What’s New in Oregon’s Tualatin Valley?

Oregon’s Tualatin Valley is an ever-changing destination with new hotels, culinary attractions and more that are generating buzz among visitors and locals alike. Here is a peak of what’s new in the valley and what’s on the horizon.

Downtown Beaverton: Revitalization

The city of Beaverton, one of the largest cities in Oregon, is solidifying itself as a culinary destination with the introduction of new restaurants its downtown core, playfully named “Restaurant Row.”

Hip Tokyo export Afuri opened its newest Portland area location in downtown Beaverton in late spring 2020. Afuri, named by Eater as one of the best ramen shops in the Portland region, specializes in seasonal bowls made with local ingredients.

Owners of the popular Top Burmese concept opened its newest venture, Bistro Royale, in early 2020. The restaurant is known for its Green Leaf Tea Salad and other vegan Burmese dishes, as well as its meat dishes.

Koya Sushi (opened July 2020) is a high-end Japanese restaurant that uses fresh ingredients to create sushi, appetizers and classic Japanese dishes.

Syndicate Wine Bar, downtown Beaverton’s first wine bar, opened August 2019 and features their own wines, as well as a curated selection of local wines and wines from around the world.

Lionheart Coffee Co. opened its second location on “Restaurant Row” in late November 2019. Lionheart is specializes in serving local coffees, teas and pastries. The downtown location also offers local beer and wine.

Portland favorite The Whole Bowl opened a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Beaverton in late November 2019. Known for its tasty vegetarian and vegan fare, Whole Bowl was founded in 2001 as a single food cart in Portland, it now has 12 locations (mostly food carts) in four states.

These new dining spots join Portland’s Ex Novo Brewing Company, known for its hop-forward, malt-forward and sour craft beers and Detroit-style pizzas, which opened in early 2019, and Big’s Chicken, from chef Ben Bettinger.

New Hotels Now Open

The city of Sherwood–located in southern Tualatin Valley–opened its first hotel this summer with the addition of Hampton Inn Sherwood. Located just off 99W, this 73-room hotel is located in the heart of Oregon wine country.

Staybridge Suites Hillsboro South, an 80-room, all-suite extended-stay hotel located in the Orenco Station neighborhood, opened to the public spring 2020.

In early 2019, the 80-room, all-suite, extended stay hotel Staybridge Suites Hillsboro North opened near the Hillsboro burg of Helvetia, close to some of the area’s best attractions.

Several additional hotels currently under construction in Tualatin Valley are expected to open in 2020 and 2021:

• Hampton Inn Tigard
• Element by Westin Beaverton
• Hyatt House Beaverton
• Marriott AC Beaverton
• Home2Suites Hillsboro
• Cedartree Hotel Hillsboro (Spring 2021)

New Events & Happenings in 2020

Oregon’s Tualatin Valley continues to grow its culinary offerings. The following are some of the latest happenings for 2020.

Wine News
Two new sub-Area Viticultural Areas have been approved by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. These two new AVAs (nested in the Willamette Valley) — Laurelwood District and Tualatin Hills— are situated in the Tualatin Valley. Both AVAs are notable for their Laurelwood soils, which differentiates the vineyards in this area from the different soil types found in other parts of the Willamette Valley.

Craft Beer News
In 2020, Tualatin Valley welcomed a Great Notion Brewery, which selected Beaverton for its third taproom location. This acclaimed brewery is known for its culinary-inspired sours and stouts and hazy IPAs.

2020 Milestones

100^th Anniversary
In 2020, the city of Banks (incorporated January 16, 1920) celebrated its 100th birthday with a Centennial Kickoff Celebration. Banks is small, rural community located 24 miles northwest of Portland, just outside of the Portland Metropolitan Urban Growth Boundary, at the foot of the Oregon Coast Range.

50^th Anniversary
Two of Oregon’s pioneering wineries are celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2020:

• Oak Knoll Winery (established 1970) was started when then owners Ronald and Marjorie Vuylsteke founded the first winery in Oregon’s Washington County. In the fall of 1970, the first vintage was created with grapes and fruit acquired from area farmers. In the beginning, Oak Knoll was known for its wide range of fruit wines, including the raspberry wine it still produces today.
• Ponzi Vineyards (established 1970) planted its first Pinot Noir cuttings in 1970 by Dick and Nancy Ponzi, one of the founding families of Oregon Pinot Noir, establishing its estate vineyard. In 1976, Ponzi Vineyards launched its first bottling of Pinot Noir, and in 1979, was the first Oregon wine to be featured in The New York Times. Today, Ponzi Vineyards is run by the 2nd generation, and produces not only Pinot Noir, but a host of red and white wines, including Italian varietals not often found in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

^25th Anniversary
Two Tualatin Valley wineries are celebrating silver anniversaries this year:

• Patton Valley Vineyard (established 1995) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a harvest celebration, August 22. This certified sustainable vineyard has been producing high-quality and acclaimed Pinot Noir, Gamay and Chenin Blanc.
• Raptor Ridge Winery (established 1995) is one of Oregon’s esteemed producers of quality Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and more. Owners Scott and Annie Shull have established wonderful wines and have introduced varieties such as Auxxerois and Gruner Vetliner to the northern Willamette Valley.