Zefiro (restaurant)
Defunct restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zefiro was an Italian and Mediterranean restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States.[1][2] The business operated from 1990 to 2000.
| Zefiro | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Zefiro | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1990 |
| Closed | 2000 |
| Food type | |
| Location | 500 Northwest 21st Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97209, 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
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]
