Kerns neighborhood food tour Portland: six stops, one local guide

Walk Restaurant Row and eat your way through the Kerns

A three-hour food tour of Portland's Kerns neighborhood with a local guide, stopping at six restaurants and food vendors across 1.3 miles of NE 28th between Burnside and Glisan Street. You'll taste Cuban food, Korean fried chicken or crepes, charcuterie, and artisanal ice cream while learning the neighborhood's history and seeing classical Portland residential architecture. All ages welcome; minimum age 21 for the tour itself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kerns neighborhood food stops

• Visit colorful Cuban restaurant
• Walk through Kerns neighborhood
• Stop at hidden food cart
• Enjoy Korean fried chicken or crepes
• See Beer Bus with draft beer

The Experience

The Kerns has transformed from a quiet neighborhood into Portland's food destination, and this tour moves through it on foot across tree-lined streets and hipster hangouts. Your first stop is a colorful Cuban restaurant where the food and stories both land. From there, the guide leads you to a food cart tucked into the hood—a real hidden gem where you might find Korean fried chicken, savory crepes with lavender lemonade, or whatever the day brings. There's even a Beer Bus on the premises if you want to add a draft beer to the walk.

The route covers 1.3 miles total, anchored on Restaurant Row on NE 28th between Burnside and Glisan Street. Six stops means you won't leave hungry—the tour is built to create a varied, scrumptious meal across charcuterie, ethnic contributions like Jaliscan and Bretagne food, and dessert from an artisanal ice cream shop. Along the way, the guide talks about the Kerns' history and points out the classical Portland residential architecture that frames the neighborhood.

A local guide leads the whole walk in English and knows the stories behind each stop. The pace suits all fitness levels, and public transportation options are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

• A local guide leading the entire walk in English.
• six food tastings across Cuban, Korean, crepes, charcuterie, and artisanal ice cream stops.
• the stories and history of the Kerns neighborhood woven through the route.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Portland by Mouth

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary and the stories without any barrier—this works for anyone who wants to understand the neighborhood as much as taste it.

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Top questions

What neighborhoods or streets does this Portland food tour cover?

The tour walks through the Kerns neighborhood on NE 28th between Burnside and Glisan Street, known as Restaurant Row. You'll cover 1.3 miles total across tree-lined streets and residential blocks while visiting six food stops.

What kind of food will I taste on the Kerns tour?

The six stops include Cuban food, Korean fried chicken or savory crepes (depending on the day), charcuterie, ethnic dishes like Jaliscan and Bretagne food, and artisanal ice cream for dessert. A Beer Bus on one premises offers draft beer if you want it.

How long does the Kerns neighborhood food tour take?

The tour runs three hours and covers 1.3 miles on foot, with six food stops built into the walk so you taste a full meal without leaving the neighborhood.

Is there a minimum age for this Portland food tour?

The tour is all ages welcome, but the minimum age to book is 21.

What does the guide tell you about during the walk?

The local guide shares the history of the Kerns neighborhood and points out classical Portland residential architecture as you move between stops, adding context to the food and the streets themselves.