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In the heat waves of 2021, many Portland restaurants and food carts were forced to close multiple times throughout the summer, temperatures climbing to dangerous three-digit levels. This year, it seems more Portland restaurant owners and food carts have figured out ways to stay open despite the heat, perhaps recognizing that these summer heat waves will likely become an annual tradition. The staff of food cart Bing Mi moved into its restaurant sibling, Bing Mi Dumpling and Noodle Bar, for the week to avoid the hotter food cart. Many restaurants and food carts — Bar Cala and Sunrice, to name a few — decided to change their menus to avoid turning on the oven or stove, focusing on raw and fresh dishes. And some have just truncated their hours to avoid the heat, like barbecue cart Bark City, which has been closing at 2 p.m. to avoid the hottest time of day.
However, not every restaurant and food cart is willing to risk the potential heat exhaustion, with air conditioners failing and swamp coolers failing to cut it. “After trying our darndest, we realized last night that our a/c in the dining room and our stratagems with powerful fans in the kitchen are just no match for the sun,” Malka co-owner Jessie Aron writes in an Instagram post. “For everybody’s comfort and safety, we will be closed until the heat passes or we find a better solution.”
Here, we’ve compiled a short list of restaurants closing Friday, July 29 for the heat; it will be updated as the day goes on. To play it safe, it’s best to call any restaurant or food cart you plan to visit ahead of time (or at least check its Instagram), to make sure plans haven’t changed.
Restaurants and Food Carts Closing Friday, July 29:
Malka: Friday closure, potentially the rest of the week
Suckerpunch: Closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Sorbu Paninoteca: Closed for the week
Farmer & The Beast: Closed through the weekend
Maillard: Closed Friday and Saturday
Desi PDX: Closed through Sunday
Bing Mi food cart: Closed through Sunday, though Bing Mis will be available at the nearby restaurant, Bing Mi Dumpling and Noodle Bar.
Kee’s Loaded Kitchen: Closed until August 6
Iolani’s Plate Lunch: Closed Friday, could be closed later in the week; check Instagram for updates.
Dirty Lettuce: Closed at least Friday; check Instagram for updates.
Honey Butter Country Fare: Closed Friday
Know of a restaurant closing for the weekend? Let us know via our tipline.
