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Cafe Rowan

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Coordinates: 45°29′25″N 122°37′23″W / 45.4904°N 122.6230°W / 45.4904; -122.6230
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Cafe Rowan
The restaurant's exterior, 2025
Map
Restaurant information
Established2020
Owner(s)Spencer Ivankoe
Street address4437 Southeast César E Chávez Boulevard
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97202
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°29′25″N 122°37′23″W / 45.4904°N 122.6230°W / 45.4904; -122.6230
Websitecaferowan.com

Cafe Rowan is a farm-to-table restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Owner Spencer Ivankoe opened the restaurant on César E Chávez Boulevard in southeast Portland's Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It started with brunch service and launched a dinner menu in 2023. It has garnered a positive reception as a brunch destination.

Description

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The farm-to-table restaurant Cafe Rowan operates on César E Chávez Boulevard at Holgate Boulevard[1] in southeast Portland's Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood at the boundary with the Woodstock neighborhood.[2][3] The Portland Mercury has described the restaurant as "a bright space with an open kitchen that serves some supremely photogenic dishes".[4] It has a seating capacity of 42 people,[2] as well as outdoor seating.[4][5] The patio is dog-friendly.[6] The business is named after the owner's Labrador Retriever.[7]

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Brunch is served Wednesdays through Sundays.[8] The menu incudes variations of Eggs Benedict with Dungeness crab[9] or Maine lobster, as well as French toast with bananas foster.[8] Breakfast burritos have chorizo, roasted garlic potatoes, scrambled eggs, salsa macha, salsa verde, and cilantro-lime crema. The restaurant has also served cheddar grits with blackened shrimp, bacon-shallot jam, and Calabrian chili oil. Among breakfast sandwiches is the Dame, which has breakfast sausage, fried egg, manchego,[10] gochujang, and Mama Lil’s aioli.[11] The bacon, egg and cheese sandwich has blueberry jam.[10] Among toasts is The Avocado, which has spring peas, watermelon radish, and tahini with Meyer lemon.[12] Cafe Rowan has also served Connecticut-style lobster rolls. The lobster roll sampler has Dungeness crab, Maine lobster, and Oregon bay shrimp.[13] Drink options include coffee[5] and mimosas with grapefruit or orange juice.[13]

The dinner menu has included kanpachi crudo with fennel pollen, pan con tomate with duck fat, prosciutto, and sea urchin. Drink options include cocktails and wine.[5] Cafe Rowan has also offered pastries from the bakery Orange & Blossom.[6]

History

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The restaurant's exterior in 2025

In October 2019, Eater Portland described owner Spencer Ivankoe's plans to open Cafe Rowan in early 2020, in a space previously used as a coffee shop by Starbucks. The website's Brooke Jackson-Glidden said Cafe Rowan would be "complete with weekly prix fixe dinners, monthly Jazz brunches, and a wall of Oregon-specific sundries".[2]

As of January 2020, the restaurant was slated to open in March.[14] Like many restaurants, the business was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and operated via curbside pickup, take-out, and indoor dining at times.[15] In 2021, Invakoe launched a dinner series with menus that rotated monthly and were paired with winemakers.[16][17][18] In 2023, Eater Portland described the cafe's plans to formally launch dinner service.[5] The restaurant was broken into in 2024.[3]

For Dumpling Week, Cafe Rowan has offered dumplings with Maine Lobster and shrimp, served in tom kha broth with coconut milk, fish sauce, galangal, lemongrass, lime, and Thai chilis.[19]

Reception

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Nathan Williams included Cafe Rowan in Eater Portland's 2023 overview of recommended restaurants in Creston-Kenilworth.[5] Ben Coleman and Alex Frane included the business in the website's 2024 list of Portland's eighteen best breakfast sandwiches,[10] and Zoe Baillargeon included Cafe Rowan in a 2025 overview of the city's best breakfasts.[11] Emily Hunt included Cafe Rowan in Tasting Table's 2025 list of Portland's eighteen best brunch restaurants.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "New Portland dinner series with wines from NBA champions and Oregonians Channing Frye, Kevin Love". kgw.com. 2022-07-20. Archived from the original on 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  2. ^ a b c Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-10-29). "Cafe Rowan Will Bring High-End Brunch Fare to Creston-Kenilworth". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  3. ^ a b "Break-ins in Southeast Portland overwhelming restaurant owners: 'Don't know what to do'". kgw.com. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  4. ^ a b "Taking the Temperature On Portland's Restaurant Industry". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  5. ^ a b c d e Williams, Nathan (2023-05-08). "Where to Eat and Drink in Portland's Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  6. ^ a b "Put These New Portland Food Spots on Your Radar". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-05-28. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  7. ^ "What to eat in Portland today: Cafe Rowan | Food & Drink". Daily Hive. 2020-03-08. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  8. ^ a b c Hunt, Emily (2025-02-01). "18 Best Brunch Spots In Portland, Oregon". Tasting Table. Archived from the original on 2025-04-13. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  9. ^ Williams, Nathan (2022-01-19). "Where to Crack Open a Dungeness Crab in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-01-21. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  10. ^ a b c Coleman, Ben (2019-02-27). "The 18 Best Breakfast Sandwiches in Portland". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  11. ^ a b Baillargeon, Zoe (2016-02-16). "Where to Find Real-Deal Breakfasts in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  12. ^ "What's the best brunch spot in Portland? Vote in The Oregonian's Readers' Choice Awards". The Oregonian. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  13. ^ a b Wong, Janey (2023-08-04). "Where to Find Fully Loaded Lobster Rolls in Portland and Beyond". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  14. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2020-01-07). "Portland's Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings in 2020". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  15. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2020-07-15). "12 New Portland Restaurants and Food Carts to Know". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  16. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-12-17). "Portland's Foreland Beer Taproom, from Top Oregon Brewer Sean Burke, Has Opened on SE Belmont". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  17. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2022-07-27). "Portland Restaurants and Food Carts as Zodiac Signs". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  18. ^ Damewood, Andrea. "Best Bites from Portland Chefs and Restaurants in 2022". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  19. ^ "Dumpling Week kicks off 10th anniversary with specials at more than 50 Portland restaurants". The Oregonian. 2024-02-05. Archived from the original on 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
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