Bamboo sushi veteran Yoshi Ikeda opened this sushi cart in the Multnomah Village French Quarter food cart pod in 2019 and has been serving up high-caliber fish ever since. Fun, innovative rolls like the lime green roll with sesame-crusted spinach, cucumber, roasted pepper, avocado, microgreen salad are only improved with the cart’s ginger miso. Rotating nigiri and occasional hand rolls showcase super fresh seafood Ikeda is sourcing. The cart is open for phone orders, and don’t take walk-ups.

Bing Mi in Slabtown specializes in Northern Chinese-style savory crepes called jianbing. Fermented black bean paste and spicy chili sauce come slathered on an eggy crepe filled with green onions, cilantro, pickled vegetables, and a fried wonton cracker, combining bright, umami-rich flavor with both chew and crunch. Options include loading up the jianbing with bacon, spam, or even roast duck. The cart is open for walk-up orders.

This Northwest Portland food cart shows off some of the region’s finest seasonal produce: Oregon strawberries appear, red to the center, in a salad with cucumbers and spring lettuces; spring peas and grapefruit benefit from the creamy tang of fresh sheep’s milk cheese from Washington’s Black Sheep Creamery; fall chicories and apples end up in a salad covered with cheddar shavings and the cart’s herb-heavy ranch. Then again, those seeking a serious smash burger will find one of those here, too. The cart is open for walk-up orders.

Senegalese and Gambian cart Kabba’s Kitchen sits in a nondescript lot just a few blocks from the flashier Prost Marketplace pod, but its lively-and-bright chicken yassa, crispy fataya (think of them as Senegalese fried empanadas) filled with intricately spiced beef, and creamy mafe yapp with hunks of carrots and potatoes blanketed in orange-hued peanut sauce may draw its neighbor’s customers down Albina. The shop’s bissap, cold and burgundy with hibiscus, is a worthy pairing for any dish on the menu.

Anyone who visits this downtown Portland food cart will likely spot chef Xuemei Simard quite literally stretching, slapping, and pulling noodles for bowls of killer beef soup or stir fries, fragrant with ma la or five spice. The dumplings, each packing a full shrimp with its tail poking out, are no slouch either. Stretch the Noodle is open for walk-up orders.

When they’re not posting absurdist content on Instagram or giving away meals in response to the pandemic, Justin Hintze and his crew at Jojo are slinging some of the most sought after fried chicken sandwiches in town. The pepper-relish-topped spicy chicken sandwich is joined by a two cheese, ranch, and cole slaw chicken melt on butter toasted shokupan. Keeping an eye on the specials via social media is also a strong play, and cold beverages from the nearby John’s Marketplace window allow for beer pairings. Jojo is open for walk-up orders and delivery.

This Vietnamese-American spot serves comforting classics like thit kho, braised pork belly and soft boiled egg in a broth-y blend caramel, coconut, and chilis, and da lat, fried chicken marinated in nuoc cham. That menu is balanced with Việt Kiều dishes straight from owner Richard Le’s brain, including breakfast sandwiches on pandan rolls and iconic fast food dishes made with Vietnamese sauces and ingredients. The menu items rotate on the daily, but if the green pandan doughnut is on the menu, order it. Matta is open for walk-up orders.

This new Cully neighborhood Filipino cart has rapidly grown a fierce following, with dishes like jackfruit-and-mushroom sisig, Filipino spaghetti drenched in a banana ketchup tomato sauce, and fries smothered in beef-based kare kare. However, it’s hard to leave the cart without an order of Baon Kainan’s exceptional chicken adobo, juicy legs tinted with a smoked tamari-vinegar sauce. Baon Kainan shares a pod with Matta, with limited onsite seating.

These soul-satisfying Korean barbecue boxes are now a fundamental part of Portland’s food scene, and KJG’s owner, Han Ly Hwang, is the longest reigning king of the Portland food cart world. The cart’s take on the classic bibimbap includes expertly marinated meats, japchae potato noodles, rice, kimchi, and a fried egg. The result is a sweet, spicy, and savory combination of flavors that are balanced and comforting. Those not in the mood for bibimbap should go for the cart’s “KJG hot dog,” if it’s on the menu: an Olympia Provisions hot dog topped with kimchi mayo, pickled mango, and spicy daikon. Kim Jong Grillin is open for walk-up orders and delivery via Postmates.

Self-identified Celtic comfort food, Skidbladnir’s menu will include everything from hot dogs to Norwegian meatballs to cured salmon open-faced sandwiches; however, the cart often leans on ingredients raised, caught, or grown here, whether it’s the Oregon clams and halibut in a chowder or the Anderson Ranches lamb on a sandwich with pickled fennel. It’s located in the Rose City Food Park pod, and accepts walk-up orders.

Located inside the always-delightful Portland Mercado, Tierra del Sol focuses on Oaxacan classics. Arguably the most popular order is the Oaxacan tlayuda, a serving-plate-sized grilled corn tortilla, mounted with a host of toppings, such as chicharron, avocado, Oaxacan cheese, tomatoes, cilantro, and more. A single meaty tlayuda is enough food for two. Tierra Del Sol is open for walk-up orders and online ordering.

Erica’s Soul Food has become a breakout hit in the last two years, thanks to the cart’s combination of knockout chicken wings and updates on soul food classics. Erica’s is a place where diners can find things as wild as pumpkin spice wings, or well-executed standbys like creamy mac and cheese. The cart’s smothered chicken, however, is a particular favorite. Erica’s has no onsite seating, so expect to take your food to-go.

The greater Portland area has a number of exceptional birria carts, but Birrieria La Plaza reigns supreme: Here, customers dunk cheesy tacos into consome swirling with the heat of toasted spices and charred peppers, glistening with a slick of chile oil. Owner Oracio Hernandez’s mother is the mastermind behind the recipe, which she keeps under lock and key; mystery or not, the shop’s quesabirria, mulitas, and vampiros are some of the city’s finest. Birrieria La Plaza is open for walk-up orders.