The Flock, the eagerly awaited Ritz-Carlton dining hall, has opened in Portland’s downtown.
The Flock, which combines the words “food” and “block,” is just a dining establishment that occupies a whole block on Southwest Ninth Avenue. According to Steven Fang, one of Flock’s owners and primary developers, the food hall, which is housed in the upscale Ritz-Carlton, combines the elegance of its upstairs neighbors with the essence of Portland.
For us, Flock also implies community, Fang said. In addition to eateries, we want to create a community where people may congregate.
On January 30, 2025, the Ritz-Carlton hotel at SW Alder and 9th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, opened its brand-new Flock Food Hall. Stevan Fang, a co-owner, is shown.Graves, Mark/The Oregonian
At 1 p.m. on Sunday, Flock Food Hall will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate its grand opening, which will include a lion dance in observance of the Lunar New Year. The food hall will be open all weekend and held a preview event on Thursday.
Six locally owned restaurants and food chains make up the food hall: HK Cafe serves Chinese food; Queen Mama’s Kitchen serves Middle Eastern and Saudi Arabian cuisine; Pan Roast PNW serves seafood; ZabPinto Thai Kitchen prepares Thai cuisine; Birrieria La Plaza specializes in birria tacos; and bb.q Chicken specializes in South Korean fried chicken.
The area also houses the French Asian bakery brand Tousses Jours, Flock’s soon-to-be winery Nest and Vine, and Prime Tap House, which has 26 revolving taps.
Originally advertised as a type of substitute for the lively, chaotic food cart pod that this building and the adjoining Ritz-Carlton demolished, the new food hall was first made public in 2023 and was scheduled to open in November of that same year. However, the City of Portland consented to provide a $3 million loan by that October in order to help Flock reach the finish line. Several of the initially announced vendors abandoned the project around that time, with many of them privately stating that the main reasons they did so were the lengthy delays and the exorbitant rent.
According to Fang, the Alder Street food cart pod, which included Queen Mama’s Kitchen and Birrieria La Plaza, closed in 2019 to make room for the Ritz-Carlton.
According to Fang, many people were upset to see the food carts depart. A significant portion of the community was that. Therefore, we are making every effort to preserve as much of that DNA as possible.
Another distinctive feature of Flock, according to Fang, is the variety of cuisines and cultural offers.
On January 30, 2025, the Ritz-Carlton hotel at SW Alder and 9th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, opened its brand-new Flock Food Hall.Graves, Mark/The Oregonian
According to Fang, we underwent a rigorous selection procedure. In addition to wanting to ensure authenticity, we place a high value on innovation.
Pan Roast PNW’s owner, Ryan Moy, thought that everything was in place for the launch of his second Pan Roast location—his first in Oregon. Moy, who already has a site in Camas and owns a popular series of sushi burrito food carts in Portland called Rollin Fresh, has been thrilled to watch downtown Portland come alive in recent years.
Moy expressed his opinion that the city truly needed this entire block. Restoring cuisine and attracting new enterprises makes me think that the city is moving in a different path. It’s nice to be a part of it, and I think this is a terrific beginning.
On January 30, 2025, the Ritz-Carlton hotel at SW Alder and 9th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, opened its brand-new Flock Food Hall. Pan Roast PNW’s owner, Ryan Moy, is shown in the photo.Graves, Mark/The Oregonian
Reviving Portland and showing visitors the best of the city was the aim for many who helped create Flock.
“This is Portland, our home,” Fang declared. And in my opinion, Portland has had a bad press for whatever reason, and people simply have a bad impression of it.
The group is also eager to start organizing pop-ups and events in the future. Summer markets and other community events are being planned by organizers, who are drawing inspiration from Pearl District First Thursdays. A Super Bowl viewing party on February 9 and a Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers game day event on February 20 are among the upcoming activities that Flock has scheduled for February.
“We want to be active all the time,” Fang stated. Getting people here and bringing in traffic is, in my opinion, a big part of revitalizing downtown Portland.
A monthly rotating dinner service including meals from every food booth is another event to anticipate.
On January 30, 2025, the Ritz-Carlton hotel at SW Alder and 9th Avenue in Portland, Oregon, opened its brand-new Flock Food Hall.Graves, Mark/The Oregonian
According to Darrah Fudge, director of events and private dining at Flock, Steven came up with the most of the idea. In my opinion, it was merely a means for us to try something new for a predetermined menu while also allowing us to work with many vendors to ensure everyone’s success.
The chefs and staff at Flock will work together to create the changing menus. Each vendor will be highlighted during the service, and Nest and Vine wines will be paired with the cuisine.
We’re thrilled to showcase our community’s variety, which I believe is what makes the city so beautiful, Fang added. All that matters to us is genuineness and healthy diversity.
Valentine’s Day will see the release of the first set dinner menu. RSVPs will be available on the Flock website on Sunday, February 2.
“I think it’s going to be a great place to use food to bring the community together,” Fudge added. In my opinion, you may learn about another person’s culture through food and music without having to speak the same language.
The grand opening is on February 2 at 1 p.m. at Flock Food Hall, located at 917 S.W. Alder St.; their Instagram handles are flockpdx.com and @flockpdx.
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Chiara Profenna discusses faith, religion, and cultural ties. You may contact her at [email protected] or @chiaraprofenna, or 503-221-4327.
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust supports The Oregonian/OregonLive in its efforts to provide readers with articles about faith, religion, and cultural ties in Oregon. All content is the exclusive property of The Oregonian/OregonLive.
