Beetroot Market & Deli

WHAT IS BEETROOT MARKET & DELI?  

Beetroot is a modern Jewish deli and specialty food store opening in NW Portland this August. 

We’ll be serving a wide variety of dishes and ingredients from across the Jewish diaspora - from lox, pastrami, and matzo ball soup to chicken schnitzel sandwiches, za’atar roasted vegetables, and tefteli (Russian meatballs) - all made from ingredients that are fresh and ethically sourced! 

WHY DID YOU START BEETROOT? 

Beetroot is my answer to the question of “What does the Jewish deli look like in the 21st century?” 

For me, that means we’re serving delicious and comforting foods that connect us to our histories and to one another. It means we’re using environmentally sustainable practices and ingredients, including lots of local produce, and ethically raised meat and fish. And it means using our business to support other small business owners who share our values, especially small producers, local farms, women-run, POC-run, queer-run, and immigrant-run businesses and artisans.

Beetroot isn’t just another restaurant, it’s a space to build community and celebrate Jewish foods and cultures.

The people of Portland are hungry for Beetroot! 

When we tell people we’re opening a Jewish deli, they tend to get emotional. Since we first started renovating our space, our neighbors have been basically knocking down our doors to ask us when we will be open. We get at least one email a week from someone who wants to tell us about their favorite Jewish foods and ask us to carry these hard-to-find dishes and ingredients. We’ve had numerous press opportunities and we’ve been booked regularly for catering since we launched our website. 

There’s nothing quite like Beetroot in Portland and we're so grateful for the enthusiasm we're receiving from our community.

WHO WE ARE 

Sonya Sanford, Owner & Executive Chef of Beetroot Market & Deli.

When I tell people that I’m starting a restaurant, the first thing people ask is “have you run a restaurant before?” To their surprise, the answer is no! 

I’m not your typical restauranteur, which is great, because Beetroot isn’t your typical restaurant. 

I grew up in Seattle as the child of immigrants from the Soviet Union. I began my culinary education with the cooks in my family - learning to pickle, preserve, garden and forage and to prepare the recipes that had been passed down for generations. Propelled by an appreciation for great food, I worked in restaurants while attending college in Portland, Oregon. In my early twenties, I moved to Los Angeles where I worked as a personal chef and caterer to Hollywood executives and producers, and later as a food stylist, culinary producer, and food writer. 

After years of people suggesting I open my own restaurant, I moved back to Portland in 2018 to start Beetroot. My deep ties to the Pacific Northwest, the relatively few Jewish restaurants here (and the growing demand), and the culture of care for quality food and ingredients made Portland the perfect place to bring my dream of a modern Jewish deli to life. 

Risa Lichtman, Chef de Cuisine

When I met Risa I knew right away that we shared a vision for what we wanted to create with Beetroot.

Risa has been cooking in restaurants throughout Portland, San Francisco & New York for over a decade, including Pizzeria Delfina, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Sweedeedee, and Handsome Pizza. Most recently she launched the brunch program at The Sapphire Hotel. She started hosting pop-ups out of her home in 2011, treating diners to seasonal, multi-course, community-building dinners, which can still be found around Portland via Lepage Food and Drinks.  Her biggest efforts center on gathering community around food through pop-ups and fundraiser food events. She is passionate about using ingredient-driven food as a means of building community, a positive food culture, and sustainable food practices by dining together with intention.  

We’re excited to share with you the incredible menu and team we’ve been building together.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

We’re really excited about building a business that embodies our values. 

That means sourcing high-quality, ethically produced ingredients, supporting POC-run, immigrant-run, Queer-run, and women-run small businesses, paying our staff a living wage, and creating a comfortable, safe and welcoming environment. 

We’re looking for your support in our final push to open our doors and make sure that we can put our values into practice in a financially sustainable way! 

Any amount that you can contribute will help.

Having support from our community means so much to me, and I can’t wait to return the favor. 

Song "Kol Mekadesh" by Benjamin Gown

Photo of Sonya Sanford by Rachel Hinman