Zefiro (restaurant)

Zefiro was an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States.^[1][2] The business operated from 1990 to 2000.

Zefiro
Restaurant information
Established	1990 (1990)
Closed	2000 (2000)
Food type	Italian Mediterranean
Street address	500 Northwest 21st Avenue
City	Portland
State	Oregon
Postal/ZIP Code	97209
Country	United States
Coordinates	45°31′35.5″N 122°41′39.3″W

Description

The Italian and Mediterranean^[3] restaurant Zefiro was located at the intersection of 21st and Glisan in northwest Portland's Northwest District. The interior had sponge-painted yellow walls and a copper-topped bar.^[4] The menu included risotto and a Caesar salad.^[5][6] The dessert menu included gelato affogato^[7] and sorbet.^[8]

History

Bruce Carey^[9] and Chris Israel^[10] opened the restaurant in 1990. Monique Siu^[11] and Sarah Wheaton have also been credited for helping the launch.^[12] The business closed in 2000.^[13][14][15]

Reception

In 1991, Zefiro was The Oregonian's restaurant of the year.^[16][17] In 2007, Eric Asimov of The New York Times said Zefiro "set a standard for Portland cooking".^[18] The restaurant has been described as "ground-breaking",^[19] a "Portland landmark",^[20] and "a key watershed moment in recent restaurant history in Portland".^[21]

In 2017, Nick Zukin of Willamette Week said "Bruce Carey changed Portland dining with Zefiro back in the '90s",^[22] and The Oregonian's Douglas Perry wrote, "Zefiro led the way to the enthusiastic, limited-frills foodie reputation that Portland now enjoys around the world."^[23]

See also

• Oregon portal

• List of Italian restaurants

References

1. Hagberg, Eva (2010-02-25). "Karen Brooks On Zefiro; Current, Trenchant, Lost". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
2. "The Chinese-American chef who put Portland on the culinary map". South China Morning Post. 2019-07-11. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
3. Roberts, Adam (2012-11-13). Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks. Artisan Books. ISBN 978-1-57965-439-9. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
4. Alexander, Kevin (2020-07-14). Burn the Ice: The American Culinary Revolution and Its End. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-525-55804-0. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
5. Butler, Grant (2017-01-01). "Tasty memories: 97 long-gone Portland restaurants we wish were still around". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
6. "Eight Classic Portland Recipes, 1932 to Now". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
7. Perry, Sara (2003). The New Complete Coffee Book: A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Cooking. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-4021-7. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
8. Hall, Lisa Shara; Porter, Roger J. (1996). The Food Lover's Companion to Portland. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-1192-7. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
9. Carlson, Kim; Floyd, Carrie (2001). Best Places Portland. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-267-1. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
10. Alexander, Kevin (2020-07-14). Burn the Ice: The American Culinary Revolution and Its End. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-525-55804-0. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
11. America's Best Food Cities. Diversion Books. 2016-04-10. ISBN 978-1-68230-541-6. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
12. Smith, Barbara Brown (2007). Rise & Dine: Breakfast in Boston. Fulcrum Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55591-607-7. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
13. Brooks, Karen (2016-08-15). "How Zefiro Changed Everything for Portland's Food Scene". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
14. Yorkshire, Heidi (27 February 2007). "LIFE AFTER ZEFIRO". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
15. "Zefiro to serve last dinner". Bizjournals.com. 17 February 2000. Archived from the original on 14 September 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
16. "Restaurant of the Year 1991: Zefiro". The Oregonian. 2009-06-07. Archived from the original on 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
17. Irving, Stephanie; Carlson, Kim (1992). Portland Best Places: A Discriminating Guide to Portland's Restaurants, Lodgings, Shopping, Nightlife, Arts, Sights, and Outings. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-0-912365-69-5. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
18. Asimov, Eric (2007-09-26). "In Portland, a Golden Age of Dining and Drinking". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
19. "Restaurant and Bar Saucebox Closes After 25 Years In Downtown Portland". Willamette Week. October 2020. Archived from the original on 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
20. "Kerns is one of Portland's Sneaky Great Food Neighborhoods". Willamette Week. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
21. Smith, Andrew (2013-01-31). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-973496-2. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
22. "The 16 Best Bistro Burgers in Portland". Willamette Week. March 2017. Archived from the original on 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
23. Perry, Douglas (2017-08-09). "In the 1990s, these 31 Oregonians made waves that can still be felt today". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.