Portland, Ore., September 5, 2012 – Edible Portland has launched a dining guide—EAT HERE: This Region, This Season, These Restaurants—that provides out-of-towners and Portlanders alike with a directory of select restaurants that prioritize regional ingredients and have deep relationships with local farmers, fishers, brewers, vintners, ranchers and food artisans.

“For years, people have asked us for our list of recommended restaurants. At the magazine, we work to inspire readers to become a part of a thriving local agricultural community.  It really made sense for us to offer a guide to eating out,” says Laura Ford, editor of Edible Portland, an award-winning quarterly publication from Ecotrust that tells behind-the-scenes stories of our food and farming culture.

The first release of EAT HERE includes 18 hand-picked restaurants from Portland to Newport to Eugene. People living and traveling throughout the state will be able to find nearby restaurants whose food reflects a commitment to local communities.

The Edible Portland staff began its restaurant search by asking farmers in and around Portland to share their lists of restaurants with whom they’ve built meaningful relationships. Restaurants that both have top quality menus and have longstanding relationships with regional growers, incorporate seasonal food into menus, and are strong supporters of their communities were invited to advertise. Edible Portland also looked for restaurants that have well-developed employee benefits and work to lessen their impact on the environment.

“We hope the guide will continue to grow and become an increasingly valuable resource for eaters,” Edible Portland publisher Ericka Carlson affirmed.

Find the EAT HERE guide in the Fall Issue of Edible Portland on newsstands now and online at www.edibleportland.com/eat-here.

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About Edible Portland

Edible Portland is published four times a year by Ecotrust. The free publication, available at local farmers markets, grocery stores, restaurants, cooking schools and other locations throughout the region, addresses food and farming issues, and shares untold tales from the local food community. Advertising and subscription information is available at www.edibleportland.com.

About Ecotrust

For more than 20 years, Ecotrust has converted $80 million in grants into more than $500 million in capital for local people, businesses, and organizations from Alaska to California. Ecotrust’s many innovations include co-founding the world’s first environmental bank, starting the world’s first ecosystem investment fund, creating a range of programs in fisheries, forestry, food, farms and indigenous affairs, and developing new scientific and information tools to improve social, economic and environmental decision-making. Ecotrust works locally in ways that promise hope abroad, and it honors and supports the wisdom of Native and First Nation leadership in its work. Learn more at www.ecotrust.org.