A comprehensive review of five popular food cart destinations
By Gabe Korngold, ‘23, Benjamin Chan-Kai, ‘25 and Sam Bailey, ‘23
Portland is a city known throughout the United States for its food scene, and one of the reasons for this is the food carts. Organized in groupings known as “pods”, these carts specialize in a myriad of cuisines, ranging from sweet delicacies like bubble tea and waffles to savory options from around the world.
Food cart pods can be found throughout Portland, and no two are similar, but which is the best? This is the question we hoped to answer, at least partially. We visited five well-known cart pods in the Portland area and rated them out of 10 on the variety of carts there, the atmosphere and enjoyability of the venue, and the quality of the food we sampled. Finally, we assigned each an overall rating out of five stars, and additionally, we listed a couple standout carts we recommend any Portland foodie should try.
Locations of the pods reviewed in this article. 1: Rose City Food Park, 2: Multnomah French Quarter, 3: 5th Ave. Food Cart Pod, 4: BG’s Food Cartel, 5: Hawthorne Asylum
Rose City Food Park
Located on Sandy Boulevard in Northeast Portland, this food pod flies under the radar in general. On first appearance, this pod is found in the center of a concrete courtyard with lots of planter boxes and bamboo, and scenery. In terms of diversity, this pod offers a wide array of options, including Thai, Nepalese, and barbeque.
Highlights:
This cart serves a variety of Japanese Hawaiian hybrids. They offer the critically acclaimed “sushi burrito” along with an assortment of rolls and Poke bowls. While the poke is decent, it is not exactly a traditional take on Poké bowls. The Salmon and Tuna with Seaweed salad sit on a bed of warm sushi rice topped with a light assortment of vegetables finished with ginger avocado guacamole which is not normally found in traditional bowls. Overall I would rate the poke fresh but nothing special, the real draw for me is the musubi.
This is a Vegan fried chicken cart at the Sandy pod, which produces many portions of meat and substitute dishes. I could only try two dishes from this cart as the food was very filling; the Vegan fried chicken sandwich and the Vegan cheesesteak. First, I would say that both these dishes are much more filling than their meaty counterparts, so make sure to note how hungry you are before ordering from here. The cheesesteak is rather tasty, but I would not classify it as a cheesesteak due to its unique texture and flavor more resembling a traditional meat substitute. It's perfect, just not a cheesesteak.
Simply Thai
If any food cart in this pod won an award for best appetizers, it would be Simply Thai. Having eaten spring rolls, coconut shrimp, dumplings, and an assortment of drinks from this cart, I can confidently reinforce my claim. The appetizers from this cart are definitely worth it, and a great addition to other main courses around the pods. I would also recommend the Thai iced coffee, however this may not draw those attracted to strong coffee flavor.
On the newer side of this cart’s community, this barbeque has been doing considerably good business, and for a good reason. The pulled pork and brisket do not disappoint with tender and juicy meat seasoned to relative perfection. Only available on specific days of the week, the Bark Burger, whose quality peers can attest to. CGS’s own Aanna Farhang (‘23) frequents this cart and has a mild obsession with said burger.
Rose City Food Park Rating:
Variety: 6/10 Atmosphere: 9/10 Actual Food: 8/10
Overall: 23/30
Multnomah French Quarter
The Multnomah French Quarter is a unique space, there are two parts two this pod, there is an inside and outside. Inside there are charming, locally-owned boutiques for great shopping. There are also specific designs on the stores to make it look like a French street. Outside you can find several delicious food carts to enjoy sweet and savory food. If you are looking for the authentic Portland experience, look no further than Multnomah french quarter.
Highlights:
If you are looking for a new flavor and spice, Big elephant kitchen is the way to go. They are a family-owned business serving a fusion of Fijian and Indian dishes. They provide Vegan options such as chickpea curry, kidney bean rajma, and a daily special curry. They also have meat options like shrimp, lamb, chicken, fish curry, and masala chicken. Some curries are only available Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Bird and hand beer co is a pet-friendly beer garden space with a diverse mix of world foods featuring Japanese, Thai, Indian, Mexican, French, and American cuisines. If you love meat cooked and served to perfection, We would recommend this place. Their BBQ chicken, Ahi Tuna, Pulled pork sandwich, and chicken wings are amazing.
Bluebird Thai is a Thai restaurant that prides itself on its Thai donuts. Soft and pillowy, they are filled with condensed milk and generally served with Thai tea.
Del toro is distinguished for their high quality of meats and their unique way of plating your food. They serve meals such as the “Grill New York,” a steak with a side of mashed potatoes and greens, chicken avocado panini, and the famous Deltoro salad. “DELTORO STEAK TRUCK is a place for everyone; we will never go out of style.”-website.
Num Num cookies is a bakery truck that serves a signature ‘num num cookie’. The Num Num cookies is a cookie muffin hybrid served warm. It is crunchy on the outside, and soft in the middle. They also serve frozen slushies with various flavors, on top of that, they also make soft pretzels with cheese.
On the website, Yoshi’s sushi describes itself as “a traditionally inspired, forward-thinking sushi food cart making a home in the Multnomah Village French Quarter.” This authentic food cart serves gluten-free and vegetarian options like the spicy tuna roll, salmon avocado roll, and the classic California roll. To make this palace even better, every single one of their roles has design toppings which not only look good, taste good.
Multnomah French Quarter Rating:
Variety: 8/10 Atmosphere: 10/10 Actual Food : 7/10
Overall: 25/30
5th Avenue Food Cart Pod:
5th Avenue Food cart pod is a very open space with various food carts right next to the street. They offer Asian fusion and myriad cuisines, including Mexican, Thai, and Egyptian food. If you're looking for the funky side of Portland, check out the 5 Avenue Food Cart Pod.
Highlights:
El Pilón offers Colombian food; they have delicious Chicken Arepas. An arepa is a fantastic fusion of Colombia and Venezuela. They also have Beef and cheese Arepa. On top of that, they serve Beef, chicken and cheese patacon. They also have some fantastic drinks such as an assortment of juice and cold milo. Cold milo is a drink with water (or milk), ice cubes, and sweetener, topped with more Milo powder, giving it a chocolate flavor.
This sweet dessert food cart serves an assortment of waffle desserts with unique syrups and ice cream. Speaking of ice cream, They have a lot of flavors that you can add to a waffle or just eat plain.
Korean Twist is the best-reviewed food cart on 5th avenue. They serve Mexican and Korean bbq dishes like tacos and burritos with Korean bbq meat inside. They also have rice bowls and yakisoba if you are in the mood for just Korean food. For side dishes, they have potstickers and spring rolls.
5th Avenue Food Cart Pod Rating:
Variety: 9/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Actual Food: 10/10
Overall: 26/30
BG’s Food Cartel
BG’s Food Cartel is the centerpiece of the Beaverton cart scene. Located across the street from Beaverton City Hall, the site contains 31 carts of various varieties, all aligned on the venue’s perimeter. Other attractions include a turf lawn, an indoor bar, a patio, and abundant outdoor seating, although not all offers cover from the rain.
Highlights:
Oh My Crepe
This small cart is a fantastic option for both sweet and savory crepes. Their Very-Berry crepe, consisting of whipped cream and assorted berries, is one of my personal favorites; however, if you want an unorthodox dessert crepe, I recommend the Orangette, which is a mix of mandarin oranges and chocolate.
Pre-Tea
While this cart is always bustling with eager customers, there never seems to be a line. That’s because of the impressive efficiency of the two people that staff it. Despite the quick turnaround time between order and pick up, the quality of the bubble tea is consistently high. We are huge fans of their classic milk tea and their iced Thai tea.
Magokoro Ramen
This cart’s ramen is certainly nothing special, but it’s ramen, so it makes our list.
Thai Bloom
This cart is an offshoot of the prestigious restaurant on 23rd Avenue. They serve many of their signature dishes, including larb and pad see ew, which I sampled. Both were good; however, the see ew was oilier than most I’ve eaten elsewhere. Still, this cart is a solid option.
Frying Scotsman
An icon of the Portland street food scene, this fish and chips cart relocated from the Alder pod when it closed down. They continue to serve their famous fried fish dish.
BG’s Food Cartel Rating:
Options: 10 Atmosphere: 10 Quality of Food: 9
Overall: 29/30
Hawthorne Asylum
Hawthorne Asylum is a large cart pod within an area decorated as if it were a haunted prison. A 10-foot wall encircles the venue, topped with barbed wire, and fixed iron doors mark the entrances. The vibe is undoubtedly unique, but it adds to the atmosphere of the carts. Inside, approximately 20 carts are scattered around a courtyard with amenities such as outdoor seating and a large fire pit. Covered seating is tucked behind the carts, with large picnic tables under a canopy.
Highlights:
Bobablastic
An offshoot of the Portland bubble tea chain, this cart provides dozens of bubble tea options to choose from, including milk teas, hot teas, smoothies, and fruit teas, as well as some sweet and savory snacks.
Hawthorne Asylum Rating:
Options: 9 Atmosphere: 10 Quality of Food: 8
Overall: 27/30
Overall Best Carts
Bake on the Run (Hawthorne Asylum)
This cart is a hidden gem among the Portland street food scene; this cart claims to be the only Guyanese restaurant in Portland. Whether or not this is true, Bake on the Run brings unique comfort food to the Portland street food scene. Their flagship dish is their Chana Aloo, a pastry filled with chickpeas and potatoes. However, a personal favorite is the Potato Chicken Curry, a rice-based dish topped with the namesake curry that somehow manages to infuse a sweet, salty, and creamy flavor into two flavors that would otherwise be incredibly bland. The cart holds a remarkable 4.9-star rating on Google from 149 reviews, many of which mention the incredible eats and friendly staff, who are always willing to have a conversation with their customers. If you are ever looking for a single food cart to eat at, this is the place to go.
Fresh Fish Poké (BGs Food Cartel)
Often in this city, when we see the sign [spicy], it's not always accurate to the food. I can assure you that not only are these poke bowls true to the cart name but are spicy enough that those whole enjoy it. The vegetables are fresh and not drowned in sauce, and an essential part of the bowl -the rice- is warm and perfect. I would select this as an outstanding cart because it's unique to other poke carts in the other pods reviewed. The fish was presented in a cubicle fashion as opposed to the salad style.