On my first visit to Portland, Oregon, I set out to see what all the James Beard Award buzz was about. Within two days, I visited three 2025 finalists: JinJu Patisserie, for its fabulous pastries; Scotch Lodge, for inventive cocktails in a moody hideaway; and Coquine, for a meal that celebrated Pacific Northwest dining. Here's how it all unfolded, one bite (and sip) at a time.
Table of Contents
James Beard Finalists
Pastries at JinJu Patisserie (Outstanding Bakery)
My first stop was at JinJu Patisserie in the Williams District of Northeast Portland. Founded in 2019 by pastry chefs Kyurim "Q" Lee and Jin Caldwell, JinJu Patisserie blends global inspiration with French technique.
The Seoul-born duo met while crafting pastries for top-tier Las Vegas resorts, where Caldwell earned acclaim as a chocolatier and Food Network personality. Seeking balance and community, they relocated to Portland to open a neighborhood bakery.
Named after the Korean word for "pearl," JinJu quickly gained local and national attention for its croissants, chocolates, and viral pastry videos.
In 2024 and 2025, they were recognized as finalists for the James Beard Award in the Outstanding Bakery category. A few weeks after my visit, they were named the 2025 winners for the category.
Related: Portland's Best Bakeries
Breakfast
It was 8:15 a.m. on a Friday when Kel and I arrived at JinJu Patisserie on our way to see Multnomah Falls. Morning light poured through the windows, illuminating rows of sweet and savory pastries.
Butter, chocolate, and almond croissants filled the dry display case, but I opted for a more savory option-the ham, bacon, and Gruyère croissant. It was excellent, flaky, and not too salty.
The cold case was filled with more colorful pastries, such as a bright red "Berries and Cream Heart" and a green matcha-and-yuzu cake. I zeroed in on the yellow coconut passion fruit petit gâteau, a customer favorite.
According to the recipe on StarChefs, it's composed of sable, passion fruit-mango confit, passion fruit curd, whipped ganache, coconut dacquoise, chocolate glaze, and a chocolate tuile. If reading this doesn't help you to appreciate the work that goes into such a refined pastry, eating it sure will.
For her part, Kel ordered a jalapeno cheddar biscuit and the "Brown-kie," a chocolate brownie that incorporates cookie dough. 4063 N Williams Ave., Portland, Oregon - jinjupatisserie.com
Related: Seattle's Top Bakeries
Drinks at Scotch Lodge (Outstanding Bar)
Fast forward to late afternoon, and let's head to the Buckman neighborhood in Southeast Portland for a cocktail.
It was here, in early 2019, that Tommy Klus (Multnomah Whiskey Library) opened a whisky bar. By fall, Portland Monthly had named Scotch Lodge their "Bar of the Year." Not to be outdone, Esquire called it one of the country's best bars in 2021.
When it comes to cocktails, I hew toward gin, vodka, and tequila, so the Scotch Lodge's premier whisky collection was a bit lost on me. Still, as a fan of creative bar programs, I'm always open to trying something new.
Happy Hour
Kel and I arrived at the Scotch Lodge at 4 p.m., ahead of a dinner reservation at Coquine. They had just opened their doors.
Inside the dark den of delights, decorations hung in celebration of their sixth birthday. A special menu featuring three of their signature drinks (Angel's Envy, Namesake, and Islay Daiquiri) was offered at a reduced rate of $12 each.
See also: Road Tripping the Oregon Coast
Walking past the open kitchen, we claimed two seats at the white marble bar. The main cocktail menu featured no fewer than 20 mixed drinks, each accompanied by a detailed description and an illustration of the glassware used. Regular prices ranged from $16 to $18, with a pair of reserve drinks topping out at $26.
Despite the Scotch Lodge's emphasis on whiskies, I was happy to see a nice balance of spirits reflected in the drinks, from Japanese gin and lemongrass tequila to pandan-infused mezcal.
I ordered the Lotus Esprit (genmaicha-infused Japanese whisky, toasted lotus seed orgeat, lemon, and egg white). It was served in an elegant coupe glass with a deliciously foamy head.
Kel chose the zero-proof Penicillin made with Dhos non-alcoholic spirit, pineapple, orange, yuzu, and ube cream of coconut.
Thanks to Chef Tim Artale, the Scotch Lodge has an excellent reputation for serving modern Pacific Northwest dishes; however, I didn't want to ruin dinner, so we limited ourselves to a baguette (from Ken's Artisan Bakery), served with butter and Maldon Salt. 215 SE 9th Ave #102, Portland, OR, scotchlodge.com
Dinner at Coquine (Outstanding Restaurant)
With happy hour behind us, we drove east to Coquine, the 2025 James Beard Award finalist for Outstanding Restaurant, in the leafy-green Mt. Tabor neighborhood of Portland.
Coquine's cozy interior adopts a less-is-more approach, yet it is by no means lacking in style. The dining area is furnished with simple wooden tables and chairs.
A red marble bar anchors one side; above it, a series of copper pendant lamps hang. And a teal accent wall surrounding the kitchen window draws the eye while evoking the image of a waterfall.
Led by Chef Katy Millard, Coquine is dedicated to serving seasonal dishes made with ingredients sourced from local farms. Coquine also supports regenerative farming and has been a member of Zero Foodprint since 2019.
Related: Dinner at Kann in Portland
Our Experience
Dinner guests can choose from an à la carte menu or a five-course prix-fixe. We chose the former and shared three courses.
Our first choice was the carrot soup (cannellini beans, saffron butter, fennel, Meyer lemon, crispy shallots, sweet cicely), which was served tableside in two bowls.
Additional appetizers included raw oysters with Champagne-blood orange gelee and caviar. Ken's bread was also on the menu, served with French butter.
For our entrée, we chose the braised lamb with strangolapreti, a traditional Italian vegetable dumpling from the Dolomite region.
It's made with milk-soaked stale bread, spinach, and cheese. A garden of earthly delights-sugar snap peas, basil, mint, and pea shoots-finished the dish.
Potato gnocchi with morel mushrooms and tarragon butter, duck breast with confit new potatoes, and an organic, pasture-raised chicken to share rounded out the larger dishes.
A quartet of desserts awaited our decision. The two star attractions were a rhubarb sundae with fresh bay leaf ice cream, and a honey cake with whipped crème fraîche, burnt honey mousse, blood orange-glazed kumquat, and caramelized feuilletine.
We ordered the latter, which was beautifully presented, well-balanced, and tasty. The Eastern European-inspired layer cake reminded me of a similar one I had at a bakery in San Francisco.
Following our feast, we left Coquine Restaurant not through the front door, but through the side door into the adjacent Coquine Market.
The market opens daily at 8 a.m., offering coffee drinks and fresh pastries (including fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies). Sandwiches are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a casual dinner service in the form of Katy Jane's Oyster Bar. 6839 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR, coquinepdx.com
Wrapping Up
Two days, three James Beard Award finalists, and enough butter, cream, and craft to satisfy any serious foodie. Each stop offered a glimpse of what makes Portland such a rewarding city for eaters-ambitious talent paired with a laid-back sense of place.
While I had the chance to return to Portland for a second time in 2025, going to the fourth James Beard Award finalist of the year slipped my mind. Congrats to Chef Ryan Roadhouse, a nominee for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific, for his Japanese food at Nodoguro. Next time!
