Brian Snyder, Walt Alexander, and Kevin Atchley grew up in North Carolina, moved to Portland, and missed biscuits the way transplanted Southerners always miss the specific foods of home. They spent months developing a recipe before debuting at the Portland Saturday Farmers Market in 2006, where the lines stretched to an hour within weeks. By 2008 they had opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant on SE Belmont Street, and a year later Pine State Biscuits appeared in Season 6, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “All Kinds of Classics,” which aired June 8, 2009. Guy Fieri said the biscuits had “some of the best texture in a biscuit I’ve ever had.” He devoured the Reggie with fried chicken, bacon, cheddar, and sausage gravy and called the biscuit “flaky and light.” Esquire magazine later named the Reggie one of the best sandwiches in the country. The restaurant has since grown to multiple Portland locations, a Reno location, and a food truck Airstream, with no apparent plans to stop.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Pine State Biscuits
City: Portland, Oregon
Cuisine: Breakfast / Biscuits
DDD Season: 6
DDD Episode: 9
Episode Title: All Kinds of Classics
Original Air Date: June 8, 2009
Address: 3640 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97214 (original DDD location; multiple Portland locations now open)
Phone: 503-236-3346
Website: https://pinestatebiscuits.com/
Status: Open (multiple locations)
About Pine State Biscuits
Pine State Biscuits operates on a simple premise: the biscuit is the vehicle and everything else is the cargo. The biscuits are made fresh daily from scratch, using minimal mixing — overmixing is the enemy of biscuit texture — and both baking powder and baking soda for lift, with ice-cold butter shredded rather than cut in. The name comes from one of North Carolina’s nicknames: the Pine State. Current Portland locations include NE Alberta, NE Schuyler, SE Division, and NW 23rd, alongside the Reno location and the Airstream food truck.
What to Eat at Pine State Biscuits
The Reggie Deluxe is the signature and the Esquire-recognized sandwich: fried chicken, thick-cut bacon, Tillamook cheddar, a runny fried egg, and sausage gravy on a fresh biscuit. It is the sandwich that built the cult. The Reggie without the egg is the same sandwich for the egg-averse. The Chatfield — fried chicken, apple butter, and bacon — is the sweet-savory option that converts people who come in skeptical. The McIsley with fried chicken, pickles, mustard, and honey is the bright, tangy alternative. The Biscuits and Gravy with sausage or veggie gravy is the dish that made Guy call the texture his best-ever. The Shrimp and Grits, Chicken Fried Steak Biscuit, and Brisket Biscuit with Carolina gold BBQ sauce round out the serious Southern commitments. The Bourbon Caramel Cinnamon Roll is the pastry that earns its own following.
Bring the Pine State spirit home with Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Cluckin’ Chicken Dry Rub for your own fried chicken biscuit attempts, and Guy’s Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce for the brisket biscuit approach.
Plan Your Visit
Pine State Biscuits is open daily 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at most locations. Check the website for current locations and hours. Find a Portland hotel on Booking.com — any of the Portland locations are worth building a morning around.
Address: 3640 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97214 (original location; see website for all locations)
Phone: 503-236-3346
Website: https://pinestatebiscuits.com/
Status: Open
Flavortown Approved
Delish named Pine State Biscuits the number one Guy Fieri-picked Triple D restaurant in Oregon. Stream the All Kinds of Classics episode on Amazon.
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Pine State Biscuits appeared in Season 6, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “All Kinds of Classics,” originally aired June 8, 2009. The restaurant started at the Portland Farmers Market in 2006 and opened its first brick-and-mortar in 2008. The Reggie was named one of the best sandwiches in America by Esquire magazine.