DAME

"This Killingsworth restaurant collective has received plenty of buzz for its residencies, but the standard Italian menu at the restaurant, available Wednesdays through Sundays (with a more “red sauce Italian” menu on Wednesdays), is nothing to ignore. Sitting in a sapphire blue dining room, meals start with silky seasonal soups, transitioning to impeccably executed pastas. Cacio e pepe, retaining its bite, captures the right balance of black pepper and Grana Padano in a sauce that coats each noodle beautifully. Squid ink pasta swims with marinated shrimp and seductively spicy tomato sauce. Pair any of them with a wine from owner Jane Smith’s exceptional list." - Eater Staff

"This sultry, deep-blue wine bar and restaurant is a jack of all trades, with indoor and outdoor dining, a bottle shop, and wine delivery. Thursdays through Sundays, diners can pore over pasta and light Italian fare from chef Patrick McKee, with casual and comforting red sauce dishes on Wednesday evenings. Both in the bottle shop and on the dine-in bottle list, diners can also find an exceptional collection of natural wines, from Willamette Valley heavy-hitters like Swick to elegant Slovenian whites." - Zoe Baillargeon, Alex Frane

"I’ve loved seeing Dame expand into Dame Collective as a modern way to address the growing cost of doing business while prioritizing people." - Eater Staff

"Originally an oenophile destination with a laudable Italian-meets-Northwest dinner menu, Dame has evolved into something far more interesting: a “restaurant collective” that highlights different chefs and concepts throughout the week across Dame and its smaller satellite Lil’ Dame. As of October 2023, the residencies include Vietnamese soul food Matta, creative bialys from Bialy Bird, and inspired takes on Mexican cuisine via Chelo. Each style is complemented by Dame’s phenomenal wine curation, whether in the OG Dame’s elegant early-20th Century dining room or Lil’ Dame’s more casual space." - Nathan Williams

"Dame’s Patrick McKee’s gazpacho ups the ante on both sweetness and heat, topping his blended soup with grilled peaches and padrón peppers, infused with rich olive oil and a multidimensional sherry vinegar. Savor an invigorating bowl at Dame’s air-conditioned bar alongside a glass of one of owner Jane Smith’s natural wines, as a light later afternoon treat or as an opening act to McKee’s daily fish offering, carpaccio, or a bowl of vegan pesto pasta. Note that McKee’s menu is offered Thursday through Sunday." - Nathan Williams