Portland in Oregon has an incredible street food scene that attracts hundreds of tourists every year. Its climate is perfect for outdoor activities and this ultimately includes eating al fresco and choosing from the many delectable food trucks and kiosks around this 29th most populous city in the United States.
Even before arriving at Portland, you might be referred a name as the city’s top street food expert. This is none other than Brett Burmeister. According to Brett, 2013 could have been the year for Italian food as far as street food in Portland is concerned. He also talks about the growing number of food trucks and carts in the city which is now estimated to be 550. The city also has what is called as “food pods” which is an area where several food carts operate and there are around 38 in Portland.
Some of the best street foods to try when in Portland are:
Image Source: foodcartsportland.com
Dump Truck – This is food truck sells the best dumplings in town and run by a non-Chinese couple who met in Beijing where they were working. They trained under a dumpling expert and started the food truck in 2010. They have wonderful variants like their bestseller bacon cheeseburger dumpling.
Nong’s Khao Man Gai – Nong is a Thai who migrated to the U.S. His specialty is Khao Man Gai which is more popularly known as Hainanese Chicken. This is poached chicken served with herb sauce and cup of rice with vegetables on the side. Interestingly, this is the only item in the food cart which is doing exceptionally well.
Duende – A highly rated street food business that serves authentic food from Spain. It is a food cart that just opened in mid 2013. Duende, in case you didn’t know means “dwarf” and it could very well be magical because it is food that will make you want to keep coming back to Portland.
The Frying Scotsman – The only item on this street food business is its fish and chips. It is cooked to a delicious crisp and while it is a little oily, the dipping sauce is an excellent complement to the somewhat oily crunch.
Other great street food offers around Portland are El Taco Yucateo, a variety of food stalls in the Portland State University farmer’s market, Tiffin Asha, and Ole Latte coffee on SW Alder.