Ava Gene's has poured the same Roman-Italian template into a Southeast Division storefront since 2012: hand-rolled pasta, a wood oven, and a vegetable list that turns over with whatever Oregon farms bring in that week. Chef-owner Joshua McFadden built the menu around the Tuscan Cavalry, a lacinato-kale salad under SarVecchio cheese and breadcrumbs that has never left the card. Dinner runs roughly $75 a head before wine, at 3377 SE Division Street in the Richmond neighborhood.
The Kitchen
Joshua McFadden opened Ava Gene's in 2012 after cooking at Franny's in Brooklyn and running the farm gardens that shaped his vegetable-first style; he later wrote the cookbook Six Seasons. The restaurant has been a James Beard Award semifinalist across several cycles and reopened in March 2023 after a pandemic closure, with the Roman formula intact. Pasta is made in-house daily, from hand-formed tortellini to extruded campanelle, and the kitchen offers a tasting option alongside the à la carte menu.
The Tuscan Cavalry kale salad is the dish regulars order on sight, but the cacio e pepe and the seasonal amatriciana carry the pasta section, with wood-fired pizza Bianca and a daily vegetable plate filling out a meal. Pasta plates run about $26 to $34 and most tables land near $75 a person before wine. The room sits at 3377 SE Division Street in Richmond, a short walk from the Clinton Street corridor, and takes reservations on Resy roughly two weeks out.
The Room
The dining room is narrow and loud in the good way — a long marble counter, close-set tables, and a soundtrack that climbs as the room fills past eight o'clock. Lighting is low and warm, the open kitchen throws off heat from the wood oven, and the bar at the front takes walk-ins. Tables are spaced for a party of four rather than a quiet two-top, and service is fast and informal. Dress is Portland-casual; nobody will blink at jeans, and the energy suits a group more than a hushed date.
Best for a Birthday
Book Ava Gene's for a birthday because the format rewards a group that wants to share. The pasta and vegetable plates are built for the middle of the table, the wine list runs deep on Italian bottles by the glass, and the kitchen will send out something for the guest of honor if you flag it on the Resy booking. Picture six friends over a spread of cacio e pepe, the Tuscan Cavalry, and a bottle of Lambrusco at the marble counter. For more group rooms, see our birthday dining picks or the wider Portland dining guide.
Not for a quiet, romantic two-top. The room is tight and loud once it fills, and the shared-plate format works against a private conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ava Gene's worth it?
Yes, if you come for the pasta and the seasonal vegetables rather than a quiet room. Ava Gene's has run a Roman-Italian kitchen on SE Division since 2012 under chef-owner Joshua McFadden, with hand-rolled pasta and the Tuscan Cavalry kale salad as the draw. Expect about $75 a head before wine, and a loud, convivial dining room best suited to a group.
What should I order at Ava Gene's?
Start with the Tuscan Cavalry kale salad, the dish that has never left the menu, then build a meal from the pasta: the cacio e pepe and the seasonal amatriciana are the reliable picks, with the wood-fired pizza Bianca and a daily vegetable plate alongside. Pasta plates run about $26 to $34. Order family-style and let the table share.
How do I book Ava Gene's?
Book on Resy, ideally about two weeks ahead for a weekend table. Ava Gene's is at 3377 SE Division Street in Portland's Richmond neighborhood and serves dinner nightly; the front bar also takes walk-ins if you are flexible. For a birthday or larger group, note it in the reservation so the kitchen can plan.
Is Ava Gene's good for groups?
Yes, it is one of the better group rooms in Southeast Portland. The pasta and vegetable plates are built to share, the wine list is deep on Italian by-the-glass pours, and the marble counter and close-set tables suit a lively party of four to eight. See our team-dinner picks for more rooms built for a crowd.