Portsmouth Neighborhood Guide
Portsmouth neighborhood is located in North Portland and is bordered by St. Johns, University Park, and Kenton neighborhoods.
Click the image for a fully searchable Portsmouth neighborhood map, which includes all homes for sale.
Features of Portsmouth Neighborhood
As a result of the Portland real estate market boom and like many other Portland neighborhoods, Portsmouth (pronounced just the way it’s spelled, the locals tell us) has seen an influx of new residents to the area. As one might imagine, Portsmouth has some wonderful areas with beautifully improved homes and some still in transition.
Residents in this neighborhood reap the benefit of easy access to mass transit and major thoroughfares that will easily get them where they need to go. Thanks to its location on Portland’s peninsula, the Willamette River and Smith Lake are blocks away. Primarily a residential neighborhood, a large portion of which is occupied by New Columbia, an 82-acre mixed-income housing development, also boasts some beautiful parks, perfect spots to relax and recreate.
Portsmouth Neighborhood Businesses of Note
Oregonic Tonic
Portlanders love their brews. Especially kombucha. And Especially when it’s made right here at home. Oregonic Tonic brings ten years of brewing experience to the task of crafting the most satisfying, not-too-sweet small batches, using locally sourced ingredients, of course. Their menu of flavors truly offers something for everyone. And they’re so dedicated to making sure that anyone who wants to try their creations are able to, they’ll even deliver to your front door.
Oregonic Tonic—5701 N Lombard St
Charro’s Street Tacos
Charro’s doesn’t just make delicious tacos, as their name might imply. They also make some of the tastiest burritos, tortas, and quesadillas you’ll find. When you have an appetite for Mexican fare and want it quick and packed with goodness, Charro’s is the place to go. Not only are the ingredients fresh, but their substantial menu options are meals in themselves, all at affordable prices.
Charro’s Street Tacos—5305 N Lombard St
Sassy Souk’s Pho & Boba Tea
Sassy Souk’s is a newer addition to the Portsmouth neighborhood, but we think it’s there to stay. The menu offers plenty of choices, including phos, soups, and plates, not to mention their sassy starters. The spring rolls are especially tasty, packed with lots of fresh ingredients. And if you like boba tea, you’ll want to try one of theirs. The brown sugar boba is simple, with only three ingredients, and it’s delicious. Sassy’s also offers vegan and gluten-free options, and they’re more than happy to accommodate special requests. If that isn’t enough, you can dine in, order take out, or request delivery. Super friendly owners, too!
Sassy Souk’s Pho & Boba Tea—5003 N Lombard St
Eastside Deli on Lombard
Any memorable sandwich always starts with the bread. At Eastside Deli, they make their own, so you know every sandwich they create starts with a solid and delicious foundation. Inside, you’ll find plentiful fresh ingredients sure to satisfy carnivores and herbivores alike. They also offer a selection of mouthwatering, hearty salads and specialty hot dogs. Whatever your choice at Eastside Deli, you’re not just bound to the scrumptious items on their menu. They give you options. You can can also build your own.
Eastside Deli on Lombard—4823 N Lombard St
Windows Booksellers
Windows Booksellers moved to Portsmouth neighborhood from NE Portland five years ago and is a haven for any bibliophile who loves used books. Step inside, and you won’t want to leave. This compact shop is brimming with books of all genres—some on the newer side, some collectors items. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and happy to help you find that book you haven’t been able to find elsewhere.
Windows Booksellers—8900 N Wall Ave
Western Meat Market
Think the neighborhood butcher is at thing of the past? Not so in Portsmouth neighborhood. Western Meat Market provides choice cuts of all your favorite meats, along with tasty extras like spicy jalapeno cheese dip and twice baked potatoes. They also offer processing for hunters and large size meat packs.
Western Meat Market—4707 N Lombard St
Portsmouth Neighborhood Parks
Northgate Park—a 10.87-acre park with accessible play area and playground paths, splash pad, public restrooms, picnic table, sports fields (soccer, baseball, and softball), and a lighted tennis court.
McCoy Park—a 3.82-acre park with a sheltered picnic area, play area, paved paths, public restrooms, WiFi access, interactive fountain, and public art: granite disks with proverbs, quotations, myths, and folk sayings, embedded in a spiral pathway to represent moon phases (by Horatio Hung-Yan Law). Seating in the park is provided with benches sculpted with salmon and squirrels, created by Mufu Ahmed.
University Park—an 11.49-acre park with a play area, paved paths, picnic table, public restrooms, soccer and softball fields, and public art.
Columbia Park and Annex—a 35.37-acre park with play area and paved playground paths, splash pad, sheltered picnic area, public restroom, nature patch, sports fields (baseball, softball, soccer), and sports courts (volleyball and lighted tennis).
Portsmouth Neighborhood Community Gardens
Portsmouth Neighborhood Community Resources
Charles Jordon Community Center
Portsmouth Neighborhood Association
Portsmouth Neighborhood Schools
High School—Roosevelt High School
Portsmouth Neighborhood Vibe
Young, old, singles, couples, and families call this neighborhood home. While it’s still evolving, as are most of the North Portland neighborhoods, the community involvement is real and people are engaged. There are still some rough areas, as with most urban neighborhoods, but this community is on the rise.
Portsmouth Neighborhood Stats
Portsmouth Zip Code 97203
Portsmouth Neighborhood History
Although it was never established as a proper municipality, Portsmouth’s first subdivision was platted in 1883 by Portsmouth Real Estate Association, deeming it the City of Portsmouth. The Electric Land Company bought this section of land in 1889, calling it Portsmouth Villa.
How Did Portsmouth Get its Name?
No one really knows the meaning behind Portsmouth’s name, but it’s believed to come from the neighborhood’s location near the lower end of Portland harbor.
Portsmouth Neighborhood Real Estate and Homes
Portsmouth is mostly comprised of modest one- and two-story and mid-size homes with a variety of architectural styles such as Portland’s Craftsman-style bungalow, cottages, old Portland, Victorian, and American foursquare.
Click here to see all current Portsmouth neighborhood homes for sale.
To learn about the Portland real estate market, we recommend this local Portland-based, top 100 real estate blog in the world.
If you are interested in buying or selling a home in this Portland neighborhood, visit our Portland Real Estate Page for more information, or view our Portland Real Estate Map to search the RMLS. One or our top 1% Portland buyer’s agents or top 1% Portland seller’s agents will be happy to help.
North Portland Neighborhood Map
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See the full list of Portland neighborhoods in our Portland Neighborhood Guide.
Sources
Wikiwand. Portsmouth, Portland, Oregon.
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