The Table

Inspiring mission statement, dedicated volunteers, and amazing food. You need to go eat at The Table as soon as possible! I followed The Table on social media for months before their opening. It was so wonderful to see this project come together (virtually) and then experience it firsthand.
The dining space in Portland is rustic industrial. We sat at a cozy, two-​top in the front window on a busy Friday afternoon. We arrived at 1 pm, but things stayed hopping almost until closing time. The wait staff are all community volunteers and we found everyone to be so warm and welcoming. They were genuinely happy to be there and to lend a hand. One even gave us each a rose on our way out the door!
I’ve been stalking the Veggie Philly Cheesesteak ($ 6) on Facebook for a while. I ordered it with a small garden salad as a side ($ 2). You can do a sandwich, side, and soda (Coke products are served here) as a combo for $ 10, but I’m trying to stay away from sugary drinks. My friend had the grilled cheese and two, side salads. She tried the roasted root vegetable and four potato salad. We were told that these were being rotated off the menu and some new items would replace them by early Feb. she loved all her picks.
My sandwich was filled with smoky mushrooms in a rich, Ale-​8 cheese sauce. The bread was terrific and held up well to the filling. My side salad had crisp greens and homemade croutons that was complimented by a knock-​out, Ranch dressing. I held off from ordering dessert since I was headed to Scarlet’s after lunch. They did have a tempting layer cake available. Next time!

This small restaurant had piqued my interest ever since I heard of its mission to feed everyone who «sits at our table.»
Honorable, to be sure. And I love that it opened its doors on the west side of town, in an area in need of healthier, affordable dining options. The Table specializes in farm-​to-​table dishes — a far cry from the nearby fast food.
So I was very excited to finally get the opportunity to dine here.
I really didn’t know what to expect, and what I found was a small restaurant, simple interior, no wait and friendly servers. From what I’ve read about this restaurant, the servers are volunteers, but you wouldn’t know that from their service. They definitely seemed at ease and to know what to do.
I got the bacon blue flatbread, which is made with hickory smoked bacon and smoked blue cheese, topped with acorn squash, arugula and honey. I wish the sandwich was a little heavier on the squash and honey, but I love this combination and would get this again. The bacon was thick; they definitely didn’t skimp.
I also got the parmesan fries on the side. Now, Louisville is a town that excels at french fries. (I’m looking at you, Sidebar and Mussel and Burger Bar.) So my bar for fries is rather high, and this is especially true for parmesan fries.
These fries were OK. Just OK. They were light on the parmesan, but the fries had a nice crispness and seasoning on them.
My meal came to the very affordable $ 8. I wish I would have remembered to «pay it forward» and add some extra to my bill to help pay for a meal for someone who can’t. Next time, for sure.
And there will be a next time. I’m looking forward to it.

Well, I am in love with this concept. What you have here is a restaurant offering locally sourced, farm to table food, at a reasonable price, in an area that doesn’t have the culinary options and restaurants that you might find in the «hipper» parts of town. They offer several payment methods, operating in the «pay what you can» concept. You can pay the cost of the meal, pay what you can afford, pay with service if you can’t afford the meal, or pay it forward with either money or service for those who can’t afford their meal. All of the waiters and waitresses are volunteers, and they don’t accept any tips, but encourage any tip you may leave to go to the «pay it forward» option.
Sounds awesome, right? It is! And here’s what makes it even cooler: their food is great. They offer hearty, delicious meals that are locally sourced. They have soups, salads, sandwiches, and sides. You order everything a la carte, but the prices are so reasonable it’s hard not to order one of everything.
My mom and I got a conglomeration of things: the roasted root salad, potato soup, Parmesan fries, veggie cheesesteak sandwich, and a new salad that they hadn’t put on the menu yet (I forget the name!). It was all great.
The volunteers are very friendly and happy to talk about the operation. Oh! And they have phone-​in to go ordering as well!

The Table gets 5*. It gets 5* because The Table cares. The Table cares about the community it is in. The Table wants people to eat good food for cheap. If you don’t have any money and you’re hungry, you can go to The Table and get some food. They’ll take care of you.
And if you DO have money? Throw The Table some extra, to help offset the costs when they do serve those that are in need.
On to the food…
Really nice sandwiches. Good flavor. Well prepared. The chicken sandwich was morbidly obese. And tasty. Same with sides. Blah blah blah. Food was great. No complaints.
Good atmosphere and good food. Even better idea. Eat at The Table. Donate money. Donate all the money.

An oasis in a culinary desert, the Table Café, offers healthy home cooked meals in the Portland neighborhood, where fast-​food restaurants dominate the landscape. «The Table is a non-​profit, social entrepreneurship that serves locally grown, fresh food and operates under a pay-​what-​you-​can model.» The concept is simple, you can 1) pay what you can afford or work in the restaurant as payment 2) Pay the full amount 3) Pay the full amount plus a bit extra to «pay it forward» to cover someone else’s meals. The restaurant is almost entirely staffed by volunteers (you can sign up too!).
The small menu offers salads, soups, sandwiches, and dessert made from locally grown food. Nothing on the menu is over $ 7; you can get a lunch special with any sandwich, side, and drink for $ 10. My sides and salads were fresh and delicious. The main dishes can be tweaked a bit (the chicken was a bit dry and the soup a tad salty) but it still makes for an enjoyable dining experience. The restaurant itself is chic and modern, with a community room and office space attached. Come check it out, everyone is welcome at the Table.

You can’t really understand Louisville or its history without understanding its western neighborhoods; the ones that most affluent eastern Louisvillians reductively refer to as «the West End.» And frankly, we won’t ever be a whole city, one that heals a history of racial and socioeconomic divisiveness, without your concerted effort to venture west of Ninth Street.
In truth, our West End is many different neighborhoods that boast some fantastic residential, church, and community architecture. Some of its neighborhoods are middle class and solid (though all are facing ongoing stress). Still other West End neighborhoods merely need some new TLC to raise up. So, if you’re one of Louisville’s many east-​o-​centric citizens, please consider getting over that now and taking an interest.
To that end, I highly recommend you begin your journey beyond directional geography by grabbing lunch at Portland’s new pay-​it-​forward restaurant, The Table. Located on Portland Avenue just west of Tim Faulkner Gallery and McQuixote Coffee & Books, that trio alone make for a nice combination afternoon outing.
Keep in mind that the East Portland/​Shippingport area where The Table is located was always the least ostentatious working class area of Portland, and the area has been in decline since the Great Flood of 1937 began nearly a century-​long exodus. That exodus has been exacerbated by complex forces, including (mostly illegal) redlining and pervasive disinvestment. But there’s a movement afoot to counter those forces, led by New Directions Housing and more recently joined by Gil Holland’s Portland Investment Initiative, which has already committed a lot of capital to redevelopment and historic preservation that also notably embraces sound principles that will do more than just push poor people to other areas.
The Table serves high-​quality lunch fare with a purpose so don’t get the idea this is a soup kitchen. The menu is chock full of tasty, chef-​created deliciousness. And, its interior is a rich environment, warm with wood tones, bustling with guests and history, one that triumphantly embodies its stated purpose. If you’re not familiar with the pay-​it-​forward concept, not to worry, as The Table’s menu and placard explains how it all works and it is easy to follow (and more about the movement is one edifying Google search away).
On my first visit, I indulged in the Veggie Cheesesteak, a smoky mushroom sandwich on a roll. Also tried the potato soup and sweet potato fries. All were served with care by volunteer wait staff. Portions were modest (my preference), flavorful, and fairly priced.
The Table is currently lunch only, 11 – 3. Parking along Portland Avenue is ample.

The concept of the restaurant is a social worker’s dream coming true (this social worker at the very least). Healthy food options using locally grown food with a mission geared toward social justice, equality… I love that it’s one more new place in Portland. I love the pay what you can afford concept: pay for what you ate, pay extra (pay it forward) to feed others, or work to pay back your meal. I’m not sure if this is an ongoing arrangement, but the day I visited, our server was a volunteer. Therefore the tip we wanted to give her went toward donations (to feed others) instead of actual tipping. I would support the restaurant even if the food wasn’t good, but it was.
The restaurant was bright and airy, with a country chic feel to it. Think Cracker Barrel, but lighter, brighter and a little more personal – simple, clean bare wood furniture and mason jars. The food was good and tasted home made. I ordered the vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak (no meat) and was satisfied and full. The sandwiches are cheaper than average price for a restaurant sandwich. I loved the kale salad! I would definitely come back. I wish it’s closer to my work place, so I could visit more often.

The interior and decoration is very cute. Staff was friendly. They use farm fresh produce at an affordable price. Definitely a huge supporter of their paying if forward concept. We need more of it in Louisville!