Pine State Biscuits (Portland Road Trip 2016) – Biscuit Heaven

They say that necessity is the mother of invention… so it’s no surprise that when three southern boys from North Carolina moved to Portland and couldn’t find the perfect homemade biscuit, they decided to make their own and then shared it with their new home.

Biscuits might seem like an odd choice for Portland… but Portland is a bit weird and biscuits are just as comforting as a good donut. I had originally wanted to try our Pine State Biscuits during out last visit but we were so busy that we never got around to it. This time around, I made sure pay a visit.

We wound up going to their NE Alberta Street location, which was close to our hotel, and also close to a lot of other restaurants in the northeast corner of Portland. Most of the buildings in the area are a bit nondescript and we probably would have driven right past this place if we didn’t know what we were looking for.

Most of the biscuit options are centered around biscuit sandwiches but they do have a few other southern comfort items on their menu.

You place your order at the front counter and then find a spot to sit down. They’ll bring your order to you. We started out with an Arnold Palmer and Orange Juice. While we waited for our meals to arrive, we enjoyed the 80’s music playing in the background.

Okay, here it is… Biscuit & Gravy ($5.50), Shrimp-N-Grits ($7), and a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit Sandwich. The prices were actually quite reasonable given how good the food was and how filled up I felt afterwards.

They really know biscuits so make sure you try them if you’re in Portland. The biscuit arrived still warm and served with butter. They’re even better when paired with the thick sausage gravy.

The make-your-own biscuit sandwich was pretty good too with thick and crispy bacon. Although I admit that I dunked my sandwich in the sausage gravy and it went over the top.

The shrimp-n-grits here was amazing. The shrimp are sauteed in garlic, green onions, mushrooms, and bacon and served on a bed of Ayers Creek grits. The dish is slightly spicy and the grits are super creamy and thick.

Loving this place but the food is quite heavy. We ate here before heading off for some hikes along the Columbia River Gorge to check out the waterfalls. Definitely worth a visit.

2204 NE Alberta Street
Portland, OR

www.pinestatebiscuits.com