Editor admits to missing most Top 50 spots

Margaret Seiler, the editor in chief of Portland Monthly, disclosed that she has not personally dined at half of the establishments on the publication's list of the 50 best restaurants in Portland. The admission appears in the current winter issue, which features the annual ranking compiled by food critics Karen Brooks and Jordan Michelman.

Seiler noted that her first visit to any of the ranked venues occurred in the early 2000s while working for Willamette Week. She treated herself to lunch at Higgins to understand the local farm-to-table dining trend. At the time, the meal cost considerably more than her typical pizza slice or food cart tacos.

Most of her other dining experiences at the listed restaurants were work-related or tied to specific life events. A friend gifted her a certificate to Ox as a thank-you for officiating their wedding. That same friend later celebrated her 50th birthday at Kann. Other visits to Kachka, Han Oak, and Le Pigeon stemmed from birthdays or hosting out-of-town guests. Seiler described these meals as memorable but categorized them in her mind as special-occasion places rather than regular stops.

Her routine dining habits differ from those splurges. She frequently orders to-go pastries or weekday lunches from Måurice, which has been visible from the magazine's office windows for years. The rosemary scones and buttered radishes from that location draw her attention. As a resident of North Portland, she also regularly visits Tulip Shop Tavern, a spot where she recently joined colleagues for lunch in June.

During dining restrictions in the pandemic, Seiler often purchased tavern burgers and mason jar beers from Tulip Shop Tavern for takeout. She would eat these at nearby Peninsula Park, occasionally forgetting to order extra fry sauce. She contrasted this habit with Portland Thorns player Morgan Weaver, who frequently dines at Sammich and does not make that same mistake.

Higgins serves a dual purpose in Seiler's routine. She sometimes takes her father directly to its bar after airport pickups. Other times, she meets friends there before or after concerts and readings. Greg Higgins, the chef behind the namesake kitchen, is preparing to hand over operations and retire. Seiler plans to visit the restaurant more frequently before he leaves to observe the transition.

Seiler stated she intends to stop waiting for special occasions to sample other highly rated spots. She aims to explore the restaurants praised by her critics in their years of research and writing. She concluded that any day can serve as a valid reason for a special dining experience.