The Waffle Window

by Matt Dela Peña

Portland has a treasure trove's worth of shimmering gems hidden within its ninety-five neighborhoods that even some of its own residents don’t quite know about. Because that’s just the thing about this hipster-run metropolis: the locals don’t really want you to know about them.

These jewels are typically tucked away in the least accessible parts of the city, far from all of the pesky tourists that incessantly roam about. Occasionally, some of us that live here love to search these places out in the hopes of striking gold. My friends and I have been doing so since high school, back when going to Portland on a weekend was literally the most exciting travel experience ever.

One jewel-encrusted neighborhood is Hawthorne. Hawthorne is a district in the Southeast that I didn't actually get to visit until college. But before a mob of anti-mainstreamers raise a red flag on me for making a false claim, this neighborhood (street, rather) is, yes, one of Portland’s most well-known spots for bars and restaurants. So no, the eatery I’m going to talk about is not that unknown to people, whatever—just to me  for the past six years, I guess.

It’s called The Waffle Window. Now if you’re thinking that’s a pretty creative name, it actually describes the place quite literally: you order waffles through a window on the sidewalk. In fact, I don’t believe this “walk-thru” window-type restaurant lays claim to its own establishment; It is located inside a separate restaurant which generously reserves a VERY small section of its floor area for waffle patrons. But, there’s also outdoor seating under a tent in the back parking lot.

If the name hasn’t given it away, the only thing they serve here are waffles. Delicious, fluffy waffles. They come in either sweet (straight up sugar overdose) or savory (meaty goodness). Personally, when I think of waffles, I don’t immediately go “Mmm… Gravy,” so I always opt for the sweet option. My first time here, I got the Nutella & Fresh Banana Waffle, but I seriously, seriously recommend the Hot Fudge Sundae Waffle. Also, the prices are great; $6 dollars, tops.

So if you're ever in town, go to the Hawthorne District and drop by this place for dessert (or breakfast). It’s located on the southeast corner of SE 36th and Hawthorne. Oh, and keep a sharp lookout; it's fairly easy to miss.