Foster Food Carts Return To Southeast Portland

Seating at Foster Food Carts in Portland, Oregon. — Seating at Foster Food Carts. Photo credit: Foster Food Carts.

Foster Food Carts, formerly known as the Carts on Foster, is reopening as a pod at SE Foster Road and 52nd Ave. Their grand opening is this Saturday, May 17.

I was contacted by the new owner, Nik Badwaik, who sent me some information about the renewed pod. He told me, “This pod was closed for almost two years and now we recently reopened a huge pod under new management.” As I mentioned above, that original pod that closed was the Carts on Foster.

Carts on Foster

There was chatter on Reddit around the time of the closure in 2023, with confusion as to why the pod shut down. KGW reported on it in August 2023—according to their reporting at the time, “A few weeks ago, Carts on Foster was a popular area filled with food carts and picnic tables. Now, all that’s left is an abandoned grill, overturned bushes and three food carts that have not yet moved.”

Neighbors were disappointed, food cart operators were surprised (“We had no notice whatsoever,” said Fadhaa Alkhafagi of Shawarma Station), and there was concern and curiosity about what fate would become of that open lot on Foster and 52nd.

And, obvs spoiler: It would become Foster Food Carts.

Permits

I took a look at city permits for the address 5205 SE Foster Road. In December 2023 a permit was set up to demolish the building that was on site and remove the debris. A permit set up in May 2024 had more details about the work planned for the site.

Foster Food Carts

The people in charge of the new pod started posting on Instagram in April 2024 about its impending return. It sounds like they wanted to open at the start of this year, but that obviously didn’t happen. What did happen was that they opened their doors on March 1, and slowly added new carts over the following weeks.

There are at least 14 carts in the pod with the aim of 20 carts total on the 300,000 square foot lot. They can accommodate up to 300 people there, too. Along with the carts there are two tented areas with heating, meaning it will be comfortable to hang out there year-round.

They also have a covered stage that will allow for weekly open mics, stand up comedy, live bands, and other programmed activities throughout the year.

On an accessibility point, the pod is wheelchair user-friendly and their restrooms also include an accessible stall with a ramp. They have bike parking, too, and street parking for cars.

Here is a sketch of the site plan.

Food cart pod plans. — Click to enlarge.

The Grand Opening Party

Their grand opening this Saturday is going to be a big celebration with these activities from 2pm to 9pm:

2pm to 4pm: Kids activities—-face painting, clowning and balloon art.
3pm: Ribbon cutting by District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo.
3pm to 4pm: Food samples from various carts.
5pm to 9pm: Live music from The Bandulus (5pm to 6pm), LAITH (6:15pm to 7:15pm), and Under the Deku Tree (7:30pm to 9pm).
Food specials throughout the day.
Ink Bus will be present to offer some ink for your skin.

This event is free to attend.

The Foster Food Carts Lineup

I’m going to mention the carts I have details on, since there has been interest in a comprehensive list in comments I’ve seen online.

Belle Époque Pies. Andrés Mungarrieta, who grew up in an Italian community in Venezuela, offers up pizzas made with a sourdough crust, in a pie style that combines elements of traditional Sicilian pizza with the crispy cheese edge of the Detroit pizza. This cart used to be up on NE Alberta. Instagram
Foodie Mumbhaiya. Vegetarian Indian street food “with a menu full of unique specialty dishes you won’t find anywhere else.” Instagram
The Egg Carton. Sarah and Tim offer sandwiches made with homemade biscuits and sausages, as well as eggs benedicts. Instagram
El Salto. Latina-owned and operated, El Salto prepares vegan-friendly Venezuelan cuisine, and are known for their housemade arepas. Instagram
Foster Fish & Chips. These are the same people who are behind Sellwood Fish & Chips. They use wild-caught fish, a very high quality rice bran oil (no trans-fats), and brown rice flour for their battered fish and fries. Their menu is completely gluten-free, dairy-free, high fructose corn syrup-free, and nut-free. Instagram
GG’s Sushi. Since 2013 they’ve offered traditional and fusion-style sushi, led by Chef Nay. Instagram
GyroLand. Family-owned, they make Mediterranean food like gyros, shawarma, and falafel. They are halal. Instagram
Juanita’s. They started their food cart path at this pod twelve years ago, offering traditional Mexican cuisine. Instagram
Thirsty Pours. Jonathan offers a well-curated selection of craft beer, wine, sake, cider, non-alcoholic options, and CBD beverages. Instagram
Indian Palace. A family-owned food truck celebrating the breadth of north Indian food. Instagram
A Taste of Poland. Homemade Polish food with all natural and locally sourced ingredients for dishes that are authentic to their Polish roots. Instagram
Osaka Ramen. Their menu of authentic Japanese cuisine a variety of ramens, udons, rice bowls, and appetizer staples. Instagram
Birrieria La Plaza. This family business has been cooking birria for over 20 years, and the recipe has been handed down for three generations. Instagram
Jumbo Burgers. Humberto, who has cooked for 20 years in restaurants, opened this cart and serves smash burgers. He has amassed a devoted following. Instagram

Along with offering a diverse range of cuisines, the hope is to continue offering community-centered events at Foster Food Carts—from weekend music set and family-friendly happenings, to markets and other fun pop-ups.

“Foster Food Carts has always been about more than just serving great food,” said Nik Badwaik. “It’s about creating a space where neighbors connect, cultures are celebrated, andlocal businesses thrive. We’re excited to bring that sense of community back to the heart of the Foster-Powell neighborhood.”

Foster Food Carts Grand Opening Celebration
Saturday, May 17, 2025
5205 SE Foster Road, Portland
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