Portland Kettle

Food was delicious, homemade soups and salads. I had the pastrami- huge portions Gayle makes to order with a lovely smile

Portland Kettle is a family run small business right in the business district of downtown Portland. They serve a variety of delicious soups and sandwiches. I ordered the sandwich combo which is a half sandwich and soup of your choosing. The sandwich was delicious and savory and packed with pastrami, I was surprised it was considered a half, the chili is really good and was very filling. The only downside is that it was a bit dry as if it was sitting for a bit, but delicious nonetheless.

Decent hot pastrami sandwich. Good quality pastrami. Lots of soup options.

The service was excellent. The soup was excellent. Split pea and ham. Had the cornd beef sandwich. Excellent.

One of the best, hearty no frills working class meals I’ve ever had. The NY pastrami sandwich was incredibly delicious and felt very authentic.

This was an amazing spot. My friend Mike took me there. The prices are really good. I loved eating there and am going to go back alot of times. I hope you love it too. If you have any questions I am happy to answer. Please follow me and like stuff I put up. Thanks have fun in Portland.

Update: A year later been eating here regularly. Friday clam chowder is so good! I get the slit pea 2 times a month and never disappointed. Don’t walk too fast or you’ll pass it. Cool place I stumbled onto. Bad signage great food. Corn chowder tastes homemade to me and I’m a soup snob. Cornbread OMG! Pastrami sandwich dad would love. Soups, salads and sandwiches. Subway on steroids!

We walked here from our hotel because we were cold and really craving soup. The food was so good, and large portions. Everything was fresh and delicious. The staff was awesome and let us sample soups and gave us recommendations.

Both of my favorite delis have gone away. So when I heard of this place and heard it was endorsed by my friend from the Midwest. I had to try it. I got the hot corned beef. I asked which was better and the lady said corned beef today because it is a fattier cut today. Well, that's darn good advice. The bread was really good but it was too soft for the sandwich. Perhaps toasted or grilled? But delicious rye bread. The meat was very tender and flavorful. Lots of it too. I've been looking for a sandwich like this for a while. Very friendly service. Definitely a spot I'll come back to.

My original review from 2017 that I stand by: Damn. I don't think you will find better or more hearty comfort foods anywhere in downtown Portland than Portland Kettle. Just had my third lunch there & introduced another friend who is their newest fan. In the past, I've tried the beef stroganoff (amazing!) and today I tried the beef barley mushroom soup. Incredible. Twice I've had the chicken salad pocket. Great taste & interesting texture, but the pocket does tend to fall apart before the end. Also, this is the only place I like cornbread & you get a piece with each dish. So damn good! My updated review: If you love pastrami, you HAVE to have theirs! It's the best on the planet! This is the reason I'm sad to no longer work in downtown Portland as they are closed on the weekends. Words have no way of describing how delicious and amazing this sandwich is! Change your life - have a pastrami (or the corned beef!)

A great quick bite with authentic food in he middle of downtown Portland. The lady was very sweet to recommend me the beef chili since they don't serve beef stew anymore. What of m orders, the smoked pastrami sandwich and the beef chili tasted great! If you travel, this is a perfect stop to get a bite before you head out of downtown to your Airbnb o next trails :)

We found the Portland Kettle on Yelp and wanted to get some hot soup on a cold wet evening. Found out the Yelp listed hours are not accurate, when we arrived at 6:50 thinking it closed at 7:30 pm but the guy said they were closing at 7pm and we could only get soup To Go (no other food orders or sandwiches). No cornbread was available too (usually included with soup) since it was the end of the day and they were out. I got the split pea with ham which had large pieces of ham and was tasty but we were disappointed by not getting the full experience/food even paying full price through the normal operating hours. My buddy got the lemon rice with chicken soup and said it was "ok." We ended up stopping in another restaurant to get more food/appetizers and have our soup with it. I think it would have been nice to get some extra soup or something since we missed the cornbread. ----TL;DR---- Pros: good tasting hot soup. Should warm you up in cold weather Cons: better come way in advance of closing or you might not get a "full order" of food. Closes at 7pm, not 7:30 Bottom Line: worth another try during early business hours, but wasn't impressed with my first visit.

Wow. Amazing gumbo and cornbread and salad. Really close to my hotel and good blues music. But the cornbread was divine. I couldn't eat more than a bite because it has sour cream and I'm lactose intolerant, but I would have that for dessert everyday if I lived here and could eat dairy. The woman who owns it is very sweet. I'll probably come back here before I leave.

I am in love with Soups and this casual restaurant fulfills my hearts and my stomachs desires. Plus this area doesn't have a ton of choices for casual dining hence I am recommending it for the chilly Portland days and nights. There are always several soup options to choose from and I chose to mix the chicken noodle soup with the chicken vegetable soup and it was just right. A large soup is a little over $10.

This was a great spot for a quick lunch! The service was great and I love that it's family owned business. Must try their pastrami sandwich, perfectly seasoned with a nice melt in your mouth texture. I was impressed and I'm from Texas. I love that they have mini moon pies! All the flavors. Don't skip the cornbread and the soup & sandwich combo is a great portion for the price. I will say that the lemon & rice soup was a little bland but the cornbread saved it.

Great variety and quality of homemade soup! Soup is delicious and it's difficult to pick a favorite, but don't worry, they let you sample the soup so you can try all before you order. I like that their soup is hearty and isn't too salty or heavy. Their sandwiches and pita pockets are good too! Service is friendly and everything is clean.

As a soup connoisseur I really wanted this place to be good, but unfortunately I can make much better soups at home. The employee who helped me was nice at least and apologized that the only vegetarian soup option for the day basically had no broth left in the kettle so what I got was mostly a pile of bland noodles and vegetables. Oh well, was worth a shot.

I decided to try this place. cause I was looking for something unique. Comfort food is what they go by and yes it hits the spot. I'm a soup guy and lived the 12 kinds of soup or chili. The special was clam chowder. Very good with tasty clams and cut potatoes with the skin. Small was 9.95 with no tax. I also ordered the lemon chicken and gumbo. The chicken hit the spot but a little lemon for me. Gumbo which was a nice stew and pepper mix. Get it with the corn bread as it hits differently. Very good

Was just finishing up my deliveries for the day and saw this place at the last apartment building I was at. Windows all steamed up, couldn't even tell if anyone was in there. Saw a little sign that said "open" so I went in. Line almost to the door! Two people working, one dude slinging sandwiches and soup like crazy, and an older guy ringing people up. Had the feel from that old Seinfeld episode with the "Soup Na*i", a little bit, like I better be ready. They were really cool and chill though, chose the Gumbo and cornbread and was not disappointed at all. 10/10 would definitely recommend. Next time I'm gonna try the Vegetarian Chili, and I also wanna try the pastrami sandwich. Will be back for sure.

Nice little lunch spot in downtown. Owner is a sweet woman and very welcoming. Got the hot pastrami. Half was plenty of meat. Came w yummy slaw and a pickle. Cornbread is tasty too.

Great food and service. The decor is nice and atmosphere is relaxed. The soups are not salty like some places. Hand carved sandwiches are excellent.

We ordered from here for delivery with hot soup on our minds. Ended up ordering a full corned beef, split pea soup and cornbread. All of the food was delicious. The soup was next level. I haven't had big chunks of meat in my split pea soup like that in a long time. The cornbread went well with it. It was well worth the price. The corned beef sandwich was also tasty: my only issue was the portion size for the price. I was expecting a meaty sandwich and got a lot less than what I see in the pictures we got. The pickle was also oddly thin. With that said...I would definitely come here for the soup and bread, hands down. I plan on ordering it again.

Portland Kettle is the real deal! I came here not long ago when I was in town on business. The staff at the hotel I was staying at recommend I come try Portland Kettle. First thing you notice when you walk in the door, is how nice and clean this place is. Spotless. I was fortunate enough to be able to try two of their soups, and a pastrami sandwich. First of all, the chicken soup. OMG!! Talk about good home cooking, the chicken soup tastes just like the one my grandma used to make. I also tried the gumbo, which was also good. I would have to say the chicken soup is the winner though. Great place, nice staff, super clean ambiance. I can't wait to come back!

This is a touch of real New York full lb of meet on the full size sandwich and half lb on the combo's the corn bread is amazing and I got so stuffed!! What a gem in the middle of a dirty homeless city

Great homemade chicken noodle soup! Felt very cozy and reminded me of home. Good service to boot.

First time here at portland kettle. Lets first start off with the customer service The owner. She was the most welcoming and helpful lady I ever met so far. She gave us good tourist advice what to visit since its my first time visiting here in oregon. (Food) at first i didnt know what to order so I checked out the yelp pictures and i wanted to try the pastrami sandwich and it was to die for. I attached a picture of it and I will come back before I leave Sunday. The bread cake is very good And so was the soup (gumbo) Price was reasonable ($50) Overall A+5 STARS 100% ITS A MUST TRY

For a SOUP place I had higher hopes. Soups taste like they came out of can not like a good homemade soup. The bread was also state.

Portland Kettle is run by an old couple; I get lunch here quite often. The food is just so filling. They're very hospitable and welcoming too; I'm very thankful they're near where I go to school, because they feed me on crazy days XD Everything is very reasonably priced and they don't skimp on portions, so hit them up for delicious soup and sandwiches whenever you are around.

I really like this place! They have amazing and classic soup/chili options with yummy sandwiches as well. I normally come for lunch and get the 1/2 sandwich + soup special. It's a fair price and super filling. My favorite part is the complimentary cornbread that comes with the soup. THE BEST! The staff are also very welcoming and friendly. You can taste and feel the love in these soups :) Thanks PDX kettle for keeping my belly warm and satisfied!

Came here on a rainy day because i was craving soup. Food: got the chicken noodle soup and 1/2 turkey sandwich combo. Chicken noodle had a good hearty amount of veggies/chicken/noodles and was oddly sweet but still decent. 2 stars taken off for the turkey sandwich (pictured). It would've been much better if the bread was toasted and the turkey was a bit dry. Service: very friendly even though we came 40 min before closing! Overall: skip the sandwich, stick with the soups!

The service was super friendly. I have the lemon chicken soup with cornbread. It warmed my stomach on a rainy day. I wanted to go back for lunch again but they are not open on Saturday.

As a Former New Yorker the search for the ultimate and authentic pastrami and corned beef sandwich is a challenge. Well not anymore. OMG we got 1 of each delivered last night. I need to search no more. This was perfect- especially the pastrami! Large tasty sandwiches. Only drawback was it came on a roll instead of rye bread. I can't complain ! And the cole slaw was perfect. We also ordered the tots. I don't know what was on them but they were so very delicious! Yeah !!

I go to the Happy Valley food station regularly and today a new cart was open! I saw split pea soup and was intrigued, so I walked up to the window and the woman who was running the cart took my order, very thoroughly, and I ordered the vegetarian chili and a turkey sandwich. I practically inhaled the sandwich. The bread is fantastic and the sandwich was STUFFED with tons of turkey, lettuce, and cheese. I could instantly smell my chili upon picking up the bag and I am not disappointed in the slightest. The people running the cart were an older gentleman, an older woman, and a younger gentleman, and they were all so polite. So sorry for my half-drank protein shake in the background, but here's a picture of the size of the cup of soup! Generous serving. I was content and full after only half the cup. I am excited for the newest addition to the food station and for soup during cold weather!

I love burgers and sandwiches so came to check this place out. Nice, clean spot with great outdoor seating. The pastrami sandwich was excellent. Ton of flavor, texture and tenderness from the freshly sliced pastrami with Russian dressing. I will be back. Excellent service too!

I felt a little under the weather, so I stopped here on my lunch break. I got chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl, which was also served with a side of corn bread. The food was hot, hearty, and tasted homemade. It was exactly what I needed to get through my day and I definitely plan on eating here again.

This review is for the BG Food Cartel location. Ate there for first and last time. Sandwiches (2) were not as stated on menu board and just given a sack with them and realized that after. Meat was old and very chewy (both pastrami and corned beef). Russian dressing advertised but it was a Thousand Island and mustard taste that wasn't good. Worker said she only had worked there a week so cutting some slack but still should know how to make a sandwich. It's been a few hours now and I am still having an unpleasant taste from the weird dressing and old dry meat. For $35 for two cold sandwiches expected a lot more. Eat at own risk.

Service is great and welcoming. The owners were the ones actually behind the counter serving and that is always nice to see. Thanksgiving pocket: I expected it to be warm like thanksgiving dinner; it has turkey, stuffing and cranberry mayo. However it is a cold dish and I was surprised that it works. Cornbread: It is good and fluffy but it should be warm. I wish they had given me an option to have it heated. Lemon chicken rice soup: I liked it, but couldn't eat the whole thing because I feel like it needs some spice or acid to counter the sweetness of the lemon broth.

Our soups and sandwich were all incredibly delicious. The perfect nice warming treat. Plus, our soups came with delicious corn bread! The people working were very kind and helpful.

Really good chicken noodle soup! It comes with cornbread. This is the soup I've ordered when I feel sick, including from the covid booster. It's so warm and comforting! It often comes with homemade cornbread, which is tender, toothsome, and delicious! Just the ticket for a warm, comforting meal!

There is just something about a nice warm bowl of soup on a cold day. With all this freakish Portland snow lately, it was exactly what I needed to warm my soul! There ain't no problem a sourdough bread bowl can't fix. Portland Kettle seems like a cute little family owned vibe of a place. The service was so kind and helpful! They ended up giving us a ton of free corn bread which was so sweet of them. They also let us try quite a few different soups which was nice. The cream of celery was pretty darn tasty, but my rumbling stomach drew me toward the carnivore chili which was also super good and super filling--had a little kick to it! I did notice that the family style vibe bordered on the side of unprofessional at times. (Slow service, didn't always wear serving gloves, a little disorganized, etc.) Didn't bother me too much though because they do seem like very sweet people. Not the very best place I've ever been, but I would recommend coming here!

This place is owned by the sweetest people! Everyone was so kind and helpful. They let us sample a lot of soups and even gave us free corn bread! I wish I could rate them higher but the rest of my experience wasn't as good. I ordered the wedge salad. It was good enough but fairly basic and nothing special. I was a bit bothered that the worker broke up my bacon with his bare hands and didn't wear gloves... My sister ordered a soup and bread bowl to go, but instead of giving her the bread separate, they poured the soup in like they would if she was eating it right away. Then they put it in a plastic bag, twisted it up, and called it good. It just got super soggy and messy, and wasn't the best way to prepare a to go order. Aside from those complaints, the soup and bread bowls did look pretty yummy and like I said, the workers are really kind. I'm just not dying to come back.

What a little gem of an authentic place in downtown Portland. Feels real, homemade, and owner took care of us perfectly. My partner had chicken noodle soup and pastrami sandwich. The soup was in two parts- just like mom made- noodles in one container and then ladled over the top with chicken and veggies. Pastrami was hand cut and plentiful. My small size vegan chili was so filling half is coming home with me. And homemade cornbread with corn in it! Highly recommend!

In town to see a show at the Keller and needed a close by eatery ... walked down 3rd and happened upon this little shop. As soon as you walk in the door you can smell the home cooked goodness - soups, stews, and deliciousness fill the air. We were in search of an easy meal (sandwich) that we could eat on the go - they had "pockets". These are pita bread Sammie's .. for $1 you can upgrade to their version of a hoagie roll. The turkey club sandwiches were devoured by my boys. The cornbread was not to their liking (but they are 10). Parking was tough to find but the prices were reasonable and Portland Kettle made for a quick stop lunch.

The only thing that was amazing was the lemon chicken soup. The pastrami was waaay too fatty and the chicken noodle soup was really bizarrely sweet. That had to be fixed with way too much salt. Not ordering again

We love this spot! The owners are super nice! The food is always great even if the availability is fleeting (looking at you soup of the day). We've been a few times and never been disappointed big portions and high quality. Also the corn bread is surprisingly delicious. Love their Russian dressing!!

Awesome, local, from scratch deli. Highly recommend the fresh sliced, hot pastrami. Knew I was in good hands when they pulled the whole pastrami brisket out and sliced it on the spot. Soups are hearty and well-seasoned. And don't turn down the corn bread.

Super friendly staff with fast service and great corn bread. Seemed to be pretty popular spot to boot. Stopped by on a Thursday night and was surprised to find pretty much all the tables inside taken and a short line at the counter. The staff warmly acknowledged my presence as I awkwardly approached the counter and quickly took my to-go order. By the time I was finished paying my order was ready and I was on my way. The food was only so so and not really worth returning for unfortunately. Glad I got the smaller portion everything and would only recommend the corn bread, especially given that you can get one complementary with the Yelp check in coupon. Gumbo - the most disappointing thing I ordered because it had waaaaay too much flour, which made it super thick and unappetizing. I couldn't even finish the small; all I could taste was flour and fat. So sad. It had so much potential if only they were less heavy in the flour... Thanksgiving - clever take on a Thanksgiving meal, this cold pita sandwich made for a nice snack on-the-go. Personally not a fan of cold sandwiches but this one was a worth try. Corn Bread - by far best part of the meal! It was moist yet crumbly with bits of corn sprinkled throughout but still dense enough to hold together. Definitely would be in the running for the perfect corn bread and definitely worth getting.

Both soups we tried were very bland and I wouldn't recommend. Chicken noodle soup LOOKED amazing, but it had ZERO flavor. No salt, no rich chicken stock, nothing. I've seen that complaint in multiple reviews, hopefully they revamp their recipe to include some salt and herbs. Chicken and rice soup was also bland and super lemony, like a whole lemon had just been squeezed into it, but also lacking salt or any complex flavor. Cornbread was yummy, who would figure that the free side would be the best part of the meal? Pockets were decent and simple- we got the turkey ones with nice thick sliced turkey, crunchy bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mayo. Tasty enough.

Yum yum yum! I went to the Beaverton Food Carr location. Just what I needed to launch my tastebuds into this cool weather. The slit pea soup reminds me of my family back in the Midwest. The pastrami totally melts in your mouth. Yum

Soup made with LOVE... you can tell when soups and stews are made with love. And the Portland Kettle has love by the heaping, steaming spoonful! Just a simple diner set up with huge kettles of soups and stews ready to taste (I recommend tasting a few just for fun) and ready to serve. The couple behind the counter and kind and welcoming to new comers. They encourage tasting! And the regulars (addressed by name as the one in), beam ear to ear with pride as they bring in first timer friends to join the soup-stew loving cult. Frank Sinatra and big band oldies playing in the back ground make you feel like lunchtime in jeans will eating love-bites is somehow now transformed into a grand experience! Vegetarians? Don't fret! They have chilis and salads just for you. Sandwich lovers? No problem! Just when you think the soup can't get any better, pair it with a pocket. I had the thanksgiving pocket (filled with turkey, stuffing and this yummy cranberry sauce) yowza is that thing goooooood! I tried a sample of the beef stew (yum!) and lemon rice with chicken soup-- oh... so fresh and wholesome. I went for a bowl of the later. Peas, onion, leek, chicken, garlic, spinach, basmati rice and of course, lemon! Oh so good. Add a little green chili garlic hot sauce for a nice zing! Then with my yelp check in came a free piece of their FANTASTIC cornbread (moist with bits of corn baked in... my favorite way!). And to think I found this gem just 3 minutes away from Marriott hotel where my conference is. Lucky meeeeeeee!!! Thank you Portland Kettle! Keep up the great service of sharing this food with people!

Excellent food and service! We have bought their overstuffed deli sandwiches for our entire office. Always appreciated!

Super quaint place with great value. Corn bread was amazing and chili was great on a cold day

This is over priced dumpster food. Wilted salad, rotten onions. Shepherds "pie" Was a bowl of soggy tator tots on top of flavorless ground beef. Truly disappointed and have no clue how this place has a decent rating other then one star.

The people are really nice here but there's something wrong with that gumbo! The cornbread is yummy and the prices for lunch are great but after having the gumbo I won't be back.

Visiting from Los Angeles and was searching for some warm food, since it was a cold rainy day. I came across Portland Kettle and so happy that I did! I had the corn beef sandwich with a side Ceasar salad and piece of cornbread. One of the best homemade Corn Beef I've ever had! So juicy, tender, hits all the taste buds! The cornbread is on another level. Fresh and super moist! The service and atmosphere was top notch. The owners are so welcoming and so nice! Great hospitality and genuine heart. They definitely put a lot of love into the food and restaurant!

Awesome food!!!! Awesome staff. Feels just like home. I had the Thanksgiving pita pocket, it was delicious. Hubby got the turkey sandwich, he loved it. We're vacationing here for a week. Of all the places we've tried, this by far, is the best. Best food. Best staff. Awesome interior design. Love the tables and chairs. They offer samples too. Everything is made from scratch. Nothing frozen or from cans. Seems like a tight family staff. If our hotel was nearby, we'd be coming back, but too bad our hotel is far. They have a cool Halloween decoration too.

This place reminded me of a bodega in NY. Modest, friendly, yummy food. Great place to stop and warm up when walking around downtown Portland. Best cornbread I've ever had in life! And there citrus homemade salad dressing is amazing. Glad there are still down to earth urban stops for comfort food.

Hello visiting from east coast and staying around the corner from this cafe. Unfortunately I leave tomorrow and just found this jewel. A great family owned restaurant with wonderful selection of homemade soups and todays special is curry chicken and vegetables over rice. A great spice level balanced with a little sweet and you get a piece of cornbread. They are opened until 7.