On one of my first ever trips to Portland I was taken to Milo’s City Café. My friend, who was giving me something of a gourmet’s tour of the city, also knew the places beyond the hype and ‘best of’ lists where particular dishes could be found that were so good it was like discovering buried treasure. In the case of Milo’s it was the Hungarian mushroom soup, a wonderful rich broth with deep flavors that spread across the palate almost like a wine does. Served with tasty ciabatta bread, it’s the perfect comfy dish as the weather begins to cool and the leaves drop from the trees.

It’s since become my go-to lunch if I’m in the area, and I was pleased to see that Milo’s is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, still under the same family ownership. Though I would always recommend the soup, there are other good options on the menu—in particular, the salads stand out and they do well with seafood (a recent special of blackened snapper in a French roll was precisely cooked and bursting with flavor). The service has never been anything but polite and efficient.

Week-day lunch pulls in the work crowd, while weekends attract families—the brunch is worth checking out, especially as they do fresh juice mimosas for five bucks. It will never make the hipster lists, but I’d be happy to see it continue on its unassuming way just as it is. The good news: they’ve signed another 15 year lease. Milo’s City Café, 1325 NE Broadway

A cup of the Hungarian mushroom soup, plus sandwich
  • A cup of the Hungarian mushroom soup, plus sandwich