Portland is considered one of the most vegan-friendly cities in the U.S., but once upon a time, the area now known as Kenton was actually a company town built around meat.
Today, the legacy of the Union Meat Company — which was purchased by Swift and Company in 1906 — lives on at a popular local eatery called Swift and Union – a casual pub-style restaurant by Ken “Zig” Naffziger who also created Tabor Tavern in 2012.
And it’s not just the name that pays homage to Kenton’s “cow town” roots. The menu at Swift and Union includes steak banh mi and steak frites (to name just a couple), and the gastropub’s themed decor drives home the point.
And for non-meat eaters, the Falafel Sandwich is a house-made chickpea flax patty wonder – made with herbed yogurt, olive tapenade, shaved red onions, feta cheese, shredded lettuce, on a brioche bun. And fries!
Need a swift happy hour kick? Try the Swift Kick – Buffalo Trace bourbon, real maple, Angostura bitters, orange peel, large rock. Yum!
Watch the video for the full story behind Swift and Union and the local history that it keeps alive.