10 MOUTHWATERING Portland Cookbooks Your Bookshelf Craves

The secret it out, Portland is a foodie’s paradise. As a lifelong local, my bookshelf is adorned with Portland cookbooks. It’s hard to eat mediocre meals when you have such great options at your fingertips.

Some of the restaurants in Portland are impossible to forget, so if a chef is willing to spill the beans, I’m all ears. Today, I’ll share my personal list of the best cookbooks from Portland chefs, let’s dive in.

The Best Portland Cookbooks

(Click here for the table of contents)

Cookbooks from Portland Chefs

The Best Portland Cookbooks
Best Cookbooks from Portland (Post Summary)

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Six Seasons Cookbook, cookbooks by Portland chefs

#1. Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables

I stumbled upon Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden by accident while aimlessly wandering through Powell’s Books. They had the book on display, so I scrolled through the pages for some dinner inspiration. And holy cow, I couldn’t get this book out of my mind for weeks afterwards, so I returned to buy it.

McFadden has an impressive reputation in the culinary world. Originally from the Midwest, he’s cooked in top kitchens across the country, from San Francisco to New York, where he was awarded two stars by The New York Times while chef de cuisine at Franny’s.

In Portland, McFadden served as the executive chef of Ava Gene’s and helped envision some of the city’s most beloved restaurants: Cicoria, Woodsman and Tusk. All this to say, when he announced he was releasing a vegetable-forward cookbook, amateur chefs waited with bated breath.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a strong cook, thankfully the recipes are easy to follow. The flavors and simplicity of the dishes in this award-winning Portland cookbook can inspire and excite even the most amateur home chef (*raises hand).

If you only get one Portland cookbook, make it this one. You will not regret it. If you’d like to pick up a copy of Six Seasons for your home, click here.

#2. Hello! My Name is Tasty

Tasty N Alder is where my husband and I had our first date. So of course this Portland cookbook has a special place in my heart. Hello! My Name is Tasty is a great option when you’re trying to impress some brunch guests. The collection of reinvented brunch recipes come straight from the kitchen of Tasty N Sons and Tasty N Alder.

Authored by John Gorham, one of the city’s most celebrated chefs, Gorham’s restaurant empire dissolved during COVID. Before that, his restaurants Tasty N Alder, Tasty N Sons and Toro Bravo were local hot spots with hour-long wait lists.

Without fail, we always treated out-of-town guests to memorable meals at those exceptional brunch spots and they almost always left with a cookbook in hand – the meals speak for themselves. Stand-out dishes include shakshuka and lemon ricotta pancakes.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Hello! My Name is Tasty, click here.

#3. Le Pigeon: Cooking at the Dirty Bird

I celebrated my birthday with a fancy-pants dinner at Le Pigeon this year and will probably never be the same (RIP old me). The tasting menu at Le Pigeon is easily the best meal I’ve had in Portland (maybe ever).

The passion project of chef Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon serves traditional French cuisine in an unfussy setting. This cookbook is best experienced by those that truly love cooking (the type of people who enjoy spending hours preparing a meal).

Admittedly, the recipes in this cookbook have tested my (limited) culinary abilities, but goodness – they’re worth the effort. This is one of the best cookbooks by a Portland chef for serious cooks.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of the Le Pigeon cookbook, click here.

#4. Wine Food: New Adventures in Drinking and Cooking

Is there a better way to spend an evening with girlfriends than catching up over knock-out wines paired with fresh caprese? Dana Frank (owner of Portland’s best wine bar) and Andrea Sloecker don’t think so. Wine Food is the duo’s love letter to exciting wines and the memories they inspire.

This Portland cookbook is a delicious playbook of 75 recipes coupled with complementary wine pairings curated by experienced sommeliers. It’s akin to a light manual to wine tasting like a pro, the book will teach you how to buy good wine, store it properly and enjoy it fully.

It’s been fun to learn about new styles of wines while making various recipes from the book. I’ve gifted Wine Food to a few friends, but think it’d be a fun twist on a book club too. I also plan to rely on this book more in the summer months while re-visiting my favorite wineries in Hood River, it’s great all around.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Wine Food, click here.

#5. Portland Cooks

This Portland cookbook is new on the scene, but it quickly became an instant classic in our home. Portland Cooks consolidates recipes from the best restaurants Portland.

Everything from the city’s best cookies to drool-worthy cocktails, making this a great option for those that like variety. The book doesn’t focus on any particular cuisine, it spans the gamut. I think it’d be really fun to host a potluck using this book where every guest makes a different recipe. The possibilities are endless!

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Portland Cooks, click here.

#6. Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking

Naomi Pomeroy, the mastermind behind Beast (one of the best restaurants in Portland) released a phenomenal cookbook in which she shares her self-taught knowledge of proper French cooking techniques.

As someone who cooks for sustenance alone (apologies to my poor husband), Taste & Technique changed the way I approach cooking. I am slowly starting to learn varying techniques that improve the overall quality of the meals I prepare.

Since Pomeroy is self taught, she has a way of explaining things in an approachable way that makes “serious” cooking less intimidating.The technique is technical, but the explanation is simple. I can’t get enough of this Portland cookbook and find myself reaching for it about once a week.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Taste & Technique, click here.

#7. Portland Farmers Market Cookbook

I recently learned that the Portland Farmers Market was rated the best farmers market in America in 2014. Intrigued, I picked up a copy of this beautiful Portland cookbook, which covers 100 seasonal recipes.

But what I love most about the Portland Farmers Market Cookbook is the sustainable lifestyle it promotes. It feels so European to me — eat local, eat seasonal, eat well. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? And I have to say, if I ever move out of Portland, I’d be homesick for the incredible farmers markets within a week.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of the Portland Farmers Market Cookbook, click here.

#8. Pok Pok Cookbook

At one point, Pok Pok was the most famous restaurant in Portland. It attracted serious foodies and world-travels in hordes, everyone eager to get their hands on the papaya salad and famous fish-sauce wings. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed in 2020, which was a huge blow to the city.

However, if you find yourself craving tantalizing Thai dishes, the Pok Pok Cookbook is the next best thing. Part-travel journal, part-cookbook by Portland chef Andy Ricker, you’ll get the restaurant’s 50 most famous recipes alongside vibrant stories from the chef’s time in Thailand.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Pok Pok, click here.

#9. Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking

My mom gifted me this cookbook by Portland chef Bonnie Morales last Christmas. Perhaps a gentle nudge to cook traditional Russian cuisine at home? I know, I’m laughing too.

I grew up on the meals beautifully displayed in this cookbook. To me if feels like a warm reminder of my childhood home. And yes, I can attest that the meals are 100% authentic. Plus, the author’s stories enrich the experience. Think colorful photos, delicious Russian fare and too many interesting stories to count.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Kachka, click here.

#10. Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull.

As a local Portlander, I’ve had my fair share of romantic dates at Toro Bravo, a popular tapas restaurant locals couldn’t get enough of. This cookbook feels like a personal diary of sorts, John Gorham shares intimate childhood memories and transformative life experiences alongside inspired Spanish-inspired recipes.

The cookbook includes the restaurant’s 95 top recipes, from bacon-wrapped dates that could launch a thousand ships to refreshing side salads. Gorham also does a nice job of sharing important techniques in an approachable way, ensuring amateur home cooks enjoy the experience as much as seasoned chefs.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of Toro Bravo, click here.

Best Cookbooks from Portland (Post Summary)

In sum, the BEST Portland cookbooks are:

Six Seasons
Hello! My Name is Tasty
Le Pigeon
Portland Farmers Market Cookbook
Portland Cooks
Taste & Technique
Wine Food
Pok Pok
Kachka
Toro Bravo

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And there you have it, these are the best Portland cookbooks based on my own personal experience with these restaurants and the recipes shared in these books. I am sure you will be entertained for weeks to come!

Enjoy!

Antonina

Comments

Fran Gardner says

November 7, 2024 at 8:50 am

Hi,
Sonya Sanford, who owned the Beetroot Market & Deli in Portland, has published a book based on Northwest Jewish cooking traditions titled Braids. I’m so impressed that she styled the food and took the photos, which are gorgeous. I hope you will check it out.
I’m writing about her at frangardner.substack.com. That newsletter, titled Cookbooks, Part I, will publish Saturday, October 9, at 7 pm.