An All-Purpose Guide to the Piedmont Neighborhood in Portland

PDX’s Piedmont Neighborhood Is a Great Place to Live

The Piedmont neighborhood is the ideal urban village, boasting easy access to other popular Portland neighborhoods such as Humboldt, Alberta, Arbor Lodge, Boise, Eliot and Kenton, just to name a few.

While Piedmont may be farther north than other Portland neighborhoods, the area runs alongside the Max light rail train, allowing for a convenient commuting to downtown Portland, and acting as a launching point for full access to all that the city has to offer its residents.

The History of the Piedmont Neighborhood

In 1889, Edward Quackenbush filed a plat and established the Piedmont subdivision – “The Emerald, Portland’s Evergreen Suburb, Devoted Exclusively to Dwellings, A Place of Homes.” While the original “Historic Piedmont” subdivision has expanded to include parts of the King and Humboldt Neighborhoods, the neighborhood has stood the test of time and remained a community-centric, residential area for many decades.

The Piedmont neighborhood flourished from the outset, and within the first two decades over 140 dwellings were erected. Developments consisted primarily of upper-middle class family homes – many of which are still standing today.

The upper-middle class residential home development remained up until World War II, when the Kaiser Shipbuilding Corporation recruited a high quantity of workers into the Portland area. For ease of commute to Swan Island, many workers established residence in Piedmont, causing the neighborhood to transition to a renter community and marking a break from the area’s former owner-occupied pattern.

Today, the Piedmont neighborhood remains primarily residential with a few commercial structures located along MLK Boulevard and Killingsworth Street as exceptions. Most of Piedmont’s original Victorian, single-family dwellings have been well preserved and remain in good condition; likewise, homes built mid-century are compatible with the early homes to give Piedmont a cohesive, neighborly feel.

With a residential focus, the Piedmont area is community conscious. Unlike other rapidly evolving neighborhoods in Portland, Piedmont remains an old-time neighborhood filled with young families, singles, and long-established locals who celebrate their area with block parties and neighborhood association initiatives. An isolated pocket of neighborhood charm, there can be no doubt that Piedmont is a great place to live.

Great Places to Visit in Portland’s Piedmont Neighborhood

Despite its residential nature, there’s a lot to explore in the Piedmont area. Branch out to modern Piedmont’s expanded area, and enjoy the balance of quiet reserve found in nature and original local businesses, as well as in the locals’ favorite bars and eateries.

Locals and visitors flock to Peninsula Park, a 17-acre green space that includes the Peninsula Rose Garden, a National Heritage historical structure, and Portland’s first and oldest community center. A great park for all ages, Peninsula Park includes tennis courts, a gymnasium, basketball courts, paved jogging paths, play structures, and an outdoor swimming pool.

In 1915, Peninsula Park’s yearly attendance far surpassed any other municipal playground, and today the park remains a popular destination for families and garden-goers alike.

Great Food & More in Piedmont

If you find yourself growing hungry while you’re in the neighborhood, you’re in luck. Head over to Piedmont Station where you’ll find an assortment of food carts to suit any taste. As food options range from Cajun to Burmese eats, you may have to make several trips to settle on your favorite. For starters, we recommend: Le Tap, Original Halibuts, PDX Dönerländ, Burmasphere, and Philipino & Teriyaki.

On Killingsworth near the interstate, you’ll find Saraveza: a bottle shop and tavern that prides itself on taking beer seriously. A hip spot frequented by locals, Saraveza is Piedmont’s watering hole for Midwest-inspired eats and finding a choice rotating draft collection. While you can take any beer home, be sure to check the calendar and head to Saraveza for evenings filled with live music, trivia, and free bacon.

For the full experience, your time in the Piedmont neighborhood is best spent exploring local businesses. There’s so much than you can take in visiting this area, but be sure to check out the Arbor Lodge Café, The Red Fox, and E’njoni Ethiopian Café for eats, and Zero Wave and Shipwreck! for the best vintage finds.  

Urban Nest Realty Agents Weigh in on the Piedmont Neighborhood

Rachel Freed - Peninsula Park! The Florida Room! McMenamins Chapel Pub!

Daniel Blachowski - Saraveza, definitively!

Liz Getty – Florida Room and Mr. T haunting the covered porch... and if it’s Piedmont not Alberta, then Jasmine for pho!

Holly Burton - Ethos Music Center does great work: Founded in 1998, Ethos provides group classes, private lessons, summer camps and music outreach programs to over 7,000 youth across Oregon. Ethos has been named one of the top 50 after school arts programs by the President's Commission for the Arts and Humanities on 8 separate occasions.

Piedmont Neighborhood Schools

De La Salle Catholic School is a private high school in the Piedmont district that receives high marks for its balance of college life preparation. While 98% of graduating seniors earn admission to college, a unique feature of this school is its Corporate Work Study Program. Once a week, each student takes a day off-site, working from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in a real, entry-level job in the corporate world.

Families living in the southern section of Piedmont have children attend Sabin Elementary. A k-8 school, Sabin garners rave reviews from parents and staff, as the advanced IB curriculum inspires students to think about the greater community, on a global scale. The school also draws song support from parent volunteers who lead as coaches for everything from sports to STE(A)M programs.

Walkability and Ease of Transportation in Portland’s Piedmont Neighborhood

As a residential area, Piedmont is very accessible by foot. And as Portland transportation has evolved to become more bike-friendly, Piedmont has kept up with the times, receiving a neighborhood bike score of 89 points.

Whether you explore the neighborhood by foot or by bike, you can rest assured that this is pedestrian-friendly area for those who value having plenty of transportation options. So don’t delay! Step out and visit Piedmont soon to see if it’s the right neighborhood fit for you.