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    Nordic Northwest

    4.7 (32 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Services - Nordic Northwest

    Community Service/Non-Profit

    Nordic Northwest Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Olle Bolle's house
    Andrew C.

    Always a treat to pop into the Nordic Northwest compound, as it usually serves up some good architectural vibes, a hit of natural scenery and a couple of shots of whimsy -- all necessary things in my day to day. The modern Scandi design at the Nordia building is very cool, and ya gotta love the Ole Bolle Troll sculpture and the surrounding area. A couple of small trails wind around the green, wooded grounds and it's all free to visit. There's a restaurant onsite too (separate post).

    Norwegian crepes (lefse)
    Lori H.

    What a fun place to spend an afternoon! If you're coming to eat at Broder Soder, I recommend putting your name in at the cafe podium first, then walking around the Nordia House, including the gift shop and museum, then walk outside and stroll down the Ole Bolle trail and visit the magnificent troll created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. It's quite a sight to see! His eyes watch you as you walk around him and the little house he's peeking into. There is no admission fee to go see the troll. The parking lot can get pretty full, and there is additional parking in gravel and sawdust attached. We had lunch at Soder Broder during our visit and both service and food was wonderful. The wait time for a table was around an hour on a Sunday at noon. Once we were seated, our order was taken quickly and the food came out promptly as well. Everything was so yummy! We ordered the Danish pancakes, Swedish meatballs, and Norwegian crepes (lefse). We enjoyed every bite. The prices are pretty comparable to most brunch spots. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and look forward to coming back. Highly recommend!

    Pancake balls
    Lydia H.

    Such a fun place to spend part of your day! I had lunch here before heading to Salem. The pancake balls were much bigger than I expected, so I'm glad I only got the 4 piece. It came with a side of lemon curd and lingonberry sauce which were great toppings. The pancake itself is more dense and not super sweet, which I like. I had the trout cake benedict and it was so delicious. I would get this again in a heartbeat!

    Kim G.

    This Scandinavian cultural center is for everyone! Inside is a small museum where you can learn about the Scandinavian heritage, a photography exhibit, a small gift shop, and Broder Soder cafe. The grounds are beautiful! To the right of the center is the Troll Path that takes you to fabulous Ole Bolle, the ginormous troll created by artist Thomas Dambo. Made out of recycled wood, Ole Bolle is peering into the window of a tiny Nordic cabin. You can view this whimsical creation from outside and inside from the windows. Ole Bolle is worth the ride! The grounds have several other little cabins plus the owners residence, all immaculately maintained in a lush green setting, surrounded by massive fir trees, the red Nordic colors popping. Back in the center, which has a simplistic Scandinavian design with lots of white walls, warm woods, and a pair of gorgeous wood carved front doors, it's very inviting. As you enter, the cafe is straight ahead, the aroma of delicious food greets you immediately. Most definitely stay for brunch, lunch or coffee. The waits can be long so get there early. The gift shop to the left has lots of Scandinavian offerings like licorice, chocolate, coffee mugs and other trinkets. My favorite are the beautiful, vibrant dish towels and cocktail napkins by artist Marimekko. I'm in love with the simplistic, cheerful designs. The cocktail napkins are a great way to add a pop of color to a tablescape. And of course there are trolls! Stuffed animals, figurines, children books and more! Nordic Northwest is a fun spot for a family outing or a brunch with friends. They also host events like the Oregon Midsummer Festival which will be held on June 28 & 29th this year (2024.)

    Mojdeh S.

    Clean, sleek and well-designed. Everything from the landscaping, forested areas with well-maintained paths and trails, to the lawns, and even the outdoor cafe seating, were beautiful, thoughtful and warmly welcoming. Interiors were simple, minimalist, informative and clean. We enjoyed learning about the saunas and cold plunges. We were enticed by the cafe, and had fun with the scavenger hunt. It was a Dambo Troll, Ole Bolle that brought us to Nordic Northwest, but we left so happy to have come across this little gem in the woods on the outskirts of Portland (Tigard).

    Directions
    Martina C.

    I do NOT believe that I have driven past this ADORABLE and beautifully well kept local treasure. We intially went to see the Troll Ollebolle, and ended up perusing the garden at Nordic House. That led us to the resident of this incredible property. We then got to talk to him, and he was VERY kind and informative and we plan to come back for some of the free events they host!! Ollebolle was EVERYTHING and more. What an amazing work of art!! Ironically, my cousin in CO let me know about him. I had NO idea about these cool Troll installations, but she has one nearby where she lives in CO and knew of this one near Portland. I said well, I'll see if it's close by and YES it's SO close to us!!! So we took our kids one evening and they loved Ollebolle AND Nordic House. Talk about value, it's free and so very neat. Get out and check it out!!!

    Huge wood sculpture
    Kathryn Y.

    While visiting the troll I went into the facility to see a cute the Christmas decor and wait to eat at the onsite restaurant. Each display has a an interesting story telling the history of the item. From nomes to grass lambs. Take time and read each because it's interesting and cool. There is a small gift store inside selling cards, trinkets, custom food and much more. Various price points and good values of you are looking for a gift. Clean restrooms inside facility also. Fun and cute spot. SYOP.

    Melanie N.

    If you're out this way, you should definitely stop. Nice little quiet place not far from the craziness of Washington Square area. One of the great parts is that it is free to the public, although a little donation at least would be nice.

    This home wasn't open for tours the day we were there, so we'll plan our next visit when it is
    Kristy M.

    We loved our first visit to Nordic Northwest, and it won't be our last! We were in Portland for a day and wanted to shop at Finn Ware since we love the Astoria location so much. We were quite pleased to discover our favorite shop was located at this magical place! They have rotating exhibits and we so enjoyed the sauna display, as we are big fans of the sauna experience. We loved the big wooden troll, little trolls all over, and the buildings. Our brunch was delightful and we had a tough time choosing what to order! Of course we had to get aebleskivers, which were delicious. The breads, soup, and salads were all amazing, too, and our server was fun and professional with a fantastic beaded bow tie. This was such a memorable experience and we can't wait to go back!

    Ole bolle peaking in
    Frances L.

    Authentic Nordic activities. Restaurant, games, community center it has it all! Also home To Thomas Dambo's new Troll. It's a great place to spend an afternoon.

    What a cool spot to stop on our way to Seaside! Beautiful grounds and "meeting" Ole Bolle was awesome! His gentle eyes seemed to be looking right at you, no matter what direction. Quite a masterpiece Thomas Dambo created! And it's free to visit; next time we will bring a picnic

    Outside
    Jina H.

    Checking into the restaurant inside Nordia House but with the wait this house has so much to offer! A church on Sundays, a gift shop, cultural center, restaurant, and community event space all in one. Lots of history and various exhibitions opened and events as there aeems to be a schedule for the seasons of spring and summer. A lot of history to learn about the Swedish Immigrant experience, a lot to take in and understand the long history just in Oregon. The path and lush greenery outside adds to the house for an interactive experience. The gift shop too has little trinkets to purchase as well as cups, kitchen towels, chocolates, and variety of gifts. A great place to explore with some time if you're waiting for the restaurant like my group was, you can learn something by filling your minds but also your stomach

    Entrance
    Jeremy S.

    We enjoyed looking around the grounds this morning at Nordic Northwest. Learned a lot about my girlfriends heritage and saw some really neat things. They have a cafe and bar. Artwork was awesome and the property outside was extremely well maintained. Next time we'll try grabbing a bite to eat there and maybe a cocktail.

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    2 months ago

    Great place for wedding venue and see the troll.. after you eat at Nordic house fine dinning..

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    5 months ago

    Great place to explore and learn and let the kiddos run around too! Also, Thomas Dambo's Oregon troll is there too!!

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food, great service in a beautiful setting! Cannot wait to go back. The potato pancakes are outstanding.

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    2 years ago

    Wonderfully curated spot! I felt fully emerged in the Nordic culture. We will definitely be back.

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    Ask the Community - Nordic Northwest

    Review Highlights - Nordic Northwest

    This little community house was one of the best, unintentional outcome from dining at the Broder Soder.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    I've taken several classes here after being introduced through a Yelp Elite event. They had me at…read morestreet tacos! Chef Valentine is so nice and patient, the classes are fun, and at the end, you realize it's surprisingly easy to make good, healthy, affordable food that is delicious! I've taken the pork ramen class, which was my favorite. The broth, cooks in 30 minutes in an Instapot, and it was so rich and flavorful. I went out an Instapot the next day! We also made the noodles from scratch. It took a lot of kneeding to get the texture where it needed to be, but it was worth it! I haven't made the noodles at home yet because it took two of us to manage the pasta sheets and pasta machine, which I don't have. But someday! Also enjoyed the class where we learned how to make Saag Paneer, one of my favorite Indian dishes. Once you learn the technique, you can substitute chicken or lamb for the paneer. Quick, delicious, and far less money than if buying out. What makes these cooking classes so enjoyable is the ease and comfort of the atmosphere, created by Chef Valentine, and the ability to get to know the other people in the class. You all prep and cook together and then share the meal as a community. You can bring beer, wine or hard cider - and if you forget, go downstairs and buy some! People tend to share what they bring which adds to the sense of community. Chef Valentine has taught me knife skills, which I thought I had! Wrong. I was doing all the work and not letting the knife do it's job. It's all about the tools and using them properly. These classes have also taught me patience. Cutting all the veggies for the ramen takes time, skill and patience to get uniformed cuts. Prepping and measuring first makes the actual cooking process go smoother. I've always been a cook, but never much of a baker because baking is about being precise with measurements, which requires patience. After taking several cooking classes at Feed the Mass, I've learned how patience pays off. This Christmas, I baked about a dozen varieties of cookies, including baklava. They all turned out wonderful, according to my friends who gobbled them up and I owe it to Chef Valentine! Classes are located on the second floor of Whole Foods in the Pearl. You can park on the street or in Whole Foods garage. If you spent $10 on groceries, parking is free. Love taking classes here! I bought a book of 5 passes so classes end up being $25 per class, a bargain since you also eat a meal! What I really like is the mission of a Feed the Mass, which is to educate and provide classes to those who can't afford to pay for classes, to teach them how to make a healthy and affordable meals for their family. A meal that costs less than fast food and is far more delicious. And healthier. Taking classes supports this Non-Profit's mission. There are classes for kids, date nights, family classes and even classes where you learn how to prep a few meals that stretch out for a week. So take some classes and learn new skills, have fun and pay it forward! It's a great experience and a fun way to spend an evening with friends, family or as a single...once you walk in the door, you are part of the community.

    I took the ramen class taught by Chef Jacobsen Valentine at a private event. As a casual home cook,…read moreI thought it was awesome. No matter your skill level (unless, maybe, if you're already a professional chef), you'll learn something new. We made ramen noodles from scratch (!), which were an amazing consistency and soaked up the flavor of the broth well. We also learned proper knife techniques. Chef Valentine has a real passion for cooking and teaching others this important life skill as a means to a healthier lifestyle. A portion of class fees goes towards scholarships for classes for those in need. On the down side, this may have ruined me for instant and non-housemade restaurant ramen, as ours was so good! Now I'll really be saying, I could/should have made this at home!

    Nordic Northwest - nonprofit - Updated May 2026

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