Mississippi Avenue is a lively corridor located within the Boise neighborhood, a colorful residential area chock-full of interesting shops and great restaurants.
The businesses in this neighborhood clearly cater to the whims of millennials. You’ll find beautiful plant nurseries, music venues, food cart pods, fantastic breweries (some of the best in Portland) and plenty of great clothing stores.
History of Mississippi Avenue
Mississippi Avenue is a tale of gentrification in Portland and the sting is palpable. This used to be the affordable part of the city and now you’ll hear local’s regale personal stories of families getting priced out. But the vibrancy of the long-established community remains, and the murals and splashes of colors prove it indeed.
If you find yourself wandering down Mississippi Avenue, make sure to check out the following places.
Things to Do on Mississippi Avenue
(Click here for the table of contents)
Visiting Mississippi Avenue (Table of Contents)
Catch a Show at Mississippi Studios
Mississippi Studios is a recording studio and music venue best known for hosting incredible performers year-round.
The venue exudes an easy-going vibe with its heated outdoor patio and great food & drinks. Catching a live performance at Mississippi Studios is a great way to spend a rainy day in Portland, and makes for a memorable date night too.
I once saw Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra and the memories still give me goosebumps. The venue is so cozy!
Split a Bottle of Rosé at Stem Wine Bar
Stem Wine Bar offers something every local loves: great wine, cozy vibes and a generous bring-your-own food policy. The focus at this elegant wine bar is to share wines from independent winemakers in Oregon.
Keen to contribute to the community, there’s a great weekly rotation of fun events. From live music and painting classes to complimentary tastings, check out the wine bar’s events calendar here.
You might enjoy reading: 15 Cozy Wine Bars in Portland, Oregon (Local’s Guide)
Pop Into Kate’s Ice Cream for a Treat
Inspired by her dairy-intolerant younger sister, Katelyn Williams began experimenting with plant-based ice cream in 2014. Striving to make ice cream accessible to all, she creates 100% plant-based gluten-free ice cream using local ingredients sourced from farmers markets.
This is one of the best ice cream shops in Portland for elevated childhood classics (like cookies and cream or vanilla bean) and creative concoctions (like rose water cardamom almond and lemon blueberry cheesecake). Here’s the full lineup of current flavors.
Indulge at Prost Marketplace
In many ways Mississippi Avenue is the only place you want to be on a sunny weekend afternoon. The fact that you can find some of the best food trucks in Portland is mere icing on the cake.
Started in 2009, this Portland food cart pod is often credited for starting the trend of using food carts as community gathering hubs. They were the first to add patios with picnic tables and cozy lighting. Up until that point, enjoying a meal at most food carts in Portland was a standing occasion.
Note: You can enjoy your meal at Prost Marketplace (the German pub next door) if you order a brew from them. Great vibe, great brews and memorable food, what’s not to like?
You might enjoy reading: 10 Gratifying Portland Food Cart Pods You Won’t Want to Miss
Enjoy a Meal at Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty
If you’re looking for unique pizzas in Portland, make a beeline for Lovely’s Fifty Fifty. It could be argued that innovation sometimes comes at the cost of quality (trying to stand out in a saturated field requires risk).
Thankfully, Sarah Minnick’s pizzeria, Lovely’s Fifty Fifty, makes it clear that serving top-quality pizza in Portland is non-negotiable. Offering creative Neopolitan-style pies with toppings sourced from local farmers markets, locals line up for hours to get their hands on these pies.
Enjoying a meal at Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty is one of the best things to do on Mississippi Avenue, you won’t want to miss it.
Foodie? Read: 15 Perfected Portland Pizzas (Ranked by Pizza Type)
Grab a Pint at StormBreaker Brewing
A local’s favorite for good reason! Founded in 2013, this popular Portland brewery has two locations: North Mississippi Avenue and downtown St. Johns (opened 2018). Offering great outdoor seating, the brewery is the neighborhood’s gathering place (don’t sleep on the nachos).
You might enjoy reading: 20 Thirst-Quenching Portland Breweries
Visit Meadow: Salt, Chocolate and Bitters
Meadow: Salt, Chocolate and Bitters is a cute shop worth a visit even if you don’t plan to purchase anything. Selling artisanal chocolates from all over the world and massive salt blocks used for cooking.
Have Brunch at Gravy
Perhaps the most iconic brunch spot in Portland, Gravy has been a hot-spot for years. You’ll need to arrive early if you plan to get a table without an hour-long wait. Once inside, spend time looking over the menu but make sure to order the restaurant’s staple dish — biscuits with homemade gravy.
The portions are large and the Bloody Mary is memorable. Also, I have no idea what they put in the oatmeal, but goodness, I can’t leave without ordering a bowl. Having brunch at Gravy is one of the most popular things to do on Mississippi Avenue, so arrive early!
You might enjoy reading: 25 Toothsome Portland Brunch Spots Worth the (Inevitable) Wait
Relax at Fly Awake Tea House
Fly Awake Tea House couldn’t be cozier, which is why I often recommend it to folks looking for relaxing things to do on Mississippi Avenue. The charming tea house offers an impressive selection of artisanal teas, from robust black teas to delicate herbal infusions. Order a cup of tea and enjoy it on the outdoor patio, this is a tea lover’s paradise!
Where to Eat on Mississippi Avenue
Por Que No: My favorite tacos and guacamole in Portland! Their margaritas are also very good. Lines start to form quickly during the lunch hour and dinner hours. If you can, swing by during happy hour (weekdays from 2:30-5pm).
Little Big Burger: Great smaller burgers with truffle fries (so good). I normally stop it for a quick bite if I need a boost of energy. However, if you plan to only have one meal while exploring Mississippi Ave, make it Por Que No or Lovely’s Fifty-fifty.
Miss Delta Restaurant and Bar: Cajun restaurant specializing in comfort food like hush puppies, fried catfish & other Southern specialties.
Blue Star Donuts: If you have followed this blog for a while you might be suspicious of how often I mention Blue Start Donuts. I assure you I am not employed by them (but I am here if they need want me). My admiration of their tasty donuts is no secret, try a seasonal flavor or order the tried and true bergamot.
Shops on Mississippi Avenue
Pistils Nursery: One of the best plant shops in Portland. Some of the bigger plants are outlandishly priced, but smaller 4-inch potted plants go for $10, not too bad in the plant world.
ReBuilding Center: I actually just discovered the ReBuilding Center and I’m surprised I didn’t know about it earlier! It’s a massive 40,000 square foot building full of recycled home materials for shoppers to pursue. It’s great for updating your home and simply getting inspired.
Visiting Mississippi Avenue (Overview)
Here’s a quick list of the best things to do on Mississippi Avenue in Portland, Oregon!
- Catch a Show at Mississippi Studios
- Split a Bottle of Rosé at Stem Wine Bar
- Pop Into Kate’s Ice Cream for a Treat
- Indulge at Prost Marketplace
- Enjoy a Meal at Lovely’s Fifty-Fifty
- Grab a Pint at StormBreaker Brewing
- Happy Hour at Por Que No
- Visit Meadow: Salt, Chocolate and Bitters
- Have Brunch at Gravy
- Relax at Fly Awake Tea House
Well, there you have it! I hope you found this mini guide on visiting North Mississippi Avenue helpful! If you have any questions let me know in the comments below.
See you next week!
Antonina
Hi there,
We’d love to use some of the photos from your post exploring Mississippi Ave in Portland on our homepage and could backlink to your website.
Would that be okay?
Hi Ruby! Absolutely!
Feel free to email me – [email protected], and I’ll be happy to send some photos your way or feel free to pull them from the site 🙂
Cheers,
Antonina
Hello,
Mississippi avenue has changed a lot since you made this post in 2021. Some of these shops are gone an lots of great new ones have opened. Any chance you make a new post before the hollydays?
Thanks you for promoting local! 🙂