ST. JOHNS · PORTLAND

St. Johns

North Portland Neighborhood Services

11 spots to discover in this neighborhood

“Cathedral Park. Working waterfront village. North Portland anchor.”

~12,207 residents · North Portland Neighborhood Services · TriMet bus 4 Fessenden + 11 + 16 + 75. St. Johns Bridge to NW. Cathedral Park access.

Triangle hood
Bike-friendly
Up-and-coming
Walkable corridor
Eclectic eats

LIVE ACTIVITY

Avg Rating

4.5

Average across 11 businesses

Reviews

2,713

Across 11 businesses

Open Now

3 Live

Right now

Top Categories

Auto Repair 5
Shops 4
Bars 2

NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

What St. Johns Is Known For

“Cathedral Park. Working waterfront village. North Portland anchor.”

Foster corridor

Triangle loop

Local evening

“Cathedral Park. Working waterfront village. North Portland anchor.”

— St. Johns, Portland

The Vibe

What St. Johns Feels Like

Independent town within the city

St. Johns feels like a town within the city—a walkable, historic downtown with a strong local identity, a tight-knit community, and a slightly bohemian, working-class spirit. Its main street hums with pubs, cafes, theaters, and shops.

Surrounded on three sides by water and crowned by the St. Johns Bridge, it has both a riverside setting and a self-reliant pride that sets it apart from the rest of Portland.

History

How St. Johns Came To Be

St. Johns sits at the far northern tip of the Portland peninsula, where the Willamette meets the Columbia, and it has one of the most independent identities of any Portland neighborhood. Founded as a separate town named for early settler James John, it was its own city until being annexed by Portland in 1915.

That history of independence still shows in its walkable downtown, with vintage storefronts, a distinctive town center, and a self-contained main street that feels like a small town apart from the city. Shipbuilding, lumber, and river industry shaped its working-class roots, and the St. Johns Bridge, completed in 1931, gave it a soaring riverfront landmark.

Long one of Portland's more affordable and tight-knit neighborhoods, St. Johns has retained its distinct character while gradually gaining new restaurants, shops, and attention in recent years.

Character

What Defines St. Johns

Historic downtown

A walkable main street with vintage storefronts, restaurants, bars, and a distinctive town-center plaza.

St. Johns Bridge

The graceful Gothic-arched suspension bridge linking the neighborhood across the Willamette to Forest Park.

Businesses

73%

Verified

4.1

Avg Rating

Auto

Top Category

Categories in St. Johns

Auto

5 Services

4 Bars

Auto 5 Services 4 Bars 2

Landmarks

Notable Places in St. Johns

St. Johns Bridge

A landmark Gothic-style suspension bridge crossing the Willamette River into St. Johns.

Cathedral Park

A riverfront park beneath the St. Johns Bridge known for its dramatic arched piers.

Historic St. Johns Downtown

A distinct, walkable town center with its own historic commercial district and the St. Johns Twin Cinema.

Pier Park

A wooded park featuring tall trees, a swimming pool, and a skate park.

Getting Around

St. Johns

Schools

James John Elementary School

K-5 Portland Public Schools
Roosevelt High School

Portland Public Schools high school

Outdoors

Parks & Greenspaces in St. Johns

Pier Park

A wooded park with towering trees, trails, a pool, and a skate park in the heart of the neighborhood.

Cathedral Park

A riverfront park beneath the St. Johns Bridge, popular for picnics and summer events.

Real Estate

Homes & Architecture in St. Johns

St. Johns offers a stock of older bungalows and cottages at relative affordability, increasingly joined by renovations and infill as demand grows.

Craftsman bungalow Cottage Old Portland four-square

Explore

Discovery Paths

Three ways to experience St. Johns.

Foster corridor

1 Small cafes on SE Foster Rd
2 Eclectic eateries (Stella Taco, Pieper Cafe)
3 Bike-friendly side streets

Triangle loop

1 Foster Powell Park
2 Local restaurants
3 Mt. Scott / Holgate bike greenway

Local evening

1 Bar Carlo
2 Pieper Cafe
3 Stella Taco

Civic Infrastructure

The associations, meetings and shared resources that hold St. Johns together.

Active associations

St. Johns Neighborhood Association (SJNA) neighborhood assn

St. Johns triangle: SE Powell Blvd (north) to SE Foster Rd (south) to SE 82nd Ave (east) — bounded by SE Holgate to the north on the SW corner

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