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Portland's Must-Have Food Cart Dishes, Mapped

Find the best meal on wheels

by Adam Sawyer and Alli Fodor Updated
8 comments / new
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by Adam Sawyer and Alli Fodor Updated
8 comments / new

By any standard, Portland is arguably the mobile food capital of the US. In honor of the city's defining food movement, this map features 20 of the best food cart dishes currently available. (Looking for the hottest food trucks to launch in the past six months? Visit the heatmap).

As opposed to most cities, the mobile food scene in Portland is dominated by carts, not trucks. Thanks to a combination of factors including city ordinances, many of the best carts are typically allowed to reside in one place. Groups of Portland food carts have popped up across the city, and these groups are called pods.

Over the years, a number of carts have become cornerstones of the scene, offering reliably excellent dishes that have garnered international media attention. Some of these carts move on to become full-fledged brick-and-mortar restaurants, while others, for a variety of reasons, fail to make the cut. So remember, when you try a spot below, you're trying what could become Portland's next hottest restaurant.

From the old guard to the new kids, these are the 20 must-have food cart dishes in Portland, right now. (Note: The points on this map guide are not ranked; rather, they're organized geographically.)

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Burger Stevens

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[Photo: Facebook/Burger Stevens]

6238 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239
(971) 279-7252
(971) 279-7252

The Egg Carton

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Breakfast cart the Egg Carton serves a pimped-out version of the classic Monte Cristo sandwich called the FoPo Cristo, featuring (deep breath) a fried egg, two kinds of bacon, cheddar, two kinds of mustard, and strawberry jam—all stuffed between two slices of French toast. [Facebook/Egg Carton]

5205 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206
(503) 758-5549
(503) 758-5549

Kim Jong Grillin'

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[Photo: Facebook/Kim Jong Grillin']

SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97215
(503) 929-0522
(503) 929-0522

Also featured in:

Viking Soul Food

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[Photo: Yelp]

4255 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215

Potato Champion

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The best of the deep-fried goods at Potato Champion is always hard to pin down (favorites ranged from poutine to PB&J fries). The poutine, with a special of onion rings on top, is pictured here. [Facebook/Potato Champion]

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

Also featured in:

Chicken and Guns

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[Photo: Facebook/Chicken and Guns]

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 234-7236
(503) 234-7236

Also featured in:

Aybla Grill

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The Aybla Grill now has five cart locations around Portland and a brick and mortar in Hillsboro. They all serve its signature dish: a lamb gyro with the usual fixin's (tzatziki, onion, parsley, and tomato). Feeling hungry? Go for "Super"-sized: aka larger and with feta cheese. [Yelp]

1660 SE 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Chez Dodo

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[Photo: Chez Dodo]

427 SW Stark St., Portland, OR
(503) 270-9258
(503) 270-9258

The Frying Scotsman

Copy Link

[Photo: Yelp]

Southwest Alder Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 706-3841
(503) 706-3841

Bing Mi

Copy Link

[Photo: Yelp]

SW Alder St & SW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Altengartz

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[Photo: Facebook/Altengartz]

999 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 699-4962
(503) 699-4962

EuroDish

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Downtown stalwart EuroDish offers a lengthy list of Polish classics, from pierogi to bigos ("hunter's stew") to kielbasa, and indecisive types unsurprisingly tout the "Polish Plate." For $7.50, it offers all of the above, plus a serving of golabki (stuffed cabbage). [Yelp]

600 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97205
(971) 344-3704
(971) 344-3704

El Taco Yucateco

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[Photo: Yelp]

1003 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205

Nong's Khao Man Gai

Copy Link

[Photo: Yelp]

1003 SW Alder St., Portland, OR 97205
(971) 255-3480
(971) 255-3480

Also featured in:

808 Grinds

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Hawaiian cart 808 Grinds offers up a range of the state's cuisine, from loco mocos to sushi. And perhaps unsurprisingly, it's the Hawaiian classic kalua pig—pulled pork served with macaroni salad and rice—that's emerged as its signature. [Yelp]

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 713-8008
(503) 713-8008

More in Maps

Noodle House Food Cart

Copy Link

[Photo: Yelp]

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 998-1019
(503) 998-1019

Koi Fusion

Copy Link

The multi-truck fleet of Koi Fusion has so many followers it's hard to pin down just one "must-have" dish. What do you think? Is it its kimchi quesadillas, bulgogi tacos, or Korean short rib burrito? Thanks to these options, you can now find locations across the city. [Facebook/Koi Fusion]

N. Mississippi, Portland, OR 97217

Tehuana Oaxacan Cuisine

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[Photo: Yelp]

N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

Matt's BBQ

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[Photo: Facebook/Matt's BBQ]

4709 NE M L King Blvd, Portland, OR 97211

Also featured in:

Traditional Russian Cuisine

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[Photo: Facebook/Traditional Russian]

5235 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213
(503) 449-1531
(503) 449-1531

More in Maps

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Burger Stevens

6238 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239

[Photo: Facebook/Burger Stevens]

6238 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97239
(971) 279-7252
(971) 279-7252

The Egg Carton

5205 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206

Breakfast cart the Egg Carton serves a pimped-out version of the classic Monte Cristo sandwich called the FoPo Cristo, featuring (deep breath) a fried egg, two kinds of bacon, cheddar, two kinds of mustard, and strawberry jam—all stuffed between two slices of French toast. [Facebook/Egg Carton]

5205 SE Foster Rd, Portland, OR 97206
(503) 758-5549
(503) 758-5549

Kim Jong Grillin'

SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97215

[Photo: Facebook/Kim Jong Grillin']

SE Division St, Portland, OR, 97215
(503) 929-0522
(503) 929-0522

Viking Soul Food

4255 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215

[Photo: Yelp]

4255 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215

Potato Champion

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

The best of the deep-fried goods at Potato Champion is always hard to pin down (favorites ranged from poutine to PB&J fries). The poutine, with a special of onion rings on top, is pictured here. [Facebook/Potato Champion]

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

Chicken and Guns

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

[Photo: Facebook/Chicken and Guns]

1207 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
(503) 234-7236
(503) 234-7236

Aybla Grill

1660 SE 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97214

The Aybla Grill now has five cart locations around Portland and a brick and mortar in Hillsboro. They all serve its signature dish: a lamb gyro with the usual fixin's (tzatziki, onion, parsley, and tomato). Feeling hungry? Go for "Super"-sized: aka larger and with feta cheese. [Yelp]

1660 SE 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Chez Dodo

427 SW Stark St., Portland, OR

[Photo: Chez Dodo]

427 SW Stark St., Portland, OR
(503) 270-9258
(503) 270-9258

The Frying Scotsman

Southwest Alder Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Yelp]

Southwest Alder Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 706-3841
(503) 706-3841

Bing Mi

SW Alder St & SW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Yelp]

SW Alder St & SW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Altengartz

999 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Facebook/Altengartz]

999 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 699-4962
(503) 699-4962

EuroDish

600 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Downtown stalwart EuroDish offers a lengthy list of Polish classics, from pierogi to bigos ("hunter's stew") to kielbasa, and indecisive types unsurprisingly tout the "Polish Plate." For $7.50, it offers all of the above, plus a serving of golabki (stuffed cabbage). [Yelp]

600 SW 10th Ave, Portland, OR 97205
(971) 344-3704
(971) 344-3704

El Taco Yucateco

1003 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Yelp]

1003 SW Alder St, Portland, OR 97205

Nong's Khao Man Gai

1003 SW Alder St., Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Yelp]

1003 SW Alder St., Portland, OR 97205
(971) 255-3480
(971) 255-3480

808 Grinds

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

Hawaiian cart 808 Grinds offers up a range of the state's cuisine, from loco mocos to sushi. And perhaps unsurprisingly, it's the Hawaiian classic kalua pig—pulled pork served with macaroni salad and rice—that's emerged as its signature. [Yelp]

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 713-8008
(503) 713-8008

Related Maps

Noodle House Food Cart

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

[Photo: Yelp]

Southwest Washington Street & Southwest 9th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
(503) 998-1019
(503) 998-1019

Koi Fusion

N. Mississippi, Portland, OR 97217

The multi-truck fleet of Koi Fusion has so many followers it's hard to pin down just one "must-have" dish. What do you think? Is it its kimchi quesadillas, bulgogi tacos, or Korean short rib burrito? Thanks to these options, you can now find locations across the city. [Facebook/Koi Fusion]

N. Mississippi, Portland, OR 97217

Tehuana Oaxacan Cuisine

N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

[Photo: Yelp]

N Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97217

Matt's BBQ

4709 NE M L King Blvd, Portland, OR 97211

[Photo: Facebook/Matt's BBQ]

4709 NE M L King Blvd, Portland, OR 97211

Traditional Russian Cuisine

5235 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213

[Photo: Facebook/Traditional Russian]

5235 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213
(503) 449-1531
(503) 449-1531

Related Maps