Welcome to fall in Portland, Oregon where food carts continue to pop up like mushrooms.  Unlike most major cities where the onset of fall and the rainy days spell an end to outdoor dining, it’s estimated that we have well over 400 carts in the Portland metro area and that number is growing daily with most open year round.  With so many food carts, many have taken to calling Portland by other names like: cartopia, cartland, food cart city and food cart heaven. These mobile contraptions selling food also go by a variety of names including restaurants on wheels, lunch wagons, snack shacks and taco trucks.

In Multnomah County, food carts are coded as mobile food units that are portable vehicles where food is prepared & sold to consumers.  They must be a vehicle on wheels and have the ability to be mobile at all times with no permanent connections to city utility services.  While these carts are licensed and inspected by the county, they are not evaluated or listed by AAA inspectors -- we dine and comment merely for fun.

Many of our food carts tend to group together on open surface pay parking lots in the downtown core and in vacant lots just outside of downtown.  The carts are such a phenomenon that developers are designing open lots with year-round food carts in mind.  When several carts group together, we call them “pods” or “food cart villages”.  In downtown Portland, there are five highly organized pods and four additional pods within a couple miles of downtown.  On a recent sunny day I went out and in just visiting these nine pods, was able to choose my fill of foods from over 150 food carts, a true melting pot of flavors.

The best part of having so many choices is that the weak ones don’t survive so you’re fairly sure of getting a great tasting, inexpensive meal.  Many of the carts are first generation immigrants trying to bring the flavor from home to Portland, others are trained cooks that can’t afford to open a brick and mortar restaurant and a couple are operating chefs who like to try out new small dishes  on the street crowd.

When visiting downtown Portland and staying at one of the many AAA approved lodgings, you are sure to find a convenient “pod” within 4-6 blocks of any hotel.   At these pods you will find only limited shade and minimal seating as the majority of diners are grabbing food to go.  A few of the newer carts will have some limited seating but don’t count on it being available.  When visiting the carts, keep in mind you will be out in the elements so dress appropriately,  don’t forget the umbrella and bring cash as only a couple take credit cards. 

All of the pods will have your traditional Asian, Indian, Mexican and Thai carts so maybe look for the unique like Irish/Celtic, Czech, Scottish, regional American like Cajun/Creole, Chicago dogs, BBQ or perhaps treats like crepes, pies or waffles cones filled with anything you can imagine, Sometimes it’s fun to just pick a cart based on its name like Lucille’s Balls, Beez Neez, Saucy’s, Euro Trash, Starchy & Husk, The Sugar Cube, The Swamp Shack or Wet Hot Meat. 

The largest downtown pods are located at:

SW 2nd & 3rd Aves. at SW Stark St.:  Close to 30 carts around the perimeter of two surface pay parking lots right across the street from one another.  There is only limited shade and few carts with seating.  A couple of the unique carts include: DC Vegetarian, Beez Neez (dogs & sausage), Celtic Foods and Sushi.

SW 4th Ave. & SW College St.:  Around 20 carts with really no shade and very limited seating.  This pod is just across from Portland State University so it's popular with the college crowd. 

SW 5th Ave. & SW Stark St.:  About 25 carts that encircle a pay parking lot on three sides with lots of mature shade trees but really no seating.  There happens to be an ATM which is convenient as many carts only take cash.  Look for carts with names like:  BrunchBox, Tabor Czech Foods famous for the Snitzelwich, Spoons and the Swamp Shack (fried gator, hush puppies & beignets).

SW 10th Ave. & SW Alder St.:  The largest downtown pod with 35 carts spread over two parking lots on both sides of 10th Ave. Very limited to no seating and only minimal shade.  This is one of the original pods with many of the earliest carts to hit Portland and features a great variety of foods from all over the world.  Another great thing about this pod is its close proximity (2 blocks) from Powell’s Books (one of the world’s great bookstores) a must for most people visiting Portland.  Carts include the Frying Scotsman (fish & chips), Ziba’s Pita’s, Snow White House Crepes, Savor Soup House, Chili Inside/Chili Outside, the Dump Truck and Spella Caffe.
 
If you don’t feel like venturing out of your warm comfortable hotel room than maybe Portland Pedal Power can help as they have a service that will go to select carts and pick up food then deliver it to your hotel via bicycle. 

The following pods are located in more residential neighborhoods a few miles from downtown so best to take the car or call a cab:

Dreamers Marketplace at NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd & NE Knott/Graham: One of the newer pods located on busy MLK Jr. Blvd where the traffic can get a bit noisy but as an added bonus, this pod has off street parking.  There are 8 carts, free wifi, restrooms and some covered seating.  Try the grilled PB&J at PB Comfort Food for a unique twist on a childhood favorite, Wet Hot Beef for a great sandwich or Potato Place for a loaded baker.

Mississippi Marketplace at N. Mississippi Ave. & N. Skidmore Ave.:   This pod lot was designed and built with the carts in mind so there is a German style pub, “Prost” with a dozen German beers on tap and a large patio that allows diners to bring in their cart food while enjoying a pint.  This pod has 10 carts, an atm, free wifi, a large covered seating area, bathrooms and plenty of free street parking within a couple of blocks.  Don’t miss the Sugar Cube (get the Guinness cupcake)and the Big Egg.

North Station Food Cart Pod at N. Killingsworth St. & N. Greeley Ave.:  Located on the lot of an old filling station, diners can dine at picnic tables where the old gas pumps used to stand or move into the cleaned up service bays on dreary days.  This pod is very close to the Adidas headquarters so can be really packed at lunch.  There are about a dozen carts, free wifi, bathrooms, a great recycling area but only limited street parking.  The Service Station serves beer in the evenings and has a brick oven for wood fired pizzas.  Carts includ  Saucy’s BBQ, El Rancho, Olympic Hot Dogs and Starchy & Husk.  Depending on the season there is even one cart that will trade your excess garden bounty for prepared food!

Good Food Here at SE 43rd Ave.  & SE Belmont St.:  Also a planned pod with around 15 carts that are neatly spaced around a paved lot with some off street parking.  This is a very relaxing area with seating scattered all around, some mature shade trees and then lots of planters filled with herbs & vegetables.   Look for: Lardo, Lucille’s Balls, Namu Korean BBQ, Crème de la Crème, Euro Trash and Flavour.  One cart even sells fresh fruits & vegetables along with fresh smoothies and grilled corn on the cob.

Last but not least is a pod located SE 12th Ave. & SE Hawthorne Blvd.  Situated at the intersection of two busy boulevards and backing up onto a densely packed residential neighborhood, parking can be very tough to find but this is the still the favorite pod for families pushing baby strollers and the bar crowd looking for a bite after the local haunts have given last call.  Don’t miss Whiffies Fried Pies and Perierra Creperie.

Even our quick serve, highly loved Northwest chain “Burgerville” has a mobile truck called the “Nomad” always on the roll at parks, festivals and special events.  A great option for fresh made food prepared quick with mostly local ingredients, look for burgers, fries and seasonal milkshakes flavors (the pumpkin is awesome).

Many Portlanders consider themselves to be very eco-friendly so look for the recycling and composting bins at many of the pods.  Another unique green enhancement is reusable to-go food containers.

The most comprehensive information is at the Portland Food Cart website with an extensive listing of carts by name, cuisine and location including the most up-to-date days and hours of operation. More information about many of the carts can be found on Facebook and twitter.  Some of the mobile carts/trucks like Koi Fusion (Korean/Mexican fusion fare) will tweet their changing location daily to those who 'follow' them.

If this isn't enough, check out CARTopia, Portland’s Food Cart Revolution, a book about the history, demographics, owners' stories and food of the Portland food cart scene.

There's also blogs here about the Food Carts In Austin and Taco Trucks In Seattle. Enjoy!