Ranked among the top five foodie cities in America for 2025, Portland is a delicious dining destination. Boasting everything from humble food carts to top-rated restaurants serving elegant French fare, the city offers a diverse buffet of dining options that appeal to every taste and budget. However, the one thing that Portland has been missing is a year-round public market.
Inspired by the famed Pike Place Market, Seattle’s vibrant market with hundreds of unique shops, the forthcoming James Beard Public Market is expected to be fully open in Downtown Portland by September 2026. Named after James Beard, a renowned chef, restaurateur, and food writer who was born in Portland in 1903, the market will occupy the corner of Southwest Sixth Avenue and Southwest Alder Street, near Pioneer Square, adding a delicious new foodie destination to the heart of the city. If you’re planning a Pacific Northwest getaway next year, catch a flight and take a bite into Portland’s acclaimed dining scene with a visit to the new James Beard Public Market.
What to expect at Portland’s James Beard Public Market
Like Seattle’s Pike Place Market, the James Beard Public Market will be open daily, year-round, rain or shine. According to its website, the market has a mission of “encouraging healthy eating for people of all cultural and economic backgrounds,” and it will host a variety of vendors peddling everything from organic produce and artisan cheeses to fresh flowers and locally roasted coffee (after all, this classic West Coast city is the coffee capital of America). Of course, it wouldn’t be a quintessential Portland destination without local beer, wine, and spirits, too. The market will comprise over 60 vendor stalls in total, as well as restaurants, a kitchen for live cooking demonstrations, and an event space. To further ensure its accessibility to various income levels, the market will also accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits…