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a row of food carts and diners enjoying covered outdoor seating on a sunny day a row of food carts and diners enjoying covered outdoor seating on a sunny day
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Southeast Portland’s Collective Oregon Eateries (CORE) food cart pod features a variety of food carts with indoor and outdoor seating options.
Credit: Justin Katigbak, Travel Portland

Food Carts 101

Whether you call them food trucks or food carts, they’re flourishing in Portland — with hundreds throughout the city, food carts (and food cart pods) are a vital part of the local culinary scene.

3 min read

It’s no secret that Portland is one of the great food cities — just see the effusive write-ups and rankings from the likes of Food & Wine, CNN and Forbes, among others — or that food carts helped earn that reputation. But if you’re new to the scene, it can be confusing. What’s the difference between food trucks and food carts? What’s a food cart “pod”? And just how many food carts are there? Our guide to Portland food carts and food cart pods has you covered.

A Food Cart Primer

food truck (fo͞od trŭk) n.

A food truck is an eatery that’s compact and mobile (and usually delicious).

food cart (fo͞od kärt) n.

And a food cart is the very same thing. “Food truck” is the more common term elsewhere in the country, but Portlanders favor “food cart” (we love to do things just a little bit differently). And while food carts move around in other cities, in Portland they mostly stay in place.

food cart pod (fo͞od kärt pŏd) n.

Most Portland food carts are organized into “pods,” meaning a group of carts gathered in a single location, usually around a communal seating area. The smallest pods have just two or three carts, while larger pods may have 10 or more — for example, Piedmont Station and St. John’s Food & Beer Porch each have about 15 carts; Springwater Cart Park and Midtown Beer Garden have more than 20.

people seated at picnic tables talk and eat with food carts in the background
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Hawthorne Asylum is a Southeast Portland food cart pod offering numerous cuisines, extensive covered seating and funky Portland style.
Credit: Travel Portland
people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cart
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For a sampling of some of the city's best food, head to Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg
people stand in a food cart pod patio with colorful umbrellas and flags covering picnic tables
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The Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard is home to a variety of food carts and a covered, heated seating area — most carts stay lively late into the night.
Credit: NashCO Photography
people at food cart pod sitting at a table with a red umbrella with colorful food trucks lined up in the background
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People enjoy food at a food cart pod in St. Johns on North Lombard Street.
Credit: NASHCO Photo
people sitting at a picnic table in front of a line of colorful food carts
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Founded in 2015, the Portland Mercado acts as an incubator for Latin-owned businesses and features more than a dozen businesses offering various Latin American foods and products.
Credit: Travel Portland

Offerings at Portland’s popular food cart pods encompass every cuisine and vary widely, ranging from street food favorites to elevated delicacies, from small bites to full meals, from healthy snacks to indulgent desserts.

Portland Food Cart FAQs

How many food carts are there in Portland?

It’s tricky calculating the exact number, because it’s always changing — but our database (the city’s most comprehensive) includes nearly 600 food carts and pods.

Do food carts accept cards, or are they cash only?

These days most food carts accept cards, especially those in the larger cart pods. If a cart only accepts cash, there’s often an ATM close by. But if you want to play it safe (and avoid potential ATM fees), it doesn’t hurt to arrive with a little cash on hand.

What’s the difference between “food trucks” and “food carts”?

These terms are basically synonymous — compact, mobile restaurants are often called food trucks in other cities, but “food carts” is the more common term in Portland.

How can I find a good food cart nearby?

The food cart finder below lets you search carts by offering or attribute, then sort the results by proximity. Our Near Me Now app is another great resource; it includes all the food carts we know of in the city.
Food Cart Finder
Or start with one of these popular searches:
Tacos Thai Vegan See more

More About Food Carts

So why are food carts so popular in Portland? The main reason is simple: Food carts serve delicious food. They also tend to be a bit cheaper than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. What’s more, they offer the opportunity to explore international flavors and unique new food concepts with a shorter wait than at a traditional restaurant. And Portland itself provides the perfect setting for food cart culture to flourish — licensing and operating a food cart here is easier than in other cities, offering entrepreneurs a lower barrier to entry than opening a brick-and-mortar spot.

Popular Food Cart Pods

Find great eats at food cart pods all across the City of Roses.

  • Prost Marketplace

    This long-standing food cart pod is adjacent to Prost! and beloved by everyone from locals to Condé Nast writers.

  • Hawthorne Asylum

    Hawthorne Asylum, surrounded by brick walls and a wrought iron gate, is perfect for street food enthusiasts — choose from over 20 different carts offering cuisine from all corners of the globe.

  • Rose City Food Park

    Rose City Food Park is a food cart pod that features covered, heated seating; a family-friendly, dog-friendly, bike-friendly atmosphere; a beer garden and more.

  • Cartopia Food Cart Pod

    The Cartopia pod is home to a wide variety of food carts and a covered, heated seating area. Most carts are lively late into the night, staying open until midnight Tuesday to Thursday and even later on the weekends.

  • Multnomah French Quarter

    This food cart pod is known for its outstanding food offerings, extensive seating options and unique brick-and-mortar boutiques.

Food cart pods have big advantages too. The cluster of carts makes it a snap to sample a few options at a time and keep everyone in your group happy. Are you hungry for Thai, while your cousin’s craving sushi, and your best friend can’t stop talking about tacos? Or maybe your group includes a vegan, someone who’s gluten-free and another diner who needs halal options. A pod can satisfy everyone. The largest food cart pods often have bar carts, covered seating and restrooms — some even have fun amenities like fire pits, lawn games and live music.

That’s not to say food cart pods are your only option. The city’s very first food carts were standalone operations, and many one-of-a-kind carts remain must-visit options today. Not convinced? A visit to spots like Loncheria Los Mayas orSorbu Paninoteca might make you a believer.

More Portland Food Carts

Explore Portland's most popular food carts, food cart pods and food halls.

More Food
people seated at picnic tables talk and eat with food carts in the background

Food Cart Pods

Portland is one of the world’s great street food cities — explore international flavors and unique new food concepts (without the wait of a sit-down restaurant) at Portland’s many food cart pods.

people sitting at a picnic table in front of a line of colorful food carts

Popular Food Carts

Portland has hundreds of food carts serving countless cuisines — eat your way through breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert at some of Portland’s award-winning, popular food carts.

people in line to order food, while others sit at a bar or tables in a hip food hall

The Ultimate Guide to Portland Food Halls

A new type of eatery acts as an incubator for small businesses while offering indoor seating and regular events great for groups. Here’s the ultimate guide to Portland food halls.