Portland is a place of plenty. Though it generally feels more like a comfortably-sized town, Oregon’s biggest city actually offers enough quality food and beverage to rival any metropolis in the country. There’s something to satisfy any palate here. You want horseradish-infused vodka martinis with roasted rabbit? No problem. Tiki and karaoke in a dimly-lit neighborhood lounge? That’s easy. But when you want something especially elevated, there’s one shimmering outpost situated high above the rest.
Bellpine is a sleek restaurant and bar, befitting of its address atop the Ritz-Carlton, Portland. Since opening in late 2023, it has bestowed upon tourists – and locals – one of the city’s best sunset views: Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Adams all cast in bright orange during the evening alpenglow. From this vantage point, twenty floors up, you might even spot Mt. Rainier on the distance horizon, some 140 miles to the north.
What you’ll definitely spot on the bar in front of you, however, is an inventive array of crafty cocktails, ranging in price from $18-$25. All of them rely on some DIY modification to attain distinctive individuality. This town prides itself on such, after all. The Olive Oil Old Fashioned is a beloved example. It’s built of top shelf bourbon from Michter’s, washed with a blood orange-infused style of Sicilian olive oil known as agrumato. Added to the mix is demerara, a dash of locally-sourced bitters and an olive oil and chili pepper garnish.
Robust and savory, the final product finds common ground between a Dirty Martini and the most classic of bourbon cocktails. To underscore the point, guests here can frequently be seen pairing the drink with the bar’s celebrated Golden Osetra caviar service – a swanky fare far more familiar to chilled vodka aficionados than whiskey sippers.
But across the board, this menu is populated by aliments that defy expectations. The clarified milk punch, which has become a staple at modern cocktail venues, is rendered here with cachaça and pineapple/Green Chartreuse foam. The Paper Plane is relaunched as the “Whiskey Business,” a bourbon base with Montenegro amaro and a house-wrought burnt orange marmalade. A blanco tequila Negroni fuses cilantro-infused Lalo with jalapeño-imbued Carpano Bianco for a slightly-spicy refresher.
Agave fans can delve far deeper than mere tequila, too, with a skillfully curated spirits list featuring myriad standout mezcals and even half a dozen bottles of raicilla. The density in this particular category is likely by design, as the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine, Jocelyn Chacón, was born in Mexico. The award-winning tastemaker infuses many of her culinary standouts with the flavors and traditions of her homeland. Hoja Santa Halibut, habanero-agave glazed king salmon, mango scallop ceviche, and huitlacoche squash blossoms are all standout examples.
You don’t need to stay at the hotel to enjoy all of the fine flavors coming together atop this Ritz-Carlton. Which is why Bellpine has firmly established itself as a fancy date-night spot for Portland locals. But those who do reserve an overnight at the property – where rooms start at $515 per night – can enjoy equally enviable views from the comfort of their own California King bed, or from the edge of the influencer-friendly infinity pool. Just don’t get too comfortable. There’s far too much to eat and drink around this town. And if you’re just visiting, the one thing you won’t have plenty of is time.