24 | EDIBLE PORTLAND SUMMER 2025 When people describe Portland’s food scene, they often reference its hyper-local sourcing, punk rock dive bars, cozy plant-filled cafes, or vibrant Southeast Asian community. That’s all true. However, one of the most vital forces shaping this city’s food landscape is frequently overlooked: the LGBTQIA2+ community. As a queer transplant to Portland, one of my personal goals has been to build community with and champion queer, trans, and intersectional folks working in the food industry. Queer people have always been part of the food system, from farmworkers to food media talent, and in every part of the front and back of the house. Beyond celebrating queer-owned restaurants, we also need to uplift and share the stories behind them. Who are the owners and operators? What does it mean to hold space for others in this industry, especially when you’ve had to carve out that space yourself? Thankfully, it finally feels like queer food is starting to receive the recognition it deserves. This June, the release of What Is Queer Food by John Birdsall will offer an anthropological lens into queer food culture. Last month, Big Queer Food Fest spent a week in Boston celebrating the LGBTQIA+ culinary community. Additionally, numerous organizations are working in queer food, including the Queer Food Foundation, the Queer Food Conference, Queer Apertivio, and the Queer Farm Network, among others. Beyond incredible, Portland’s queer and trans food ecosystem is wide-ranging and growing: in North and Northeast Portland, you have Mis Tacones, Red Sauce Pizza, Queer Plants Cafe, the Sports Bra, Chelo (plus its sibling spot Damita PDX), Jinju Patisserie, and No Clucks PDX to name a few standouts. Then in South and Southeast Portland, you’ll find Taquería Los Puñales, Statera Wine Bar, Speed-o Queer Food is Thriving in Portland… and it Deserves More Recognition
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