Portland’s restaurant scene just got a serious flex from out of town. For the first time, The New York Times has dropped a starred review on a Portland spot, awarding two stars and a coveted “critic’s pick” to The Paper Bridge on May 5, 2026. The two-year-old Northern Vietnamese restaurant on Southeast Ash Street, run by married chefs Quynh Nguyen and Gian Carlo Reinardy, earned raves for tightly executed regional dishes that locals already treat like ritual orders.
What the Times said
As reported by Michael Russell at The Oregonian/OregonLive, New York Times critic Tejal Rao handed The Paper Bridge a two-star rating along with the paper’s “critic’s pick” tag in a review published May 5. Rao zeroed in on the Hai Phong-style bánh mì, wok-fried morning glory, and glutinous fried rice cakes filled with glass noodles and pork, describing the restaurant’s approach to Northern Vietnamese technique as precise and rigorous.
About The Paper Bridge
The Paper Bridge opened in November 2023 and built its reputation on house-made rice noodles and a sprawling, 14-page menu of Northern Vietnamese specialties, according to Eater Portland. The restaurant sits at 828 SE Ash St. and serves lunch and dinner Thursday through Monday. It was already on the national radar after being named to The New York Times “50 Best” list in 2025.
What to order
Rao’s favorites line up neatly with what local reviewers have been pushing. The Infatuation highlights the restaurant’s springy, house-made rice noodles and family-style plates that show off phở and bún preparations. Diners can expect hearty bowls and shareable small plates rather than a rigid tasting-menu format, which helps explain the restaurant’s pull for both neighborhood regulars and out-of-town visitors.
Why this matters
The Oregonian notes that this is the first time a New York Times critic has granted a star to a Portland restaurant, a milestone that can shift how a city’s food scene is perceived and how hard it is to get a table. For regional context, Seattle’s JuneBaby received a rare three-star New York Times review in 2018, an accolade that turned it into a national destination, with the review and its fallout detailed by Eater Seattle.
Reservations and reaction
Local coverage has already warned that national attention is tightening the reservation squeeze. Eater Portland suggests setting a Resy notification or aiming for lunch to dodge peak-hour crowds, while Axios tracks The Paper Bridge’s quick shift from neighborhood favorite to national story. The takeaway for diners is simple: expect tougher tables and more out-of-town food pilgrims in the wake of the Times review.
Bottom line: The Paper Bridge’s two-star, critic’s-pick review from The New York Times marks a turning point for Portland’s dining scene and a strong incentive to plan ahead if you want in. Whether it permanently reshapes the city’s restaurant economy is an open question, but for now the kitchen’s Northern Vietnamese focus is squarely in the national spotlight.
