Gravy (restaurant)

Last updated
Gravy
Gravy (restaurant) logo.png
Portland, Oregon in May 2025 - 160.jpg
The restaurant's exterior, 2025
Gravy (restaurant)
Restaurant information
EstablishedMarch 2004 (2004-03)
Owner(s)Mark Greco
Food typeAmerican
Street address3957 North Mississippi Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97227
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 45°33′06″N122°40′33″W / 45.5517°N 122.6757°W / 45.5517; -122.6757
Website gravyrestaurant.com

Gravy is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established by owner Mark Greco in 2004, it operates on Mississippi Avenue in the north Portland part of the Boise neighborhood.

Contents

Description

The restaurant Gravy operates on Mississippi Avenue in the north Portland part of the Boise neighborhood. It serves breakfast and lunch and is known primarily as a brunch establishment. [1] The Oregonian has described Gravy as a "rustic" cafe with "a farmhouse feel", mixed tableware, and bar stools. [2] A guide book by Moon Publications described the interior as "Portland thrift store" and the clientele as "young, tattooed and artistic". [3]

The menu has been described as American cuisine and comfort food. [4] It includes eggs (and egg sandwiches), biscuits and gravy, French toast, [4] hashes, [5] and pancakes. [1] One scramble has feta, mushroom, and spinach. [6] Sides include bacon, ham, sausage, and hash browns. The Dalise omelette has bacon, ham, sausage, cheddar cheese, mushroom, peppers, and onion, [7] and the Greco omelette has fontina, mushroom, spinach, and tomato. The steak and eggs comes with rib eye; the restaurant also serves versions with chicken-fried steak or pork loin. Other breakfast options include corned beef hash, [8] oatmeal brulée, [9] [10] roast beef, smoked salmon, [11] a Monte Cristo sandwich, and coffee by Cellar Door. [12]

The lunch menu includes a tuna melt sandwich [13] and Southern-inspired sides such as corn pudding, gravy fries, and sweet potato. The Gravy salad has almonds, apples, bulgur, chard, kale, raisins, and sunflower seeds. Bloody Marys are among cocktail options. [8]

Dinner options have included chicken cordon gravy, halibut, meatloaf, pork chop, roast turkey, and French fries. [14]

History

Gravy is owned by Mark Greco. The restaurant on Mississippi Avenue opened in March 2004. [15] [16]

Gravy launched a dinner menu in February 2014. [14]

In February 2018, Greco announced plans to open a second location on Sandy Boulevard in the northeast Portland part of the Kerns neighborhood, in the space that previously housed the vegan restaurant Harvest at the Bindery. [1] [5]

Reception

In 2008, Brian Lee of The Oregonian included Gravy in an overview of Portland's best biscuits and gravy. [2] The business ranked fifteenth in the newspaper's 2019 list of the city's 25 best corned beef hashes. [17] Alan Richman of GQ said Gravy has "very satisfying grub" in 2012. [10] Jen Stevenson called the restaurant "beloved" in Portland Family Adventures (2017). [18] In a 2019 guide book by Moon Publications, Hollyanna McCollom wrote: "A great spot for good old American greasy spoon breakfast, Gravy is a testament to the joys of gluttony." [13]

The restaurant has been categorized as "excellent" and "worth the detour" by Roadfood . The website's Maggie Rosenberg and Trevor Hagstrom wrote, "Gravy stands out among an infamously fanatic Portland breakfast scene. Even if you need to wait outside for a few minutes, it's worth it." [19] Thrillist says, "the best thing at Gravy, surprisingly, isn't the gravy. But, that shouldn't keep you from going because this trendy little joint on Mississippi happens to make some of the biggest and best omelettes and scrambles not only in town, but also probably the entire West Coast." [7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Massively Popular Brunch Spot Gravy Will Open Second Location Within the Month". Willamette Week. 2018-02-26. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  2. 1 2 Lee, Brian (2008-04-10). "The best biscuits 'n' gravy in PDX". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  3. Morris, Elizabeth; Morris, Mark; Jewell, Judy; McRae, W. C. (2007-02-26). Moon Oregon. Avalon Publishing. ISBN   978-1-56691-930-2.
  4. 1 2 Frane, Alex; Moore, Jenni; Cottell, Pete (2022-09-27). Portland Like a Local: By the People Who Call It Home. Penguin. ISBN   978-0-7440-7825-1.
  5. 1 2 Forster, Tim (2018-02-27). "Big Brunch News as Gravy Plans Second Location". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  6. Gottberg, John; Lopeman, Elizabeth (2010-06-01). Best Places: Portland, 8th Edition. Sasquatch Books. ISBN   978-1-57061-699-0.
  7. 1 2 Kolars, Emily (2017-10-05). "Gravy". Thrillist. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  8. 1 2 Shimer, Katie. "Gravy, Baby". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  9. "Mom was right; breakfast rules". Oregon Business. 2009-08-20. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  10. 1 2 Richman, Alan (2012-11-05). "Alan Richman Reviews Portland Restaurants". GQ. Archived from the original on 2023-04-30. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  11. Williams, Allison (2018-05-08). Moon Pacific Northwest Road Trip: Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, the Olympic Peninsula, Portland, the Oregon Coast & Mount Rainier. Avalon Publishing. ISBN   978-1-64049-002-4.
  12. "Gravy | Restaurant Listing". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  13. 1 2 McCollom, Hollyanna (2019-05-14). Moon Portland. Avalon Publishing. ISBN   978-1-64049-368-1.
  14. 1 2 "Brunch Bites Back". Willamette Week. 2014-04-23. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  15. "Specially Sauced". Willamette Week. 2004-03-17. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  16. Stout, Heidi J. (February 15, 2004). "Mississippi renaissance". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-08-14. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  17. Acker, Lizzy (2019-03-11). "25 Portland corned beef hashes, ranked". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2025-05-26.
  18. Stevenson, Jen (2017-04-18). Portland Family Adventures: City Escapades, Day Trips, Weekend Getaways, and Itineraries for Fun-Loving Families. Sasquatch Books. ISBN   978-1-63217-100-9.
  19. "Gravy - Portland, OR | Review & What to Eat". Roadfood. Retrieved 2025-05-26.