20 Hipster Hangouts and Cool Places in Portland

The fun, progressive, eco-friendly, and hip Oregon city is filled with cool and friendly locals, independent boutiques, creative eateries, artistic neighborhoods, and trendy bars. If you’re anything like me I love seeking out the best hipster spots in a city as they’re the most interesting and creative places by far. Here are my favorite hipster hangouts in Portland, Oregon…

Top 3 Hipster Hangouts in Portland
1.
Alberta Street Portland l Global Grasshopper – travel inspiration for the road less travelled
Best For Artistic Hangout
Alberta Arts District
2.
White Owl Social Club l Global Grasshopper – travel inspiration for the road less travelled
Best For Socializing
White Owl Social Club
3.
Ace hotel Portland l Global Grasshopper – travel inspiration for the road less travelled
Best For A Hip Stay
Ace Hotel
Best For Artistic Hangout

Alberta Arts District

Alberta Street Portland Oregon

Tin Shed Garden Cafe Portland Oregon

This laid-back and vibrant little district in Northwest Portland is a great place to head for a weekend brunch, an afternoon stroll, or a vegan ice cream. I would also definitely recommend browsing an art gallery here for a cultural experience too.

The streets are lined with colourful murals and there are plenty of places to enjoy a craft ale or a cocktail al fresco. The Tin Shed Garden Cafe, Great Notion Brewing, and Salt & Straw ice cream parlor are just a few of the popular hangouts you can enjoy here.

Pros

Explore colorful murals and local art

Live music and entertainment

Ideal for outdoor dining and cocktails

Abundant choices from brunch to craft ale

Cons

Occasional long wait times

Parking may be challenging

Best For Socializing

White Owl Social Club

White Owl Social Club Portland

Southeast Portland’s favorite haunt and one of mine too, White Owl Social combines a cool laid-back vibe with amazing local brews and cocktails, live music, and a huge patio area with a fire pit.

Soak up the alcohol with some tasty but excellent quality comfort food, like tacos, sliders, and plenty of vegan options too. I’d suggest swilling them down with a Nectarine Mule and you’re good to go! 

Pros

Local craft beers

Diverse vegan options

Live music entertainment

Relaxed atmosphere

Spacious patio with fire pit

Best For A Hip Stay

Ace Hotel

Ace Hotel - best hipster hangouts in Portland Oregon

Cool boutique hotel just a stone’s throw from Powell’s books! All rooms sport gorgeous wall art and some have the extra delights of vintage vinyl and record player, almost everything in the rooms is for sale, you can just take it with you and they’ll add it to the bill.

There’s a Stumptown coffee right next door so your gourmet caffeine fix will be sorted too. Ace Hotel is a hip concept in a gorgeous historical area with plenty of other cool hangouts nearby.

A great place to start on your Portland hipster trail.

Pros

Unique decor and vintage vinyl

Artistic room atmosphere

Convenient location near Powell's

Stumptown Coffee Nearby

Cons

Limited parking options

Some noise in the area

Best For Boutique Shops

Hawthorne District

A guide to Hawthorne District, Portland

Amazing artsy district in Southeast Portland that is just brimming with awesome hipster spots! From vintage clothes to feminist bookshops it’s all here.

There’s a smorgasbord of independent cafes serving delicious food, for example, Jam On Hawthorne, which is always preceded by a big brunch queue but worth it.

There are food trucks, the wonderful Bagdad Cinema where you can enjoy craft beer and movies, great cocktail joints, and bold, beautiful street art.

Spend a day just strolling around the area, checking out the cavernous vintage shops, and enjoying the independent spirit of the place!

Pros

Bagdad cinema and live music

Boutique stores and vintage treasures

Unique and artistic atmosphere

Vegan eateries

Cons

Not for traditionalists

Parking challenges

Best For Live Music

Doug Fir Lounge

Doug Fir Lounge Portland

A super cool, futuristic log cabin-style venue within the Jupiter Hotel, the Doug Fir Lounge is a Portland institution with many amazing music acts passing through its doors.

It’s also pretty great for food and drinks, serving up creative cocktails, Northwestern beers, and locally sourced grub which can be enjoyed in the woodsy interior or out on the patio by the fire.

An oldie but a goldie, a not-to-be-missed hip spot to hang out! 

Cons

Music can be loud

Can get crowded

Best For Thrift Stores

The Mississippi Neighborhood

Speck’s Records & Tapes

This quaint historic district in North Portland has good vibes all around! It’s where the locals like to hang out and has all the awesome thrift stores, independent gift stores, eateries, breweries, roasters, and record shops that one’s heart desires. Its super cute colonial shop fronts just make it extra gorgeous!

Try Flutter for fabulous gifts and a pet of King the Shop cat or browse for hours in Beacon Records. Satisfy your house plant obsession in Pistils Nursery or get prepped for a hike in a forest park at Animal Apparel.

There are hipster brews at Hopworks Bike Bar and award-winning coffee at Albina Press, plus numerous great spots to eat; try Big Elephant Kitchen for really delicious Indian food! Mississippi captures everything we love about Portland, don’t miss (issippi) out! 

Pros

Abundance of indie shops

Unique thrift stores

Diverse dining options

Record shops for music enthusiasts

Cons

Limited parking options

Won't suit all age groups

Best For Breakfast

Jam On Hawthorne

Jam On Hawthorne cafe Portland

You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of space in your belly before you visit this laid-back brunch spot; multiple winners of best brunch and with good reason, Jam serves up all your favorites with its twist (whether you’re vegan or not)!

Try a Nor’wester Omelette or a plate of loaded hash browns and wash it down with a delicious house coffee (especially roasted by Marigold) ….

Just expect to queue, especially at weekends! 

Pros

Award-winning breakfast destination

Vegan-friendly choices are available

Family and kid-friendly atmosphere

Known for fantastic homemade jams

Cons

Crowded during peak hours

Limited parking space

Potential wait times

Best For Dj Nights

The Goodfoot

The Goodfoot two-level music venue

This cool pub venue is a staple of Portland nightlife and hosts the fantastic Soul Stew, the longest-running DJ dance night in Portland.

The Goodfoot venue is downstairs and regularly hosts great live music, as well as club nights, and the upstairs pub has a great dive-bar vibe with pool tables, pinball machines, and Blazers games on the big screen.

It’s an excellent place to meet pals, enjoy proper decent pub grub and cocktails, and catch some local art too! 

Pros

Hipster-friendly atmosphere

Diverse entertainment options

Extensive selection of beers on tap

Iconic DJ dance night

Cons

Wait times for pool and pinball

Noise levels can get high

Best For Fun Nights

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom historic club

The Crystal Ballroom has been a hipster hangout for more than 100 years! Built in 1914 as Cotillian Hall the building has hosted dance revivals, all men are folk & blues artists, Jazz musicians, and beat poets. Marvin Gaye was here, James Brown was here and The Grateful Dead were here!

Legend has it that Jimmi Hendrix was fired by Little Richard on this very stage.

Since its reopening in the late ‘90 McMenamins Crystal Ballroom has hosted the best live music shows in town, drawing big names and local talent alike and remaining true to its history by welcoming every new trend through its doors.

It’s proto-hip, it sets the trend before the hipsters even realize it’s being set! 

Pros

Rich history and architecture

Famous 'floating' dance floor

Iconic live music venue

Famous artist connections

Cons

Seating is quite limited

Prices are relatively high

Best For Thrifting

Flutter

Flutter Portland Oregon

You can spend hours perusing through the delights of this gorgeous treasure trove of a shop in the Mississippi district and you can be sure a bit of the legendary Portland Hip will rub off on you in the meantime.

Cristin and Sara took the reins in 2006, along with their trusty cat King, and the shop is stuffed with handpicked antiques, reworked vintage clothes, local jewelry, gifts, and cards.

The go-to place for something offbeat and unusual, a hip shopper dream. 

Pros

Eclectic product variety

Local and handmade items

Immersive treasure-hunting experience

Reflects Portland's hip culture

Cons

Can get busy

Some items can be pricey

Best For Rare Books

Powell's City of Books

Powell's Books on Hawthorne - Portland - Oregon

This is probably where you’ll find me to be honest, the biggest bookstore in the states and a cavernous treasure trove of new, used, and collectible books with a cafe and a shop to boot, if you need a break from words.

There are staff recommendations, book signings, and ample places to sit and read quietly while deciding what to purchase! If you’re lucky you might run into a poet or author, at the very least you’ll be surrounded by people who love books as much as you do! 

Pros

Hosts vast selection of books

Unique and rare books available

The parking space is large

A wide range of genres is available

Cons

The large size can be overwhelming

The seating areas are limited

Best For Coffee!

Cathedral Coffee

Cathedral Coffee Portland

The perfect Portland coffee shop; the interior of this place is amazing, a wooden ceiling crafted to look like the interior of a cathedral soars over comfy velvet armchairs and cozy wooden tables and delicious coffee and tea from local blenders Proud Mary and Jasmine Pearl.

Enjoy house-baked cakes and pastries too and various events throughout the year!

Get on your finest hip vintage gear, grab your iPad, and head over to the cathedral, it’s like being in a cool TV show but better.

Pros

Relaxed eclectic decor

Great coffee!

In house bakery

Flavourful sweet

savory

and gluten-free options

Cons

Surcharge for non-dairy milk

Limited parking space

Best For Great eateries

Division Street

Kati Portland Oregon

If you’re a foodie then make this your first stop, the neighborhood is choked with hip and delicious eateries! Whatever you fancy you’ll find it here and it will be good!

Go for a melt-in-your-mouth pie at farm-table style Loretta Jeans or gourmet gelato without the queues at Pinolo.

Veggies head to Kati, Indian fanatics to Bollywood Kitchen, for something different the Bimbim Boxes at Kim Jong’s are fantastic.

For something with a German twist head to Olympia Provisions and hang out on the sprawling patio with amazing Weiss Beer and Charcuterie. Your belly will thank you forever! 

Pros

Variety of cool eateries

Unique culinary choices

Farm-to-table dining

Charming outdoor patios

Cons

Weather-dependent patios

Best For Second Hand Clothes

Red Light Clothing Exchange

Red Light Clothing Exchange

Vintage lovers like me can spend a day in this cavernous vintage treasure trove on Hawthorne.

From cowboy boots to wedding dresses and everything in between you’ll find it here and the pricing is super reasonable too!

There are grungy jumpers that the ghost of Kurt Cobain will be coveting from the beyond, silk and fur combos that would do Courtney proud, fit and flares, 70s maxi’s hammer pants and creepers…perfectly curated and laid out in such a way that everything feels like a discovery!

Red Light has been an anchor on the corner of Hawthorne for more than a decade and with Portland’s hipster scene in full flow, I’m sure it will be there for many more years to come! 

Pros

Vast vintage selection

Affordable pricing

Unique and curated finds

Long-standing local presence

Cons

Limited modern clothing

Crowded during peak hours

Best For Shopping

Belmont Street

The famous Stumptown Coffee Roasters in downtown Portland

Just around the corner from Hawthorne, you’ll find Belmont Street, another cool and unusual shopping destination!

Get a cup of coffee from the original Stumptown Coffee Roasters and then hit the vintage shopping starting with Mix Tape, where you’ll find wonderful restyled vintage pieces and restored leather.

Next up, for gender-bending and inclusive vintage buys, head for Planet X Vintage and then top it off with a trip to quirky Naked City Clothing for all things cute and kitschy. 

Pros

Unique vintage shopping experience

Close to Stumptown Coffee

Quirky and kitschy finds

Strong sense of individuality

Cons

Parking challenges

Vintage selection may vary

Best For Vegan Pizzas

Boxcar Pizza

Boxcar Pizza Portland Oregon

The tagline for this place is ‘Hip Cats, Square Pies’… I don’t know if I can do better than that! An amazing all-vegan Detroit-style pizza kitchen in the Portland Zipper building.

House-made vegan cheese, tons of gluten-free options, and just a super hip and tasty place to swing by for a bite! 

Pros

Vegan eatery houses in a unique building

Vegan Detroit-style pizzas

Variety of toppings to choose from

Salads and beer options are available

Cons

Can be expensive

Closes early

Service can be slow

Best For Cocktails

Gold Dust Meridian

Gold Dust Meridian Portland

Back on Hawthorne for ‘Creative Cocktails and elevated bar food’ at Gold Dust Meridian. It looks pretty unassuming from the outside but inside you’ll find some of the best cocktails in town and plenty of hipsters enjoying them!

It strikes a great balance, managing to be hip yet unpretentious, exclusive yet friendly, and delicious yet affordable.

We started here one night for a bit of a bar crawl and enjoyed it so much that we didn’t crawl anywhere else at all! Instead, we sat at the bar and chatted with the friendly and knowledgeable barman, nibbled on some tasty gourmet bar snacks, and enjoyed several innovative cocktails in a cozy, warm environment!  Highly recommended!

Pros

Balances quality and price well

Unique and innovative drinks and cocktails

Gourmet snacks

Cons

Unassuming exterior

Busy at peak times

Best For Craft Coffee

Proud Mary Cafe

Proud Mary Cafe Portland

Located in the aforementioned Alberta Arts District you’ll find the original Aussie-owned gourmet coffee cafe Proud Mary. It occupies a cool industrial-chic space, plenty of chrome and exposed brickwork, and serves up the best coffee in town.

Home-roasted creative blends like Lazy Sunday, Intergalactic, and Exploding Heart are served up by hip baristas alongside delicious, locally sourced food. From humble beginnings, the Proud Mary Blends are now served in several places throughout the city and are available to buy online too.

The best place to sample these brews is still to head for the mothership and enjoy savoring the flavors in the hip environment with all the other coffee snobs! 

Pros

Premium craft coffee

Healthy smoothie options

Sumptuous breakfast menu

Chic and hip space

Cons

Limited parking space

Slightly higher than average prices

Best For Vinyl Records

Music Millennium Vinyl Shop

Best record stores in Portland

Right by the famous ‘Keep Portland Weird’ mural you’ll find Music Millennium. Serving the city’s Musos since 1969, you can’t get hipper than this!

Browse the aisles of vinyl, both old and new, and pick up something for your collection or check out an in-store Q&A, signing, or gig with amazing musicians.

This store is the oldest operating music store in the Pacific Northwest and a not-to-be-missed opportunity to chill, browse, and chat with fellow music heads! 

Pros

Extensive collection of old and new vinyl

Diverse selection of genres

Long-standing local favorites

Unique in-store events

Cons

Slightly shorter opening hours on a Sunday

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