Portland beyond Portlandia: Why everyone's talking about this city - again!

Outdated spoiler alert: Portland is not "Portlandia" anymore. Locals long ago ditched the comparison to the 2011 comedy series, which lured visitors from across the globe. Twelve years ago, I was one of those people who took it seriously enough to move to the city, seeking its community of creatives, quirky cafes and unequivocal weirdness.

The eight seasons, created by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, spoofed Oregon's biggest city as a hub for eccentric hipsters and arty slackers. An epic line-up of guest stars included Steve Buscemi as a landlord, Jeff Goldblum as a shop owner and Kyle MacLachlan as the mayor. The main stars cross-dressed as other characters such as the manager of a feminist bookstore and a men's rights activist. In its most iconic scene, they asked the waitress about the life quality and family history of the chicken on the menu.

It was undeniably hilarious. The theme song mused about tattoos, flannel shirts and hot girls wearing glasses. The chorus was genius: "The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland."

My year in the city was punctuated by fun nights in memorable venues that broke the rules. A strip club, pioneering "stripparoke", saw dancers dress (and undress) according to the theme of the singer's song. Another club was vegan, so leather was banned. Both places still exist but are not so ground-breaking anymore.

An abandoned school was transformed into a hotel, cinema, brewery and multiple small bars and restaurants. We drank pints in the classrooms and smoked cigars in detention. Kennedy Elementary School continues to offer events such as drag bingo, whiskey tastings and indie film festivals.

When I returned more than a decade later, Portland felt different. The impact of the pandemic lingers with pockets of homelessness and drug-related crime, but things are getting better due to various programs to address these issues. In some respects, it has upgraded to unprecedented luxury.

Ritz-Carlton opened the city's first five-star hotel in October 2023. This 35-storey property is a shiny skyscraper of dining, wellness facilities, corporate spaces and residential apartments. The 20th floor has a lavish spa, the fine-dining Bellpine and cocktail bar with panoramic views, which are open to the public.

Controversially, it displaced the Alder Street Food Cart Pod that used to be a great place for cheap snacks. Ritz-Carlton honours this heritage with its ground-floor eateries, and some of the old trucks can still be found at the nearby Cart Blocks. Pioneer Courthouse Square is home to Amelia's Tacos and Fried Egg I'm In Love, selling breakfast sandwiches. At Midtown Beer Garden, 300 diners can choose from Korean, Egyptian, Thai and Mexican cuisine.

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The dining scene is certainly more diverse than in my day when everything was pretty white American. Since the COVID-19 pressures on many restaurants, new chefs were invited to use these kitchens instead of closing during quiet times. The Asian population on the west side, in the Beaverton neighbourhood, largely led this pop-up movement. A current trend in the turnover is Filipino cuisine. At Magna Kusina, Philippines-born chef Carlo Lamagna has been a driving force, letting other chefs come in to cook, and they are now running their own restaurants or food carts. Other multicultural openings include Chem Gio (Vietnamese), Queen Mama's (Saudi Arabian), Alpenrausch (Austrian), Sandy's (Myanmar) and Takibi (Japanese). I caught up with a friend for dinner at the lively Toki, renowned for its steamed bao cheeseburger. We followed with excellent cocktails at Abigail Hall, tucked inside the Woodlark Hotel. My favourite lunch spot was Dove Olive, which makes handmade pasta and the best croque monsieur outside France.

Other highlights include Portland Art Museum, distinguished for its collections of the native peoples of North America and Oregon's black artists. Powell's City of Books is the largest used and new bookstore in the world. Occupying an entire block, it stocks more than a million volumes in 3500 sections. Take a stroll in the surrounding area to discover boutiques showcasing Portland's designers, jewellers, artists and creators of the cutest souvenirs.

For outdoor exploring, don't miss the exquisite Japanese Gardens and the International Rose Test Garden with more than 10,000 blooming bushes. A guided bike ride with Cycle Portland reminded me of the beautiful, tree-lined neighbourhoods and delightful riverside. Many roads have "bicycle greenways" and whole streets closed to cars. Afterwards I relaxed in the hot tubs and saunas at Knot Springs on the fifth floor of a spa centre with views of the skyline.

Although the vibe has changed since its heyday, Portland is in the midst of revitalisation. It's another episode of a different show, which I will keep watching with both nostalgia and excitement to see what happens next.

Portland remains a leading destination for drinking in style. The coffee is arguably the best in the US, particularly at Proud Mary, where the owners hail from Melbourne. Here are my top four bars for something alcoholic.

1. Houston Blacklight: This psychedelic wonderland serves Old Fashioneds with coconut-washed bourbon and cucumber-and-salted plum Negronis, alongside Montreal-inspired dishes such French-onion-soup ramen. thehoustonblacklight.com

2. Aviation American Gin: The famous gin company has a new distillery with an onsite bar and an escape room through the office of the co-owner, actor Ryan Reynolds. aviationgin.com/visit-us

3. Below By Botanist: A subterranean cocktail bar in the Pearl District serving Filipino and Hawaiian food, a collaboration from the teams behind Hapa Howie's and Barkada PDX. belowbybotanist.com

4. Division Winemaking Company: Willamette Valley wine country is only 30 minutes from Portland, leading to an influx of urban wineries. I loved every drop at this tiny tasting room. divisionwineco.com

Getting there: Hawaiian Airlines flies five times weekly from Sydney to Honolulu with same day connections to Portland.

Staying there: The Woodlark is a 151-room modern hotel, home to Abigail Hall bar, Bullard steakhouse and a cafe serving locally roasted coffee. Rates start at $222 a night. See woodlarkhotel.com

Explore more: travelportland.com

The writer was a guest of Visit Portland.

Pictures: Getty Images; supplied