Gravy on N. Mississippi

When I think of the iconic American breakfast, I think about diners, mounds of hash browns, greasy eggs, and a waitress with big hair. If you're driving Route 66, that's probably pretty close to spot on. But what about in Portland? In a town where foodie tendencies hide in the most unexpected folks, there's a breakfast place where the greasy spoon meets the hip Portlander set.

Like the other "must eat" places in town, you'll wait. To avoid this, you can arrive a little before 9am. The one characteristic of the classic American greasy spoon that you'll find at Gravy is the portions. They're ginormous. If you want leftovers to take home (trust me, you do) this is the place to be.

These massive pieces of brioche are what they call a "half order" of french toast. A full order is 4 of these bad boys on a big platter.













I credit the oatmeal brulee bowls with making oatmeal cool again. At Gravy they have a caramelized sugar crust over the top that you have to break through with your spoon to discover the hot oozing deliciousness inside. I guarantee you'll find yourself lusting after the memory of this oatmeal on your next cold drizzly morning commute.





When it comes to their biscuits & gravy, the biscuit is nothing to write home about, it's all about the gravy. It comes in both vegetarian and sausage gravy, just the right consistency, and enough spice to give it the necessary kick.

I also highly recommend the Monte Cristo sandwich.




It's fun to peruse the garden shop down the street afterward, (the one with loose chickens running around in it) and explore the Recycling Center for fun vintage fixtures and inspiration for home projects.