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Aviv (restaurant)

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Aviv
Restaurant logo, with the slogan "Plant-based Middle Eastern Magic"
Flat, modern building exterior, with a wheelchair ramp
Exterior of Aviv in southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood in 2021
Restaurant information
Closed2021 (2021)
Owner(s)
  • Tal Caspi
  • Sanjay Chandrasekaran
  • Suzanne Prinsen
Head chefTal Caspi
Food type
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
CountryUnited States
Websiteavivpdx.com

Aviv (sometimes Aviv PDX)[1] was a Middle Eastern vegan restaurant with several locations in Portland, Oregon.[2][3][4] Guy Fieri visited the restaurant for a 2020 episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Although Aviv had been popular, it closed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Description

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Aviv was a Portland, Oregon-based Middle Eastern and vegan restaurant named after the city Tel Aviv.[1] In 2018, Aviv was Portland's only "vegan Israeli" restaurant.[5] Its plant-based menu included baba ghanoush, falafel, "Gonzo" shawarma fries, eight varieties of hummus,[6] labneh, shakshuka, tahini,[7] spiced Moroccan-style carrots with harissa and tofu feta.[8][9][10] The restaurant also served mushroom "calamari", mushroom couscous,[11] and jackfruit brisket.[12] Shakshuka[13] was a 2020 weekend brunch option.[14]

History

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After its success as a pop-up restaurant, Aviv was established by owners Tal Caspi[15] and Suzanne Prinsen in partnership with Sanjay Chandrasekaran. The original brick-and-mortar restaurant opened on Southeast Division in May 2017, in a space previously occupied by Chandrasekaran's Heart Bar in southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood.[8][9][16][17] In early 2020, Guy Fieri visited Aviv for an episode of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (season 31, episode 11: "Hometown Inspiration").[18][19]

COVID-19 pandemic and closure

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aviv offered take-out and delivery at times. The restaurant also carried Be Sweet ice cream from Tal Caspi's shop, which closed during the pandemic.[20][21] For Hanukkah in 2020, Aviv's special menu included matzah ball soup, jackfruit brisket on matzo, grilled-cheese latkes, and challah.[2][22]

The restaurant was one of several vandalized with "Free Palestine" graffiti in January 2021.[23][24][25][26] By May 2021, Aviv had moved out of its Southeast Division space and was operating in northwest Portland's Pearl District and on Killingsworth Street in northeast Portland's Vernon neighborhood.[27] Another location, Tiny Aviv, opened in August on Madison Street in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood.[28]

On September 23, 2021, Eater Portland confirmed plans for all Aviv's locations to close; the restaurants on Killingsworth and Madison closed immediately, and the Pearl District location operated through the end of the month. The restaurant's owners said on social media,

The pandemic hit us hard, and like every single restaurant across the world, we have come up against our share of struggles and setbacks. It's been a challenging year and a half to say the least. Unfortunately, we have made the hard decision to close all Aviv locations this month. We really hoped this day would not come, but it is time.[28]

The Pearl District restaurant became the fourth location of The Sudra,[29] a chain of "Indian and fusion vegan" restaurants.[30]

Reception

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Gray L-shaped building
The complex which housed Aviv in southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood, 2021

Michael Russell included Aviv in The Oregonian's list of Portland's fifty "most notable restaurant openings" of 2017 and its 2019 "ultimate guide" to the city's forty best brunches.[31][32] In 2017, Aviv was nominated in the Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant of the Year category of Eater Portland's annual Eater Awards.[33] Waz Wu included Aviv on the website's 2021 list of the city's fifteen "essential" vegan and vegetarian restaurants.[27]

Dan Schlegel and Alex Frane included Aviv on Thrillist's 2019 list of Portland's "best vegetarian and vegan-friendly" restaurants.[34] Lauren Carlos and Michelle DeVona included the restaurant in the website's 2020 overview of "where to find next-level hummus in Portland".[35] In 2021, the Portland Mercury and VegOut's Allie Mitchell included Aviv on lists of "Our Favorite Vegan Restaurants in Portland".[36][37] The restaurant was also included in the Daily Hive's 2021 list of "7 of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Portland".[38]

Martin Cizmar included Aviv on Willamette Week's 2017 list of the best restaurants on Division and Clinton Streets.[39] In 2019, the newspaper recommended the restaurant for "a hangover brunch without the bacon".[40] Willamette Week's Shannon Gormley included Aviv on a 2019 list of the ten "best places" in Portland for hummus,[41] and its shawarma bowl on a 2019 list of five "cheap vegan meals that are actually good".[42] Aviv was a runner-up in the Best Mediterranean Restaurant and Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant categories in the newspaper's 2020 Best of Portland readers' poll.[43]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Constantinoiu, Marina (2019-10-29). "Israeli-inspired vegan dishes pop in Portland". ISRAEL21c. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  2. ^ a b Frane, Alex (December 16, 2020). "Where to Find Holiday Meals in Portland". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "The Hummus at Aviv. Oh God, the Hummus at Aviv. It Is Perfect". Willamette Week. 10 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  4. ^ "Vegan Israeli Restaurant Aviv to Replace Heart Bar". Portland Monthly. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on 2021-04-10. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  5. ^ Constantinoiu, Marina (2018-07-31). "Israeli chef's vegan shakshuka and shawarma prove US hit". ISRAEL21c. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  6. ^ "Tusk Is a Generational Restaurant. Aviv Made Me Realize That". Willamette Week. 5 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  7. ^ "Two New Vegan Restaurants Expand Portland's Plant-Based Offerings". Willamette Week. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  8. ^ a b Bamman, Mattie John (April 27, 2017). "One of Portland's Hottest Pop-Ups Announces SE Division Brick and Mortar". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Bamman, Mattie John (May 4, 2017). "Plant-Based Israeli Restaurant Opens on SE Division, Menu Revealed". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Three Things to Devour at Division's New Vegan Mediterranean Spot Aviv". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  11. ^ Massoud, Mena (2020-09-15). Evolving Vegan: Deliciously Diverse Recipes from North America's Best Plant-Based Eateries—for Anyone Who Loves Food: A Cookbook. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-9821-4457-9. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  12. ^ "Aviv". Willamette Week. 4 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  13. ^ "You won't miss meat at Aviv". Oregon Jewish Life. 2017-10-30. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  14. ^ Woo, Nick (February 12, 2020). "Where To Find Saucy Shakshuka in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Sawyer, Adam (2018-10-01). Unique Eats and Eateries of Portland, Oregon. Reedy Press LLC. ISBN 978-1-68106-186-3. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  16. ^ Woodstock, Tuck (April 25, 2017). "Vegan Israeli Restaurant Aviv to Replace Heart Bar". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Butler, Grant (2017-12-27). "How vegan comfort food swept Portland in 2017". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  18. ^ "Season 31, Episode 11: Hometown Inspiration". Food Network. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  19. ^ "Add Aviv to the List of Portland Restaurants Guy Fieri Visited Last Week". Willamette Week. 21 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  20. ^ Wu, Waz (March 30, 2020). "Portland Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants Offering Delivery and Takeout During the COVID-19 Outbreak". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  21. ^ Wu, Waz (June 24, 2021). "This Summer's Top Spots for Dairy-Free Frozen Treats". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  22. ^ Wu, Waz (December 18, 2020). "Vegan Holiday Meals and Desserts for Takeout". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on December 31, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  23. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-01-11). "Portland Israeli restaurants vandalized with 'Free Palestine' graffiti". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  24. ^ Frane, Alex (2021-01-12). "Three Portland Restaurants Were Vandalized With Anti-Israel Graffiti This Weekend". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  25. ^ "Restaurants in Portland vandalized with 'free Palestine' graffiti". The Jerusalem Post. 12 January 2021. ISSN 0792-822X. OCLC 15700704. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  26. ^ "Israeli Restaurants Shalom Y'all and Aviv Were Vandalized in What Appears to Be a Larger Graffiti Spree". Willamette Week. 12 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  27. ^ a b Wu, Waz (May 25, 2021). "15 Essential Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  28. ^ a b Wu, Waz (September 23, 2021). "Middle Eastern Vegan Restaurant Aviv Will Close for Good This Month". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  29. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-10-20). "The Sudra is headed to The Pearl, replacing Aviv". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  30. ^ Bjorke, Christopher (October 25, 2021). "A growing Portland vegan dining chain to open in the Pearl". Portland Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  31. ^ Russell, Michael (2017-09-01). "Portland's 50 best new restaurants of 2017". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  32. ^ Russell, Michael (2019-04-11). "The ultimate guide to Portland's 40 best brunches". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  33. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (November 30, 2017). "Vote for Portland's Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant of the Year". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  34. ^ "Portland's Best Vegetarian and Vegan-Friendly Restaurants". Thrillist. Vox Media. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  35. ^ Carlos, Lauren; DeVona, Michelle (December 21, 2020). "Where to Find Next-Level Hummus in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  36. ^ "Our Favorite Vegan Restaurants in Portland". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  37. ^ "Our Favorite Vegan Restaurants in Portland". VegOut. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  38. ^ "7 of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Portland | Dished". Daily Hive. 28 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  39. ^ "The Best Restaurants on Portland's Division and Clinton Streets". Willamette Week. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  40. ^ "Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern". Willamette Week. 5 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  41. ^ "These Are the 10 Best Places to Get Hummus in Portland". Willamette Week. 5 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  42. ^ "Five Cheap Vegan Meals That Are Actually Good". Willamette Week. 27 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  43. ^ "FOOD, DRINK, RESTAURANTS: Congratulations to the winners + finalists of Best of Portland Readers' Poll 2020". Willamette Week. 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-11-15. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
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