Richmond neighborhood: A Taste of the Real Portland
Portland is a patchwork of different neighborhoods. Many can be so small, a visitor could easily wear out the question “Exactly what neighborhood am I in?” If a perfect day consists of grabbing award-winning Thai food, savoring a French pastry, and maybe tracking down a vintage pea coat, the Richmond neighborhood is where you should be.
While not as regal as nearby Laurelhurst or as eclectic and happening as Hawthorne, Richmond is the quintessential Portland neighborhood. It sums up what Portland is, was and will be.
PortlandNeighborhoods.com accurately describes Richmond. “Whereas, other Portland neighborhoods might consistently and self-consciously aim the spotlight their own way - cue Alberta - Richmond is kickin' it covert ops style.”
Part of what makes the Richmond neighborhood overlooked also is what makes it a great place for visitors. While it is a wonderful necessity to take a stroll along the Willamette or grab a drink in the Pearl District, if you want an inside look at what Portland is like on a daily basis, the Richmond neighborhood is that.
Division Street bi-sects this community and represents its main hub, with a nice row of restaurants, bars and mom-and-pop shops. The surrounding residential area affords visitors a spattering of new condos, old colorful Craftsman houses and little quirky shops.
Pok-Pok is arguably the best eatery in Richmond, and some would say Portland. Winning the Oregonian newspaper’s “Best Restaurant of 2007,” it serves authentic Thai cuisine with a focus on Northern Thailand. Just up the street is the ever popular dessert, wine and fun hole-in-the-wall, Pix Patisserie. This little restaurant serves as a great spot to grab an after-dinner drink or a morning coffee and pastry.
Around the 3500 and 3600 block of Division is Richmond’s main shopping hub. Here one can find vintage clothing perfect for young adults, kids and even older adults who might be reminded of clothing styles they wore decades before. The street’s best shops is The Sixer. This shop is a mecca for vintage connoisseurs as well as those maybe just wandering in for a Portland souvenir. No matter what one finds, everything is the shop is $6, hence the name.
With a lot to offer and conveniently located, the Richmond neighborhood is an up-and-coming part of the vibrant southeast quadrant of Portland. For more on the Richmond neighborhood, visit www.divisionclinton.com which lists all of the businesses Richmond has to offer, plus even more from adjoining neighborhoods.
- by William Crane, Portland Reporter for HelloMetro
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William CraneWilliam Crane is an accomplished print and online journalist (http://www.william-crane.com) His work covers a variety of topics including features, local community news, sports, music, and political/social issues.
Graduating from Seattle University with a B.A. in Journalism, William's writing has appeared in a variety of different publications including the Stranger, Capitol Hill Times, the Skanner, Backfire Magazine, and the Internationalist.
