Over 20 countries border the Mediterranean Sea, embodying diverse cultures in northern Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Though each place has its own traditions, we often refer to the culinary traditions collectively as Mediterranean cuisine. In Oregon there’s a wealth of Mediterranean food to choose from, including classics and delectable twists on traditional dishes. Here are some of our favorite spots.
Taste Portland’s Wide-Ranging Mediterranean Cuisines
In Southeast Portland, Hoda’s has been serving Lebanese food since 1999. The menu includes a range of kebabs, feta-enriched salads and street food like loaded chicken-shawarma fries. For your sampling convenience, order one of several multiperson mezza plates. Head to the South Waterfront to Al-Hawr, which serves Lebanese chicken livers with pomegranate molasses and kibbeh, a delectable serving of fried bulgur wheat with ground beef.
You’ll find plenty of Greek food, as well. At Eleni’s Philoxenia downtown, Greek specialties include saganaki cheese — flambéed tableside, of course — and rabbit, whole fish and lamb shank. In Northeast Portland, Tréla offers dips that include Greek caviar spread, plus large plates like gigante beans and octopus. At Bluto’s in Southeast, you’ll find wood-grilled souvlaki alongside a wedge salad with “ranchziki” (a play on tzatziki and ranch dressing), plus unmissable soft-serve with a chocolate tahini magic shell. If you’ve been to the annual Portland Greek Festival, you know the goodness that is warm loukoumades — bite-size warm doughnuts drizzled with honey. Southeast food cart Yanni’s Greek Donuts makes them year-round, along with icy coffee frappes.
For Moroccan food with belly dancing, check out Marrakesh Restaurant in Northwest Portland, where dishes like b’stilla (chicken wrapped in flaky phyllo) and tagines fill the table. And if you’ve never tried Egyptian falafel, head to the Egyptian Bros. food cart in Southeast Portland — it’s made with fava beans rather than chickpeas and accompanied by a thick slice of eggplant.
In Northeast Portland, Alma — a Balkan restaurant that opened in summer 2025 — serves dishes rarely seen in town. Lamb rules the menu, from yogurty lamb-neck stew to lamb shank with baba ghanoush, but seafood is equally special, from squid with crispy leeks to whole branzino smothered in herbs. Pair your meal with Balkan red wine or locally distilled rakija (fruit brandy).
For fine dining, Mediterranean Exploration Company in the Pearl District draws inspiration from the Mediterranean at large. Situated in an industrial building turned into a sleek dining room filled with natural light, unexpected plates like hummus with caramelized leeks and radicchio salad with cherries fill tables alongside cocktails like a Turkish Delight-inspired vodka option. The critically acclaimed Tusk in Southeast Portland serves veggie-forward fare and an excellent tasting menu. Choose from snacks like cucumbers with charred dates or mains like lamb ribs.
Sample Falafel in the Willamette Valley and Seafood on the Coast
Sophia’s Cafe in Woodburn serves gyros, kabobs and falafel, plus lamb shanks and gyro pizza. At Al Aqsa in Salem, the no-nonsense vibe lets diners focus on the food — heaping platters of lamb and okra stew. In Corvallis near Oregon State University, Crystal’s King of Falafel Cuisine offers wraps stuffed with falafel, meatballs or shawarma, plus rice plates, salads, smoothies and cardamom tea.
On the North Coast, watch ships on the Columbia River on historic Pier 39 in Astoria, then stop in at Athena for baba ghanoush platters, loaded gyro fries and desserts like Persian almond cakes. Or head to Astoria’s Greek-focused Akres on the Pier, which opened in the summer of 2025 with stunning waterfront views. Seafood is the star here, from za’atar calamari to cioppino. On the Central Coast, you’ll find Gyro Guys Mediterranean Grill & Bar in Newport with impressively plated kabobs, plus baklava stuffed with walnuts, pistachios or custard.
Enjoy Greek Cuisine and More Elsewhere in Oregon
Eugene, home to the University of Oregon, also boasts a variety of Mediterranean restaurants. At white-tablecloth-clad Cafe Soriah, the menu features souvlaki and fattoush amid other global dishes like tandoori chicken. For a casual option, check out the Cafe Agora cart, where grilled wraps are sided by hand-cut Greek fries. Or visit one of the two Albee’s NY Gyros locations in Eugene. The restaurant started as a hot dog cart, and you’ll find hot dogs alongside gyros, falafel and “gyllies” — a Philly cheesesteak with gyro meat.
After a hike in Bend, Kefi Fast Fresh Mediterranean is a fast-casual spot ideal for a quick, nourishing refuel. Customers build their own bowl or pita wrap from the bottom up, whether that’s a base of fries or salad mix, or toppings like golden beets or za’atar carrots.
In Southern Oregon, Alexander’s Greek Cuisine in Roseburg oozes Greek pride, with blue-and-white everything and paintings of the Greek isles along the walls. The menu includes Greek classics like juicy souvlaki and moussaka. Farther south in Ashland, fast-casual Falafel Republic offers build-your-own plates, with proteins like harissa chicken and sides like ginger-turmeric rice or creamy labneh beets.
If you’re road-tripping in Eastern Oregon, head to drive-thru Yia Yia Nikki’s in La Grande, where pita wraps, salads and platters feature falafel, kofta or gyro meat.
