Category: Food Carts

Food carts are part of the culture of Portland and an important element of the eating and drinking that goes on in the city. They are found throughout the city both as individual carts and grouped together in pods.

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Roundup: Bests and Awards of 2022

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Excited for all the winners!

It’s that time of year again: the time when local media outlets (and nationwide ones, too, but that’s not the focus here) gather their bests and make lists of various things—including food. Personally, I love lists and it’s fun to see what the different food media sources deem “the best” in any given year. It’s unclear in my mind if I’m going to do that kind of roundup before the close of 2022, so I thought I’d round up what’s out there already.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (September 9)

Bastion turns 1. Mark your calendars for a Bastion birthday bash on Saturday, September 17 in the form of their final Summer Maker’s Market for the year. There will be crafts, live music, “Brunchington” (likely with some delicious brunch specials), and good vibes for all. From the Bastion folks: “It’s been a year full to the brim with excitement, overwhelm, learning, growing & enjoying nourishing all of you.”

Bastion subscribes to the “food as medicine” philosophy and is particularly sensitive to their guests who abstain from gluten, refined-sugars, soy, and dairy; they value organic, local, sustainably-grown food. As a happy omnivore, I’ve had some delicious things there, and love their grain-free bread; plus their cookies (yes, made without refined sugars) are really excellent. Their Wild Alaskan Salmon Salad was recommended by Jennifer Joffe of Project Healthy Body during this year’s inaugural Salad Week. 6116 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland

And Wedgehead turns 4. This Sunday, September 11, Wedgehead is throwing a “super soft birthday party” from 3pm to 11pm (kids can participate until 6pm). Look for a cupcake decorating station, as well as party punch by Little Hands/Stiff Drinks; feather boas, tiaras, face painting, and pinball wristbands. Are you a princess? A prince? Something else? Regardless of your sex (or gender), experience the joy of wearing frilly things—Wedgehead is here for you. 3728 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland

Cheese plates available at Fresh Love. Stop by this gem on NE Fremont in the Roseway neighborhood for their latest offering: a beautiful cheese plate. Lately they’ve been on a goat cheese kick and the cheese plate includes Humboldt Fog and Midnight Moon from Cypress Grove , Sleeping Beauty from Cascadia Creamery, and a special flower petal crusted soft goat cheese (while supplies last). You can also pick up cheeses in their retail cold case. Yum. 7434 NE Fremont Street, Portland

Rey Taco opens in Montavilla. Montavilla News reports that the Rey Taco cart opened on 82nd Avenue near SE Ash, replacing Su Casa Taqueria. Along with improving the kitchen inside, they built a new covered deck with tables. Rey Taco offers “LA Street Food,” including “an assortment of tacos, birria quesa tacos, machetes, tortas, mulitas, burritos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles.” They are open for lunch and dinner. Read more at Montavilla News. 145 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland

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Small Bites – Closings, Anniversaries, New Menus, Consolidations, Ice Cream, and More

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Ensalada Bomba at G-Love. Photo credit: G-Love

A whole raft of tidbits have crossed my desk this week, so welcome to another edition of Small Bites (in place of Friday’s regular Four Things I Learned This Week column). Also: have a great Labor Day Weekend, too!

Best bars and restaurants for wine lovers in PDX. Decanter published a delightful listicle of their favorite spots for wine lovers in our fair city. Included on that list are Davenport, Canard, Coquine, Providore, and more.

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Four Things I Learned This Week (April 15)

Gartner’s interior is closing for a bit. Gartner’s Country Meat Market in Cully is going to close their shop space for 3 to 4 weeks starting this coming Monday, April 18. They’ll be working on some upgrades and maintenance on the interior, but curbside pickup and local delivery will still go on. Good luck to them with all the new changes. 7450 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland

News to me: Decarli is moving. It’s probably old news but I just learned this week that Beaverton restaurant Decarli will be moving to the old Hometown Buffet space on Southwest Hall Blvd. The new space is larger than they need now but it allows them room to grow. The move is slated for “spring 2022,” according to their website, so they should be there any time now. 4545 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton (currently), 3790 SW Hall Blvd, Beaverton (future)

Dick’s Primal Burger is now open on N Williams. I was sorry to see Dick’s Primal Burger leave Cully, but that’s how things go sometimes. They are now open in their new N. Williams home and will be open from 11am to 9pm “every damn day.” Get yourself a bag of Dick’s, North Portland! Now… to find out what’s going to happen to their old space in Cully. 4120 N Williams Avenue, Portland

Update on Grant Park food carts. From the GPNA newsletter: “The 6-cart food cart pod at 3505 NE Broadway is currently on hold. However, the permit for the 12-cart food cart pod at 3550 NE Broadway (formerly Burger King) is expected to be approved in the next month
or two. The architect says that construction on that pod will begin as soon as the permit is in hand, with an opening expected in late spring or early summer.”

Bonus: Remember that Rabbit Hole in Montavilla is having their soft opening tomorrow, Saturday April 16. And in Sellwood, Maeve’s grand opening party is also on Saturday, April 16 from 4-8pm.

I also want to acknowledge three important faith holidays around this time: Ramadan, Passover, and Easter (4/17 for the Western church and 4/24 for the Orthodox church). So I send my greetings out to those of you who celebrate: Ramadan Mubarak, Happy Passover/Chag Sameach, and Happy Easter!