Le Pigeon, Portland Oregon

Le Pigeon is a French bistro located in Portland that has a earned quite an impressive reputation since opening in 2006. At that time, Chef Gabriel Rucker was just 25 years old and has since earned two James Beard Awards. Interestingly, he dropped out of a two year culinary program at Santa Rosa Community College since he preferred working in kitchens. The restaurant has been featured in Bon Appétit, Fodors Travel Guide, Jetsetter Travel and others.

Wine director and co-owner, Andrew Fortgang, whose past experience includes Gramercy Tavern in New York, will wow you with his selections. Most wines offered are from boutique wineries in France and Oregon.

Le Pigeon is considered one of the best restaurants in Portland, which has a reputation for being a top foody city. According to WalletHub, Portland was voted the second best foodie city in the US in 2025 after Miami, FL; not bad for a “war torn hell hole”! The cities are ranked on the following criteria:

  1. Affordibility
  2. Diversity
  3. Accessibility
  4. Quality

We went in June, while the first fresh produce of the season was just becoming available. Two menus options are on offer; the chef’s tasting menu and a vegetarian option. I chose the vegetarian option and theTravelsketcher chose the omnivore option.

Our pleasant and friendly server was very knowledgeable in every menu item as well as the paired wines.

We sat at the chef’s counter so we could watch the chefs in action. It’s amazing that they are able to prepare the dishes in such a tiny space and never seemed to get in each other’s way. It was like watching an expertly choreographed and perfectly performed ballet.

Every item was expertly prepared, presented and absolutely delicious.

After all these delicious dishes, there was still dessert to come.

It was an amazing experience for foodies like us and we savored every morsel. We rolled out of the restaurant utterly sated.

Expect to spend about $200.00 per person if you have wine with your meal. Our dear and generous friends, Tim and Lisa, gave me a substantial gift certificate for my birthday which covered most of the cost. In addition, this tiny restaurant seats just 35 people so reservations are highly recommended.

Click here to read theTravelsketcher’s review of Le pigeon.

What do you think of Le Pigeon? Would you like to experience a meal there at some point? As always, I would love to hear from you, so leave a comment if you’d like.

Bon appétit!

Tricia

39 thoughts on “Le Pigeon, Portland Oregon”

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  4. It’s utterly amazing to me how these “war torn hell hole” cities keep sprouting these wonderful restaurants. Must be all that struggle to survive. 😉 We are definitely foodies and would love, love a visit. Someday three years hence, I hope. Or maybe after what’s-his-name has tripped over his own tie and landed head first in a pile of Epstein s**t.

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  5. I have always loved degustation meals. Not having enjoyed many in the US, really appreciated seeing the offerings and wine you were served. I have not oft come across many such meals where there was a vegetarian menu option > welcome in this day and age and interesting. Also, and I cannot explain – there is a ‘feeling-world’ that this is being served in the States . . . ‘grits’, ‘spoonbread’, ‘wine can’ ? . . . again interesting! Love Lynette’s comment!

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  9. $ 200, including wine, is quite reasonable. If we go for a meal here in a lovely restaurant, we will spend at least $ 500 per person.
    The food looks fine, and we hope it tastes well, and it is from species-appropriate sources and biologically grown.
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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      1. I lived on the coast of North Norfolk (east coast of England). The price is not for one meal, it’s for starter, main course, and desert and two nice glasses of wine. We just had that and we didn’t think that it was especially expensive. We were in Alsace last year. We ate in fine restaurants. It was more expensive there.
        I lived in the States as well, two years in Vermont and Maine. I drove quite a bit around and noticed that people here in East Anglia and in Alsace have more money to spend than the average in the US, at least the people in my group.

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      2. Interesting. We lived in France for several years and found it to be very affordable, much less than here in the states. We’ve visited the UK on many occasions and found it to be expensive, but still doable. Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

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  12. When I saw the headline of your post, I knew I was going to enjoy it! Wow, the food looks incredibly delicious (and so beautifully presented). And how nice that you were able to watch the chef while he prepared the dishes. I wouldn’t mind if a good friend also gave me a substantial gift voucher for this restaurant … because it’s definitely not cheap. But quality comes at a price, right?

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  13. I am glad to see you had a wonderful time eating out. Watching chefs prepare a meal is an amazing experience because it offers a behind-the-scenes look at their skill, creativity, and the intense, often dramatic, process of creating a dish. I find that it also provides a unique connection with the kitchen, allowing you to see the intricate plating and understand the culinary artistry involved in every dish. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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  19. I’m so happy you enjoyed it, foodie birthday girl! You’re right, the chef’s table is the best seat in the house, and the “kitchen” is shockingly small. I remember noticing so many of the chefs had burn marks on their arms, like they were turning quickly with hot pans and searing each other in the claustrophobic space. Food warriors.

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