and hedgehog mushroom pasta tossed in amontillado sherry cream; and pan-seared McFarland trout served with sauce gribiche. Which wine to finish off the evening? Maybe the “juicy Spanish red that tastes and smells like a beautiful sunbaked Mediterranean vineyard” to send you out into the warm spring night.

It’s no secret that Portland has been a bit of a black hole when it comes to Greek food. Outside of Mad Greek Deli and a dusting of gyro carts and smaller restaurants, there wasn’t a headlining presence until earlier this year. In February, Lardo and Grassa mastermind Rick Gencarelli opened Bluto’s in the former Tonari space, bringing a short counter-service menu centered around souvlaki, hummus, veggies, and “stuff,” aka sides and sauces like spanakopita hand pies and Greek fries layered with halloumi and za’atar. The quintet of skewers range from root vegetables and Olympia Provisions Loukaniko sausage to wild shrimp and the classic spiced lamb, its richness cut with pickled red cabbage. The hummus, now vying for top spot amongst the city’s Israeli-inspired restaurants, arrives with an herby schug and chickpeas, or with spiced beef, studded with golden raisins, chiles, and pine nuts. Whatever you order, just don’t forget the pita bread, grilled to order and dusted with oregano and salt.

It’s hard to believe that Ox, Portland’s beloved Argentine grill, is celebrating 10 years this month. Over the last decade, it’s been an ever-present stalwart of the Portland dining scene, with its fantastic Dirty Grandma Agnes martini (best drunk on the outdoor patio), a wildly photogenic clam chowder with a smoked marrow bone emerging from its creamy depths, creative and surprising side dishes and starters (the tomato and mint-aioli studded tripe with white beans is a must), and of course, the fantastic line-up of meats, veg, and fish grilled to perfection on the central cast-iron hearth.

There’s something special about these sunny, warm days as we (finally!) come out of winter’s damp and chilly grasp. Suddenly, nothing seems as important as enjoying the weather. The Pearl District’s Italian market Cooperativa is a good place to follow that feeling, whether to post up on the patio with a slice of crispy Roman-style pies and a glass of chilled wine, or to stock up on Italian pantry goodies and hyper-seasonal produce to luxuriate in your own kitchen and outdoor space at home. Slices, half or full pies are available “to go,” aka ready to reheat to perfection at home. Meanwhile, pastas, folded into dainty tortellini or well-stuffed ravioli sold by the piece, cheeses (from Cowbell Creamery), meats (from Tails & Trotters), gelato (from Pinolo), and wines (from all over) make this a one-stop-shop for making the most of those days we wish would never end.

For years, Dough Zone has been among Seattle’s best dumpling spots, serving up excellent xiao long bao, spicy wontons, and the elusive sheng jian bao, those puffy, yeasted bao brimming with juicy pork and pan-fried to a rich golden brown. In recent years, the chainlet’s I-District location near downtown Seattle was a balm, saving diners from the extra trek out to Bellevue. Now, Portlanders and those between here and the Emerald City will have an even easier time, with a brand-new location along the South Waterfront. Diners should expect a similar menu in a cavernous space: this new location will be the biggest by a long shot, helping keep those wait times at bay and dumplings flowing even faster. First-time diners: alongside dumplings, don’t miss the kale salad in garlicky sesame dressing or the dan dan noodles.

Once just a pandemic-era Dungeons & Dragons-inspired pop-up raising funds for racial justice organizations and mutual aid projects across the city, Paladin Pie has leveled up into a full-blown food cart. Here, former Oven & Shaker and Levant alum Leo Brill ferments a 16-inch, two-day sourdough pie, served both whole and as slices, and topped with classics like cheese, pepperoni, and marinara (vegan), alongside more creative toppings like bacon and kimchi with cheddar and Buffalo chicken pizza with of course, Frank’s hot sauce. To pair with your ‘za, Paladin offers your typical housemade ranch, as well as Calabrian chile crisp; cart-made Mouthbreather hot sauce blended from chile de arbol, guajillo, pineapple, and chocolate; and a must: the “good Parm.”

It might be the first of its kind in the world. Last month, Jenny Nguyen opened The Sports Bra, an all-ages, all-women’s sports bar featuring not only women’s sports on TV, satellite, cable, or Just Women’s Sports, but women-owned breweries, distilleries, kombucha producers, and ranches on the menu as well. The fare here mostly takes a page out of the usual sports bar book, with burgers — in both smash and pub form — sandwiches and salads. A handful of dishes inspired by Nguyen’s family recipes also grace the menu, like mom’s baby back ribs, here cooked Vietnamese-style in a clay pot and caramelized in coconut milk, and aunt Tina’s wings, fried and glazed and served over cabbage slaw. If you’re a sports fan hungry for community, this is the place for you.

Now that patio season is upon us, get ready to earn your spot at Northeast Alberta’s family- and dog-friendly brunch spot. Find the same breakfast classics like two eggs any style with the usual fixins’, vegetable- and pesto-laced scrambled eggs, and a trio of variations on the eggs Benedict alongside Hungry Man-sized breakfast plates stacking the kitchen sink equivalent of mainstays: housemade buttermilk biscuits with applewood-smoked bacon gravy; potato cakes and scrambled eggs; or French toast, potato cakes, eggs, and a meat side. Less nap-inducing options include Southwest-inspired bowls and sweet things. Those partaking in the dog-friendly part of this beloved spot can order from the actual “dog menu,” to make sure your best friend is well-fed, too.