Get to Know: Sellwood-Moreland
Only a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown Portland (well, 3-miles) is the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood. A place where adventurers feel at home! The neighborhood is brimming with shops, bars, and restaurants, but the natural beauty surrounding Sellwood truly makes it unique.
The community of Sellwood-Moreland embraces local comforts – aka, everything in town is accessible by foot, bike, and public transportation. Everything residents and visitors of Sellwood need for everyday living and leisure is steps from their front doors.
A little history! In 1882, a real estate company purchased 321 acres of land from Reverend John Sellwood, who founded the Episcopal church in town. By 1883, the land would be officially incorporated into Portland. To encourage the town’s population growth, the Sellwood Real Estate Company provided free ferry transportation from Downtown to Umatilla Street for workers.
Fast forward to the 21st century, the Sellwood neighborhood is commonly referred to as Sellwood-Moreland. The communities of Sellwood, Westmoreland, and Eastmoreland have so much communal overlap, shared history, and are so close in proximity, that they are considered one neighborhood. Better together!
Join us on a tour of the home-grown, feel-good neighborhood of Sellwood-Moreland.
Our Sellwood-Moreland Favorites
As we tour the neighborhood, you’ll notice a heavy emphasis on locality. Sellwood-Moreland residents eat, drink, play, source, and support their local community to an outstanding degree. Visit a family-owned restaurant in Sellwood and you won’t just be supporting the owners, but supporting local farmers, winemakers, brewers, and butchers that source the restaurant’s ingredients. Follow us…
Snacks and Sips
Tea Chai Tè
The loose-leaf-lovers of Portland will tell you, there’s no place like Tea Chai Tè. The Sellwood location functions out of a converted red train caboose. While the setting is quirky and unique, the showstopper truly is the tea… all 120 varieties!
Owners Dominic and Angela Valdes shared their first few dates over tea and even cheers-ed their proposal with Coconut Oolong. Gushing! The couple opened the first Tea Chai Tè location in 2003 in Nob Hill, operating out of a classic Victorian-style house.
Fun fact: Since the launch of the business, Tea Chai Tè has been featured in multiple seasons of Portlandia! Check out the shop’s huge section of tea here and browse locally made teaware here.
Owners, Dominic and Angela Valdes with their kiddos, in front of the red caboose.
Photo by Portland Photographer Rudy Owens
Bible Club
Transport yourself back to a prohibition-era speakeasy at the Bible Club! Bartenders at the Bible Club are masters at their craft… craft cocktails!
Too cheesy? We’ll rely on the experts themselves to share the concept that is Bible Club:
“Step into a world of sinfully delightful beverages, festive jazz, and repealing the 18th Amendment. Praise the Lord and pass the booze”
If you insist!
Either/Or
The original location of Either/Or is tucked away in Sellwood. Either/or is a charming coffee shop with a limited, curated menu and a curious namesake. Ironically, there’s no pressure to opt between coffee or cocktails because the barista-bartenders offer a little of everything. If you’re looking for caffeination, we suggest having the barista whip up a surprise latte. If you’re looking for a little buzz, try the Winter Paloma!
Saburo Sushi House
Founder, Saburo Nakajima opened his sushi joint in Sellwood back in 1988 to bring “exciting and wonderful food both generous and affordable to all” members of Portland! Their claim to fame has always been the quality of their locally-sourced ingredients and appreciation for the community. When you’re in town, order and check out the famous mural, hand painted by local artist Joseph Cotter Jr. a local legend!
Patrik’s Plant-Based Tip: Saburo’s Veggie Roll is not your typical (boring) vegan roll! Packed with avocado, cucumber, carrots, Japanese squash, mushroom, spinach & burdock root. Yuuuum.
Jade Bistro
Swing by Jade Bistro & Patisserie for a rad blend of Asian traditional, Asian tea house, and French patisserie. Owner Lucy Eklund grew up in both Laos and French Colonial Vietnam, and learned traditional methods of Thai cooking in Pakse, a small Laotian village on the border of Thailand. Lucy followed her passion to Southern France to study French baking. The culmination of her diverse culinary experiences inspired her to open Jade’s Bistro with her daughter!
Make sure to order the Banh Mi when you visit – traditional Vietnamese-prepared protein, pickled veggies, aioli, all on a fresh French baguette – and finish your meal with Vietnamese wedding cake.
Patrik’s Plant-Based Tip – WOOHOO! 24 vegan items available and are all noted right on the menu. Thank you Lucy!
A Cena
Ahhh… Cena.
Get it?
Your classic, date night, white tablecloth, Italian restaurant. A Cena has been serving Sellwood residents unbelievable pasta dishes with ingredients sourced exclusively from local Pacific Northwest farmers. Impress your date or, hey, take yourself out to dinner! Treating yourself for fresh Italian pasta is basically the definition of self care.
More, more, more!
Sellwood-Moreland is packed… and we mean packed with local joints. Check out what else is on the menu:
Relish – Next level American cuisine. For seafood lovers, the seared scallops with lentils and fennel cream are a must.
Muddy Rudder Public House – Friendly hometown bar! Hit up their happy hour and order the chickpea salad.
13 Virtues – Sister company to Philadelphia’s Steaks and Hoagies, but this location is known for their brews!
Papa Haydns – the original location of Portland’s favorite German desserts and espresso. Fun fact, when the location opened in 1978, Papa Haydns was the first restaurant in Portland to have an espresso machine!
Ginos – “Homey” Italian diner. Order the cioppino seafood stew!
Activities
The west side, aka Westmoreland, is known for the lovely bars, restaurants, and cafes we featured above. A few blocks to the east, you’ll hit Eastmoreland where the scene shifts to a Northwest paradise! Members of Sellwood-Moreland are living the dream, with hiking trails, wildlife, and parks in their backyard.
Check out the outdoor adventures that Sellwood-Moreland has to offer!
Hikes and Nature Walks
Spring Water Trail – The trail spans 21.5 miles, starting in Sellwood, and stretches all the way to Boring, Oregon! The route is a scenic tour of the PNW, encompassing wetlands, buttes, agricultural fields and pastures, residential and industrial neighborhoods. Perfect for long-distance cyclists or those on a casual stroll, the trail is 12-feet wide accommodating groups, strollers, wheelchairs, and more.
Errol Heights Park – On the eastern edge of Eastmoreland, you’ll find a plot of untouched forest, wetlands, and wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for beavers and waterfowl!
Parks & Gardens
Eastmoreland Garden – The Hannah Garden Design team and a handful of passionate Portland volunteers transformed what was once a gravel parking lot (can you believe it?) into the elegant Eastmoreland Garden Park! All plants in the garden were strategically chosen for their tolerance to year-round weather.
Westmoreland Park – Take the kiddos to Westmoreland Park’s Nature Playground, which “encourages creative play and interaction with natural features.” Greenworks Studio replaced an outdated playground in 2014 with a nature-inspired play environment and ensured the new landmark was completely sustainable.
Sustainable features include:
- water conservation
- drought-tolerant planting design
- efficient irrigation
- native or native-adaptive plant material
- sustainable stormwater management
- incorporation of salvaged concrete re-purposed for water play elements
- salvaged logs for climbing features and custom benches
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden – A gem of Portland! The Rhododendron Garden is 9.5-acres of enchanting sights and rare species of flowers. Stroll for hours with friends and family by three waterfalls, two bridges, and shaded paths to the Crystal Springs Lake.
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge – Save the critters! Tread lightly and speak softly… there is an abundance of native wildlife at the Oaks Bottom Refuge. Hawks, quail, pintails, mallards, coots, woodpeckers, kestrels, and widgeons are just a few of the birds you may see! Plus, if you visit between April-June, you will have the chance to see frog tadpoles and salamander larvae in the Tadpole Pond.
Bonus!
Save the Giants – In 2015, a cluster of Portland’s oldest and grandest Sequoias were slated for removal to make room for a new residential property. Well… the Portland community said no way! This plot of land is now officially a public park seeking to, “share the beauty and mystery of giant trees within an urban boundary.” How beautifully, perfectly Portland!
Daily Life
The streets of Sellwood-Moreland were made for walking, biking, or easy zips around town. In early 2021, Portland was rated #2 for “Best Biking Cities America”, and we can confidently say Sellwood-Moreland was a major deciding factor. Streets in Sellwood have generally low volume traffic, gentle grades, and a grid-system street layout, ideal for cycling commuters. Drivers and riders naturally share the road in Sellwood-Moreland.
“Show us the car-facts!” For those who like to see the stats, Sellwood-Moreland has a amazing bike-score of 96 and a walk-score of 81.
Notable Properties
Yes… there are goats! Neighbors coined the historical house for the gated front yard and adorable goats (named Jack, Blossom, and Miles) that frolic around. The property was originally built in 1905 in the Millers Addition section of Sellwood-Moreland. Currently the property is being renovated and repaired, although original elements including the parlor sliding doors, bay windows, and stained glass windows flanking the front door will remain.
The most exciting renovation is the goat shack, constructed of mahogany scraps that were removed from the home’s original structure. The roof of the goat shack is a living roof, composed of small plants and succulents. Incredible!
3,000 sq. ft. sitting pretty on the Willamette shore! The floating house was designed with craftsman elements, melded with fisherman aesthetic elements (of course!). Inside, exciting design elements include a freestanding, vintage tub, jacuzzi, spiral iron staircase, and “porthole” windows. The property is walking distance from the Sellwood Riverfront Park and boasts incredible views of the river!
Popo & Archer Take Sellwood-Moreland
We were in for a treat today! Headed over to the Sellwood Riverfront Park to splash around in the Willamette River, frolic in the grassy fields, and wind down with a walk through the nature trails. Our dads were excited too. The park permits picnics and alcohol. So, after a quick swim, they cracked open some brewskies, relaxed, and we all made a family cuddle pile on the shore!
Sellwood-Moreland! The ideal place for those who want the best of both worlds.
Are you a social butterfly?
Adventurous foodie?
Have a green thumb?
Conscious consumer?
Do you reset in nature?
…Yes to all of the above? Well, then we found your perfect Portland neighborhood!
Don’t hesitate to reach out – let’s get you settled in Sellwood-Moreland and off to find your next adventure!
Skip to the Bottom…
Find links below to everything we covered in this blog (plus a few extras)
Food & Drinks:
Activities:
Popo and Archer’s Favorites!
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