Prost’s food cart pod is arguably one of the best in the city. It’s home to some of the city’s finest barbecue (Matt’s BBQ), burgers (Burger Stevens), and Indian food (Desi PDX), as well as beloved Portland chains like Korean-Mexican spot Koi Fusion and breakfast sandwich brand Fried Egg I’m in Love. The pod’s seating situation is extremely limited these days, but the cocktail cart Bloodbuzz has a few seats outside for snacking and sipping. The other carts are open for takeout and some delivery.

The Rambler, a ‘20s-bungalow-turned-bar known for its patio seating, has the feel of a great neighborhood bar: The bartenders are warm and casual, the happy hour is a deal, and on a warm night, the various outdoor tables are filled with twenty-and-thirtysomethings in denim, drinking pints and housing swirly seasoned “tornado potatoes.” The bar is open for takeout, patio seating, and delivery.

Even before patios began popping up across the city as a survival mechanism, Interurban’s covered back patio with fire pit was particularly nice spot for whiskey on a cool evening. Seasonal pub fare includes hand-dipped corn dogs made with Olympia Provisions franks, wild boar chili topped with jalapeño cornbread croutons, and taquitos made with 24-hour-braised beef shank. The pub is open for onsite dining, takeout, and delivery.

It may look like mostly a cocktail bar from the outside, but this long, narrow bar has excellent food as well. These days, Radar has become a takeout spot and one of the few places still serving weekend brunch, with dishes like scotch eggs and smoked bluefish pate. In the last year, Radar has done a little bit of everything — takeout meals of cauliflower bisque, free meals for frontline workers, pre-ordered takeout brunch boxes — but these days, it’s also offering plain-old onsite dining, with reservations available both indoors and outdoors.

Pre-pandemic, a pre-show burger and beer at Bar Bar was a tradition when visiting Mississippi Studios. It was, after all, a fantastic patio: Movies would play, projected on the wall, while musicians and fans would sit at picnic tables, dip fries in ketchup, and knock back IPAs. Now, as Mississippi Studios sits dormant, locals still stroll to Bar Bar for fried ravioli, hot toddies, and CBD sodas. It’s available onsite, for takeout, and delivery.

For what looks like a simple neighborhood Thai restaurant, Mee-Sen is truly punching above its weight. Its selection of Thai noodle soups is one of the widest in the city, from the tangy and porky mhoo tom yum to the lightly sweet and seafood-packed yen ta fo; every noodle soup comes with a choice of noodle and spice level. The restaurant is currently open for takeout, with online ordering available.

Wei-En Tan opened her Mississippi wine bar Stem at an incredibly challenging time: the beginning of 2020. Nonetheless, Stem has become a destination for Willamette Valley wines, wines made by women, and take-home tasting flights. On the patio, customers sip glasses of rosé while live musicians play on the stones outside; the shop also offers private tastings indoors, for those interested, as well as same-day delivery of cheese boards and wine boxes.

While much of Portland is obsessing over the mighty smash burger, for a tall wonder with curly green lettuce, thick slabs of tomato, and add-ons like jalapeños and grilled onions, Black Seed delivers. The real draw of Black Seed, however, is its choice to swerve past the usual fry sauce in favor of its Killer Diller, something almost ranch-adjacent; it’s worth ordering a few sides (or even a bottle) for fry-dunking. Black Seed also has ample vegan and gluten-free options, for those interested. Black Seed is open for takeout.

This dark and dramatic cocktail bar is now home to chef Diane Lam and her Cambodian-American fried chicken company, Prey and Tell, which is good news: Now, customers lounge outdoors sipping cardamom Old Fashioneds and gnawing on gluten-free fried chicken, dunked in lime-buffalo sauce or fish sauce caramel. Psychic is open for indoor and outdoor seating, with reservations available; customers can order Prey and Tell for takeout.

A sustainably-oriented tiny taqueria, Por Que No is filled to the brim with festive decorations, Day of the Dead wall hangings, and our Lady of Guadalupe iconography. The taqueria has changed its schtick significantly in the last year, now offering pre-ordered taco kits with things like beef barbacoa, takeout margaritas and spiked horchata, and daily taco specials. Patio dining is available, as well.

Tucked away in the food cart pod on the south end of Mississippi, Maurice Fain and Jermaine Atherton grill racks of ribs, top rolls with crispy and light fried basa and coleslaw, and pack takeout containers full of fluffy, hazelnut-brown hush puppies. The cart’s flaky catfish is a fan favorite, but it’s really hard to miss out on the collard greens, which are made with turkey for a surprising twist. The cart is open for walk-ups and appears on a number of delivery apps.