When I mention the words “Hot Suppa,” I’m disappointed when people don’t know what I’m referring to, I am talking about the one and only Hot Suppa, an eatery I’ve come to appreciate, located on Congress street a little ways up from Longfellow Square.
Perhaps the reason no one knows what I’m talking about is that Hot Suppa serves breakfast and lunch, not dinner, and many of my peers are not ready to leave the house before 2 pm. The outside of the building doesn’t look like much – tinted windows obscure the inside, and it’s hardly bigger than a hole in the wall. But stumble in before closing time at 2:30, and find the best hole in the wall you could hope for. Those tinted windows suddenly provide a little bit of privacy, and the seating area has a cozy, artsy feel to it. The staff are friendly and the service is great; they genuinely seem to want to make everyone comfortable.
As for the menu, it has a down-home appeal, yet it’s blended with high-quality ingredients. The breakfast side of the menu has a great variety of options, from a biscuit and sausage gravy with two eggs to eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes or Canadian bacon. The corned beef hash is absolutely delicious and has a great ‘from scratch’ feel to it. It’s not all artery clogging choices either, but breakfast for me is meant to be a hearty, filling experience.
If breakfast isn’t quite your thing, Hot Suppa serves lunch all day as well; simply flip the menu over or take a look at the specials (which are posted up on the wall or in front of the register). Lunch at Hot Suppa consist of only one item for me: The Cubano. I don’t know of another place in this town to even GET a Cubano (French bread grilled sandwich with pickles, whole grain mustard, pulled pork and ham slices with melted gruyere cheese) let alone one that is this freakin’ good. Specials change seasonally as far as I can tell, this summer showed a lamb burger and feta cheese which was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. Sides for lunch are selected a la carte from a mini menu. The first time I’d ever had falafel was in this place as well – my girlfriend grinned as she informed me that I was eating vegetarian food and completely loving it.
The downside to Hot Suppa is also one of its strengths: the place is very small, able to seat less than 50 people at a time. It’s also a little bit more expensive than other lunch spots in the area, but not by too much, and not for what kind of product you’re getting. The price is worth it completely, just be prepared for a possible short wait for a table. I don’t know if I should be writing about this place, because it already takes long enough to get a seat. However, that would be unfair, so do yourself a favor and go discover the best kept secret in breakfast and lunch in Portland.