Last year, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler officially proclaimed April “Food Cart Month.” The declaration went hand-in-fork with the inception of “Food Cart Week” — a seven-day celebration of the businesses serving wheely diverse (and delicious) meals to-go.
This year’s Food Cart Week runs Sunday, April 16-Saturday, April 22, and is a collaboration with Downtown Portland, The Oregonian/Oregon Live, and Here Is Oregon. From smash burgers to sushi burritos to smoothies, you can taste your way through Portland’s famous food cart culture by visiting the 21 different locations included in the lineup. Want to visit all of them? There’s a passport for that.
Here are a few of our favorite carts:
Flourish Plant Based Kitchen | St. Johns Food & Beer Porch
Try the Unagi Norrito — a “sushi” burrito, sans seafood, made with shiitake mushrooms and fried sweet potatoes.
La Mai Plate | Sellwood Corner Food Carts
Try the Mango Curry, made with fresh mango, bell peppers, and basil (choose tofu or chicken). City Editor Cambrie still dreams about this one.
Namu | Barley Pod
Try the Kalua Pork Plate if you like your Hawaiian food on the sweet and saucy side.
Mumbo Gumbo | FoPo Food Carts + Carts on Foster
Try The Trinity, a gumbo bowl with Andouille sausage, shrimp, chicken, and rice that will transport you to New Orleans, or the Nipsey Hussle — a soft brioche roll with garlic butter, shrimp, and housemade Cajun remoulade.
Calypso Southwest serves food inspired by the flavors of the Caribbean and American Southwest.
Photo by Cambrie Juarez, PDXtoday
Bing Mi | Nob Hill Food Carts
Try the Roasted Duck Jianbing, a sweet and salty take on traditional Chinese street food that’s wrapped in a thin, crepe-like fried pancake.
El Ñaño Parrilladas | The Cart Blocks
Try the Chimichurri Fries, Media Noche, and the Pan con Chicharron. Wash it all down with an ice-cold Inka Kola (Peruvian soda).
If you stumble upon a food cart that blows your mind — or introduces you to a cuisine you’ve never tried before — let us know.
