Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Meg Cotner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Meg, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I had moved from New York City (Astoria, Queens) to Portland in the summer of 2016. Back in NYC I had written about food, including a guidebook called “Food Lovers’ Guide to Queens.” I knew I wanted to keep abreast of the food scene here in Portland, which was pretty active and well-recognized. I wasn’t sure how to do it at first, but after a little while I realized that starting small was the way to go.

I was in the shower one morning and thought, “Bridgetown Bites” sounds pretty good! “Bridgetown” is one of the nicknames for Portland, and “Bites” added a nice bit of alliteration. Thus, a brand was born.

Bridgetown Bites started as an Instagram account in 2016 and transitioned to a website in 2017.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Meg Cotner and I live in Portland, Oregon. I write, edit, and publish the website Bridgetown Bites, an independent source of food news and views in Portland.

I had always liked to write, ever since I was young. When I was a child I wrote a story that won a competition at my school. They took my story and bound it into a book. Proud doesn’t even begin to describe the feeling I had! It was awesome.

But the years passed and other interests found their way to me, and for about 20 years I studied music – the harpsichord and early music – pretty seriously. My aim was to become a professional musician. I got a doctorate in performance from Stony Brook University (after two previous degrees at the California Institute of the Arts and the San Francisco Conservatory) and had some fantastic times playing opera and chamber music. One of my true joys was studying Medieval and early Renaissance keyboard music.

I loved learning music and playing music,. But in the end, performing was not a good fit for me because of performance anxiety issues.

However, I partook in rigorous academic scholarship in grad school, which renewed my interest in writing, editing, and research. I started writing in the digital space in 2006, and found my way to food writing, as well as topics like real estate, retail, the arts – yes, including music – and culture. From 2007 to 2011 I also worked as an online community manager, where I got my feet wet in moderating online forums and writing social media posts.

I provide an independent voice in Portland’s food news scene. I really like writing about restaurant/bar/cafe/food truck openings and closings. My work is deeply research-based, as access to some resources is limited. I hope I provide reliable, accurate content that is friendly and authoritative. It is important to me to cultivate relationships with professionals, colleagues, and my readers through my writing.

As for what I am most proud of, I would say writing my book , “Food Lovers’ Guide to Queens,” is a big one. And launching Portland Salad Week back in 2022 (look for its return in 2025). But also being “the little engine that could.” I started this website and nurtured it; I was a finalist for the PDX Eater editor position, which I didn’t get; then I got breast cancer. I am a survivor.

I decided that even though I didn’t get that job with Eater, nothing said I couldn’t continue writing about Portland food and publishing it on my own website. So I did, despite going through other personal challenges over the years. I am serious about my work and grateful for my audience; I have made it this far, and look forward to finding ways to continue to grow the website’s presence and brand in Portland.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I was trying establish myself as a freelance harpsichordist, a series of events had a real impact on me. One in particular was being verbally abused publicly by a conductor, for something I had no control over but was made to feel like I was responsible. It was terribly traumatic and really turned me off to freelancing.

It also became clear that I was not going to be able to make a living as a musician; in the end, I loved playing music, but performing? I just didn’t love it enough. That was a hard reality to accept, but I knew it was inevitable.

So, I pivoted toward writing and working in online communities. and that was a much better fit; the writing especially has been really satisfying. And writing about food? Even more satisfying. Writing keeps me grounded, and providing useful and interesting content is really fulfilling.

And, there is room for growth; always room. I look forward to seeing what is next.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal is to be as authentic as possible in my writing. My ideal tone is approachable, friendly, and not overly ornamental in my writing. It is a personal preference and I think my readers appreciate it.

Another goal of mine is to be as accurate as possible. Everyone makes mistakes, of course; and thank goodness digital publishing lends itself to corrections easier than print. If I make an error, I am happy to be corrected, and to admit the inaccuracy.

The mission, though? To provide an independent voice in the mix of food writing. Something I once heard has stayed with me and keeps me going: The act of creating is putting into the world something that has never existed before. For me, that’s inspiring, exciting, and profound.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://bridgetownbites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetownbites/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridgetownbites
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megcotner/
• Other: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bridgetownbites.bsky.social
  Threads: https://www.threads.net/@bridgetownbites
  Flipboard: https://flipboard.com/@bridgetownbites

Image Credits

eating-photographing-janken-portland-oregon – image credit Judith Rich