Pine State Biscuits
There is one thing I find as painful as getting a rabies shot (don’t ask), and that is waiting in line at the Pine State Biscuits stand at Portland Farmer’s Market for 37 minutes and then having them tell me they sold the very last biscuit to the person in front of me.
Now, you can circumvent the long line at the market and 2nd degree assault & biscuit theft charges altogether by visiting Pine State’s charming little cafe on SE Belmont, where you can get all their biscuity favorites.
Once upon a time, you had no recourse for this situation other than stalking one of the few lucky people left still waiting for their biscuit, then bopping them over the head with a butternut squash and taking what was unrightfully yours, but that was messy, immoral, and illegal.
Now, you can circumvent the long line at the farmer’s market/2nd degree assault and biscuit theft charges altogether by visiting one of Pine State’s charming little cafés on SE Belmont and NE Alberta, where you can get all their biscuity favorites like The Regina–eggs over easy with braised greens on a big fluffy biscuit, doused with “the South’s number one hot sauce”–Texas Pete, and the famous (as in, it was in Oprah Magazine-famous) Reggie Deluxe–a huge piece of crispy fried chicken, bacon, cheese and a fried egg all stacked on a biscuit and slathered in gravy.
Don’t forget a side of golden brown ham-studded hash ups, and maybe a slice of pecan pie while you’re there, and remember, Pine State is the exclusive purveyor of Xocolatl de David’s Champ’s Gourmet Chocolate Milk–just the thing to go with your summer strawberry shortcake. And although you may be in a food coma for hours after leaving Pine State, you and your butternut squash will have a satisfied smile and a clean conscience.
Details
Cuisine: American
Executive Chef: Walt Alexander, Kevin Atchley, and Brian Snyder
Atmosphere: Cheery, cozy, down-home little cafes with a friendly staff, a big kitchen, a small dining room, and chocolate milk mustaches aplenty
Outdoor seating: SE: There is a long bench lining the outside of the restaurant, just under the front window
NE: A big beautiful patio
Best Seat: SE: I like sitting at the bar against the far wall, which is often your only seating choice, as tables are scarce and highly coveted
NE: On the patio
Noise Level: Normal to Boisterous
Dress Code: Casual
Bring the Kids: Yes
Parking: Street parking is free and relatively easy to find at both locations
Cocktails: No
Beer: No
Wine: No
Teetotalers: Cheerwine, BubbleUp, NuGrape, fresh squeezed OJ, The Champ's Chocolate Milk
Coffee: Stumptown
Tea: Sweet tea
Ideal Meal: Biscuit with choice of country ham, egg and cheddar, hash browns with chopped country ham and mushrooms, and a glass of The Champ's Gourmet Chocolate Milk
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Good for the following occasions: Breakfast, Out With Friends, Kids Included, Biscuit Cravings
Group/Private Party Details: The dining rooms are pretty small and always full, so large groups may have difficulty finding seating--the NE is your better bet
Reservations: No
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No