Some Portland restaurants become part of the neighborhood routine long before visitors realize just how much they matter to the people who live nearby.
Redwood has built that kind of lasting connection in Montavilla through scratch-made brunch, friendly service, and a welcoming room that encourages guests to settle in.
Since opening in 2013, it has remained a place where familiar faces return for comforting food, thoughtful twists, and the easy feeling of being recognized.
Its story is also about continuity, as longtime employees eventually took over the restaurant and carried its local spirit into a new chapter.
How Redwood Won Local Hearts
Redwood opened in 2013 at 7915 SE Stark Street in Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood, where it became part of the area’s dining routine.
Its founders, Susie Blue and Austin Putnam, brought experience from Portland restaurants such as Broder and Savoy to the new project.
That background helped shape Redwood’s approach to familiar food with a little extra character and plenty of room for personal touches.
In January 2022, Blue and Putnam sold Redwood to Brenda Dunn and Chantel Chinco, marking an important change in the restaurant’s story.
Dunn and Chinco were already working at Redwood before becoming its owners, so the transition began with people who understood the restaurant from the inside.
That detail gives Redwood’s ownership story a personal connection to the dining room, the staff, and the regular customers.
The new owners already knew the restaurant’s routines, its menu, and the customers who returned week after week for familiar favorites.
They also understood what made Redwood feel at home in Montavilla and helped preserve that welcoming neighborhood character.
Today, Redwood describes its menu as made from scratch, with food shaped by seasonal ingredients and creative ideas.
The menu includes hearty breakfast plates, sandwiches, salads, and rotating specials that give guests several ways to enjoy a meal.
That range allows one table to order classic brunch favorites while another explores chilaquiles, smoked trout hash, or another house specialty.
The result is a restaurant with room for different appetites, different schedules, and different kinds of visits.
Redwood’s appeal comes from more than one signature dish, because its menu offers variety without losing its sense of comfort.
It also comes from the comfortable rhythm of returning to a familiar place and finding something worth ordering again.
The restaurant accepts reservations for parties of eight or fewer, giving smaller groups a way to plan their visit.
Same-day reservations are not available, so planning ahead may be useful for guests arranging a larger brunch gathering.
Food Highlights
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Fried Oatmeal Waffles: Toasted oat-buttermilk waffles are served with eggs, bacon or Beyond Vegan Sausage, and maple syrup. Lemon curd and whipped cream are available for an added finish. 🧇
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Chilaquiles: Three Sisters corn tortillas are covered with green sauce and crema, then topped with eggs, house red sauce, and pickled jalapeño. 🌶️
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Smoked Trout Hash: Yukon gold potatoes, red peppers, shallot, eggs, dill crema, and capers bring savory flavor and contrasting textures to the plate. 🐟
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Carnitas Breakfast Sandwich: Slow-cooked Carlton Farms pork carnitas are paired with eggs, arugula, pickled red onion, poblano sauce, and queso fresco on toasted ciabatta. 🥪
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Biscuit and Collards Skillet: Eggs, smoked pimiento cheese, braised greens, and a house-made cornmeal biscuit create a filling skillet with Southern-inspired comfort. 🍳
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House Veggie Burger: A house-made veggie patty comes with lettuce, tomato, pickled red onion, and vegan serrano aioli on a Fressen brioche bun. 🍔
Atmosphere
Redwood has a cozy restaurant and lounge with warm decor and an outdoor seating area that adds to its relaxed neighborhood feel.
The overall experience is casual and welcoming, with attentive service that makes both first visits and return meals feel comfortable.
Bottom Line
Redwood is worth knowing for its scratch-made brunch, creative comfort food, and lasting connection to Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood.
Its employee-led ownership story adds meaning to a restaurant already valued for familiar food, friendly service, and reasons to return.
Address: 7915 SE Stark St Portland, OR 97215
📞 (503) 841-5118
🕔 Open Wed-Fri, 9 AM–2 PM| Sat-Sun, 9 AM–2:30 PM | Closed Mon-Tue