Food + Dining Scene: Fermenter Takes Over Farm Spirit’s Portland Space

Portland, Ore. – Aaron Adams’ plant-based “beneficial bacteria emporium” known as Fermenter has moved from its original location and taken over the Farm Spirit space at 1403 SE Belmont St., streamlining both restaurant concepts into a single location. The converted space is now open for lunch, dinner, and Saturday brunch for take-out and delivery.

In its new 1,000 square-foot home, Fermenter continues its celebration of all things probiotic created in small batches and sourced from within 105 miles of Portland. The former Farm Spirit dining room has been converted into a delicatessen setting, offering guests soups, sandwiches, bowls, salads, provisions and sides ready to eat or to take out and prepare at home. 

Adams’ continues to make tempeh a focal point, serving it seared and warm in his dishes or selling it separately for cooking at home. Over 2020, he has broadened his vegan charcuterie, perfecting a tempeh bacon. House-made kefir, kombucha and ginger beer made popular with the temperance pairing at Farm Spirit dinners are available by the glass or in to-go growlers. Adams has also expanded Fermenter’s pantry provisions, stocking a refrigerated case with vegetable krauts, hot sauces, nut-based spreads, and plant-based cheeses. On Saturday mornings starting at 11:00 a.m., the menu expands to include breakfast items such as sweet and savory tartines, breakfast bowls and Proud Mary batch-brew coffee. 

“I opened Portobello in a coffee shop as a pop-up, so this is a very full circle moment for me right now,” says Adams, noting that this is the first time Fermenter or Farm Spirit will be serving coffee in its five-year history. “My goal is to be an oasis for the neighborhood and where people can pop in, say hi, and grab a nourishing bite to go. Preserving our sense of community is tremendously important right now.”

For the curious customer looking for a new culinary project, Adams is offering take-home kits for pickling, kraut- and kombucha-making, complete with instructions, crocks, and starter spores.

While letting go of the original tiny 660 square-foot space on SE Morrison St. connotes the end of a chapter in Farm Spirit’s history, Adams does plan to hold coursed dinners as soon as it is safe to do so. “Obviously there are a lot of external factors that would need to be addressed, but we’re looking forward to welcoming our Farm Spirit diners back as soon as we possibly can,” he says.

In the meantime, Adams has installed covered heated seating on SE 14^th Street. Fermenter is open Wednesday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Fermenter/Farm Spirit

Located at 1403 SE Belmont St. in in Portland, Ore., Fermenter and Farm Spirit serve plant-based, locally-sourced cuisine from the farms, fields and forests of the Cascadia region. Farm Spirit was twice recognized in 2019 for sustainability with the Good Food 100 Restaurants List and Zero Foodprint List.

Here is their website: https://www.restaurantji.com/or/portland/fermenter-/