Eb & Bean

Eb & Bean
Exterior of the original shop on Broadway in Northeast Portland's Irvington neighborhood, 2025
Restaurant information
Established2014 (2014)
OwnerElizabeth Nathan
LocationPortland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States
Websiteebandbean.com

Eb & Bean is a chain of vegan-friendly frozen yogurt shops in Portland, Oregon, United States. The business was established by Elizabeth Nathan in 2014. The original location opened on Broadway in Northeast Portland's Irvington neighborhood. Subsequent locations were opened on Division Street in Southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood in 2016 and on 21st Avenue in Northwest Portland's Northwest District in 2019.

Description

Eb & Bean is a vegan-friendly chain of frozen yogurt shops in Portland, Oregon. Eater has described the business as "hyper-local".

The original shop operates on Broadway in Northeast Portland's Irvington neighborhood. The "spacious" location on Division Street in Southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood has a seating capacity of 26 people and has shared a patio with the Indian restaurant Bollywood Theater. The shop on 21st Avenue in Northwest Portland's Northwest District has a colorful interior, with murals of polar bears.

According to Willamette Week, the business "buys its milk at family-run organic dairy farms within 100 miles of Portland and uses no hormones, no artificial sweeteners and, unlike other 'farm to cone' places, no corn syrup".

The menu includes almond-, coconut-, and oat milk-based varieties; flavors have included apple pie, cinnamon roll, almond coconut, chocolate, chocolate hazelnut pudding, guava lime coconut, hazelnut praline, boysenberry, marionberry, marionberry pancake, muscovado blondie, sour cherry watermelon, tart, vanilla, and vanilla-roasted macadamia.

Toppings have included cold brew bourbon sauce, caramelized peanut butter, candied ginger, chocolate sprinkles, coconut whipped cream, vegan marshmallows, gummy bears, hot fudge sauce, roasted hazelnuts, toffee, granola, orange cardamom caramel corn, and salted caramel sauce.

Eb & Bean has also served cookie sandwiches, sundaes, waffle cones, and hot chocolate. The business does not use artificial ingredients.

History

Original location

Elizabeth Nathan opened the first location on Broadway in mid 2014. Benjamin Tepler of Portland Monthly said she "changed the game" for frozen yogurt in the city, writing: "Next-level ice cream was already a thing, but it wasn't until Eb & Bean was born that frozen yogurt went from a 'pay-by-the-pound' mall pit stop to artisan status: everything made from scratch, in house, or from the city's top crafters, with oodles of options for the dairy and gluten-adverse." Willamette Week has said the business targeted "a health-conscious demographic and locavores" in 2014.

For Valentine's Day in 2015, the shop offered a special "Lady Gray" variety infused with assam, bergamot, lavender, lemon myrtle, and orange peel, topped with caramel sauce from Bakeshop. A vehicle was driven into the shop in 2024; there was damage but no injuries.

Subsequent locations

Exteriors of the shops on Division Street in Southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood (top) and on 21st Avenue in Northwest Portland's Northwest District (bottom), 2025

In August 2016, the business announced plans to open a second location on Division Street, in the D Street Village space that previously housed the restaurant Koi Fusion. Initially aiming for an October launch, the opening date was pushed back to November. Nathan had come up with approximately 100 flavor combinations by then. Little Nib, described as a "craft chocolate micro-shop", launched within the shop in 2017.

In December 2018, the business announced plans to open a third location on 21st Avenue in 2019. Like many restaurants Eb & Bean's operations were disrupted upon the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shops adjusted by operating via pick-up and take-out. In 2021, the business began accepting Kuto, described by The Oregonian as "an alternative payment app designed to save businesses money on credit card fees".

Reception

Samantha Bakall of The Oregonian included Eb & Bean in a 2016 overview of Portland's best soft serve. The newspaper's Lizzy Acker included the chain's frozen yogurt and toppings in a 2019 list of seventeen of the "prettiest cold treats" in the Portland metropolitan area. In 2016, a writer for the Portland Mercury said, "rest assured the frozen yogurt you get from this hopping NE Broadway joint does not disappoint". In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the newspaper included Eb & Bean in an overview of Portland's best ice cream shops with delivery and take-out services.

Eb & Bean won in the Best Frozen Yogurt category of Willamette Week's annual 'Best of Portland' readers' poll in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, the newspaper's Martin Cizmar said the business was "the city's best fro-yo spot." Danielle Centoni included Eb & Bean in Bon Appétit's 2017 list of Portland's best healthy restaurants. Portland Monthly's Kelly Clarke called the coconut and nut milk variety "stellar" in 2017. The magazine also included Eb & Bean in a 2017 list of seventeen "standout vegan–approved restaurants" in the city . Pete Cottell included the business in Thrillist's 2019 list of Portland's "most essential spots for every kind of ice cream".

Anastasia Sloan included Eb & Bean in Eater Portland's 2025 overview of Portland's best dairy-free frozen desserts. In VegNews's 2026 overview of the nation's best dairy-free soft serve, Charlotte Pointing said the business "isn't entirely vegan, but it has paid special attention to dairy-free soft serve", recommending the blood salted caramel and coconut cream caramel varieties.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Sloan, Anastasia (2018-07-11). "The Best Dairy-Free Frozen Desserts in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  2. ↑ "Four Scoops of Portland Ice Cream News". Willamette Week. 2024-05-18. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  3. ↑ Canavan, Hillary Dixler (2014-08-07). "21 New Ice Cream Destinations That Will Save You from the Summer Heat". Eater. Archived from the original on 2025-08-12. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  4. ↑ Hale, Jamie (2025-07-07). "Why this Portland neighborhood has become the ice cream capital of Oregon". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-07-30. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  5. 1 2 Walsh, Chad (2016-09-27). "Eb & Bean On Division Aims For A Mid-November Opening". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  6. ↑ "Sweet Beat". Willamette Week. 2015-10-27. Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  7. ↑ Starostinetskaya, Anna. "Violife's Cheese Rounds, Soylent Green, and More Vegan Food News of the Week". VegNews.com. Archived from the original on 2026-01-19. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  8. ↑ "Willamette Week's: DEVOUR THIS". Willamette Week. 2023-11-16. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Bamman, Mattie John (2016-08-11). "Eb & Bean Takes Over KOi Fusion on SE Division". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2025-07-22. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  10. ↑ "The Summertime Ice Cream Roundup (Dairy and Non)!". Portland Mercury. 2019-05-23. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  11. ↑ Profenna, Chiara (2023-07-15). "Relive the '10s with these 6 Portland self-serve frozen yogurt shops". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-07-24. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  12. ↑ Hale, Jamie (2025-07-08). "We did a one-day ice cream crawl to some of Portland's best scoop shops. This is what we found". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  13. 1 2 3 Tepler, Benjamin (2018-12-10). "Eb & Bean to Open Third Location in Northwest Portland". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  14. 1 2 3 DeJesus, Erin (2014-07-14). "Eb & Bean, Stan'wiches, Atomic Pizza All Open Now". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-01. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  15. ↑ Lopez, Michelle (2015-06-26). "Where to Find the Best Ice Cream in Portland and Beyond". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  16. ↑ Clarke, Kelly (2015-02-12). "Portland's Most Creative Ice Cream Dreams". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  17. ↑ Hill, Tiffany. "Keep Cool at These 5 Portland Scoop Shops". PDX Parent. Archived from the original on 2026-04-16. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  18. 1 2 Centoni, Danielle (2017-09-12). "The Best Healthy Restaurants in Portland". Bon Appétit. Archived from the original on 2026-10-26. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  19. ↑ Brooks, Karen (2019-06-25). "Don't Have a Cow, Man". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  20. ↑ Brooks, Karen (2014-11-05). "Go Beyond Pumpkin Spice Lattes with 2 Fresh Fall Sips". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  21. 1 2 "The Best Ice Cream Shops in Portland with Takeout and Delivery Options". Portland Mercury. 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  22. ↑ Brooks, Karen (2014-07-01). "Eb & Bean Artisan Fro-Yo Shop Opens on NE Broadway". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  23. ↑ "Turn the Page". Willamette Week. 2014-12-31. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  24. ↑ "New Crop, New Cream". Willamette Week. 2014-08-05. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  25. ↑ Stutzman, Mary (2015-02-03). "Valentine's Day in Portland". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  26. ↑ "Crash sends car into frozen yogurt shop in NE Portland". KPTV. 2024-06-27. Archived from the original on 2025-07-25. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  27. ↑ Clarke, Kelly (2016-08-09). "Eb & Bean Will Open Second Shop on SE Division Street This Fall". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  28. ↑ "Huge New Bar With Four Food Carts Inside It Coming From Koi Fusion Owner". Willamette Week. 2016-08-19. Archived from the original on 2024-12-25. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  29. ↑ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-11-03). "Eb & Bean and Water Avenue Coffee Co. Both Open November 4". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  30. ↑ Brooks, Karen (2017-06-27). "An Indie Chocolate Shop Opens Inside Artisan Fro-Yo Star Eb & Bean". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  31. ↑ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2018-12-21). "Arepa Bar Teote Will Open a Location Within Pine Street Market". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-01-12. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  32. ↑ Russell, Michael (2020-04-09). "How to get Salt & Straw, Blue Star Donuts, more at home during coronavirus crisis". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  33. ↑ Goldberg, Jamie (2021-04-27). "Business group, local app developer plan gift card that can be spent at small businesses throughout Portland". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  34. ↑ Bakall, Samantha (2016-06-02). "Savor the summer with Portland's best soft serve". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  35. ↑ Acker, Lizzy (2019-07-08). "Here are 17 of the Portland area's prettiest cold treats". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2026-03-30. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  36. ↑ "The Portland Ice Cream Mega List!". Portland Mercury. 2016-06-01. Archived from the original on 2026-03-06. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  37. ↑ "Best of Portland Reader's Poll 2016: The Complete List of Winners". Willamette Week. 2016-07-18. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  38. ↑ "Here are the Winners of the Best of Portland Readers' Poll 2017". Willamette Week. 2017-07-12. Archived from the original on 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  39. ↑ "Do Second Locations of Portland Restaurants Stack Up to the Originals? We Tried Them to See". Willamette Week. 2017-01-25. Archived from the original on 2026-03-14. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  40. ↑ Clarke, Kelly (2017-12-28). "Salt & Straw Debuts All-Vegan Ice Cream Menu This January". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  41. ↑ "17 Standout Vegan–Approved Restaurants in Portland". Portland Monthly. 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2026-11-09.
  42. ↑ Cottell, Pete (2019-08-21). "Portland's Most Essential Spots For Every Kind of Ice Cream". Thrillist. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2026-11-08.
  43. ↑ Pointing, Charlotte. "Creamy, Silky, Swirly: America's Best Dairy-Free Soft-Serve". VegNews.com. Archived from the original on 2026-08-05. Retrieved 2026-11-09.