Bitter is better—this is the belief underlying an unlikely trend that has taken off in the Pacific Northwest, creating a community obsessed with the leafy vegetable called radicchio and inspiring its appearance on restaurant menus around the region. This member of the chicory family has long been beloved in Italy, but only emerged from obscurity in North America in recent years, thanks in large part to the work of the Culinary Breeding Network, a Portland-based organization that connects plant breeders, farmers, chefs, and eaters. In fact, the organization has hosted a festival devoted entirely to this particular plant–the Sagra del Radicchio–every year since 2018. This year’s event will take place on December 7, 2025, but the starring ingredient is already at restaurants and markets around Oregon. Whether you’re a long-time fan or looking to try it for the first time, these are a few of the best places to find radicchio in and around Portland this season.
Introduction To Radicchio
In the Pacific Northwest, the radicchio season begins in October, peaks during the winter, and carries on into early spring. This varies slightly depending on the weather and the type of chicory. In the U.S., the Rosso di Chioggia–a ball of purple leaves tightly encasing a white stem–is the most commonly found radicchio, but there are countless different varieties. For Portlanders, it’s becoming easier to source a rainbow of radicchio, from the delicate pink ruffles of the Rosa del Veneto to the pale green speckled flower-like form of the Variegato di Castelfranco to the white and reddish-purple curls of the Rosso di Treviso Tardivo–not to mention their tidy oblong cousins, the endives, or the alien-like spiky green clusters of puntarelle.
Radicchio can be eaten both raw and cooked. Served fresh, its leaves are crisp and slightly spicy. When roasted or grilled, its natural bitterness mellows for a somewhat sweet flavor.
Where To Eat Radicchio
For those who are not quite yet convinced that “bitter is better,” a great place to start learning to like radicchio is Nostrana. Their insalata nostrana–served with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, caesar dressing, and sage croutons–is a cult favorite in town.
Nearby in the southeast neighborhood, the recently opened restaurant Maglia Rosa offers a different take with chicories sourced from Sauvie Island Growers. Theirs is dressed in a vinaigrette with browned butter, olive oil, apple butter, dijon mustard, garlic, and red wine vinegar, with cayenne-spiced candied pecans and sliced apples for crunch, as well as a creamy, slightly funky cheese from Piedmont called Raschera.
On the other side of the river, the Mediterranean Explore Company also balances the bitterness of radicchio with some fruit and dairy in a salad made with cherries, pecorino, and a yogurt dressing.
Just outside the city center, restaurants take advantage of their proximity to the countryside to build close relationships with local farms. In St. Johns, Bar Nouveau sources from Vissers Endives, while Sugarpine Drive-In crafts a hearty seasonal salad with ingredients from Wild Roots, just down the road in Troutdale.
Inspired by the diversity of chicories grown in the area, Oregon chefs are also exploring dishes that use more than just the popular Rosso di Chioggia. At Appartamento (the tasting room of Buona Notte Wines) you can try a classic Italian dish: puntarelle with anchovy dressing. At Screen Door, an assortment of radicchio–such as Luisa, Castelfranco, and Rosalba–are paired with Fuyu persimmons, burrata, cranberry vinaigrette, and toasted pepita brittle.
Rumor has it that Dream Deli–slated to open later this fall–will also feature a lesser known radicchio, Luisa, that is grown at Gentle Rain Farm and will be prepared with pancetta, cured egg yolk, and breadcrumbs.
Other Italian-inspired flavors feature in the radicchio salads and pizzas prepared at Lovely’s Fifty Fifty and Pizza Thief, while Luce is one of the only restaurants in town to offer radicchio in suppli form as an oblong cluster of deep-fried rice with gorgonzola.
Chef Kari Shaughnessy of Hayward in Carlton is the rare chef to experiment with radicchio on both the sweet and savory sections of a restaurant menu. Their radicchio and frisee salad with roasted tomato dressing, Asian pears, and Belper Knolle cheese is a current standout dish, but, in the past, Hayward has also made a “Snickers” dessert layered with chicory root ice cream and chicory jam, sprinkled with toasted peanuts and enrobed in chocolate.
Pinolo has also been known to use different kinds of radicchio in a couple special flavors of gelato around this time of year.
Where To Buy Radicchio
If you’re eager to experiment in your own kitchen, fresh radicchio is available to purchase at many farmers markets throughout Portland during autumn and winter, as well as through community-supported agriculture programs and at specialty markets, such as Coquine, Providore, and Wellspent.