After Hours

By Neil Ferguson When chef Spencer Ivankoe opened Café Rowan in Portland’s Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood in March of 2020, serving brunch was not exactly what he had in mind. But the COVID-19 pandemic turned the restaurant world upside down. “I ripped my business plan in half and went back to the drawing board. I remembered how much people loved brunch when I lived in New York City. I decided to pivot and add some fun here in the Northwest. People could come and go, food traveled well in a box– it worked,” reflects Ivankoe. After setting aside his fine-dining dream, Ivankoe built a loyal following as one of the city’s best brunch destinations. Elevated takes on breakfast sandwiches, burritos and eggs Benedict include foraged mushrooms, Dungeness crab and salmon, in-season, local produce and Tillamook cheese. The menu soon generated long wait times, and when Café Rowan introduced Maine lobster rolls in 2021, a popular trend began. Finding su

by Hilary Berg · source ↗