A great bike shop, especially if you're into road biking. Terrific service. Lots of bikes to choose from. If you're looking for a more casual, less speedy ride try Coventry, Clever Cycles, or the Bike Gallery.

The Chinese Garden's Tao of Tea is a great place to take out-of-town guests or to relax by yourself with a book on a Saturday afternoon. The ambiance is wonderful and the tea is very authentic. There are so many to choose from, but if you don't know where to start try a white tea -- a light flavor and full of antioxidants.

Laughing Planet serves up some of the best cheap food on Belmont. With the focus on veggie/vegan dishes (many you can add meat to, though), they are wonderfully inventive and multi-cultural. Make sure to get an order of chips and salsa. The soups are also great, especially on a rainy afternoon.

People's in a wonderful all-vegetarian co-op in southeast Portland. They have a terrific bulk food section and lots of local, organic produce. Every Wednesday there is a farmers market -- year round!! Plenty of bike parking and a super sweet eco-friendly building. Come on down!

Excellent pizza in a terrific location right on the streetcar line. Great for summer dining--outdoor picnic tables and just a block away from Jamison Square park. I love their creative, seasonal veggie pizzas. The vegan pizza is super as well. Hot Lips does a great job supporting local farmers and furthering sustainability in Portland.

Paradox Cafe is a Portland institution for vegans and vegetarians. They serve yummy dishes like vegan mac n' not cheese that you can get with broccoli and/or tempeh. Soups are great, as are the spicy hand-cut french fries. The artichoke dip also gets a big thumbs up. They make a regular hamburger if you want to bring your non-veggie friends. The decor is fun and retro. A great diner-style experience and plenty of fun things to do on SE Belmont afterwards!