According to Budget Travel magazine and CNN.com, Portland is the number one city in the world for street food, beating out the best of the rest. Portland’s food cart scene pulled ahead of fish tacos in Ensenada, bacalaítos in Puerto Rico, grilled-shrimp skewers and churros stuffed with dulce de leche in Rio, Belgian frites and grilled meat in Marrakech.
I think people tend to think of the best street food in the world being of a single region, celebrating a single cuisine – like falafel in Israel or Vietnamese food in Hanoi – but the amazing thing about Portland’s street food is the variety. No one can pin down a cuisine or specialty dish that Portland’s carts are known for because we’ve got just about everything, from around the globe via the wackiest imaginations. We’ve got everything from Eastern European dishes, bacon and nutella sandwiches, and Korean tacos to burgers sandwiched between grilled cheeses, vegan poutine, and Carolina-style barbecue out of a truck.
The Budget Travel survey accounted for food quality, crowds at lunchtime, late-night food choices and the overall food culture. When you think about the over 400 carts spread out around the city, it’s no wonder we top the list. If you’re looking for homes for sale in Portland, let the best real estate agents in Oregon take you by the cart “pods” – as groups of food carts are called – for a snack and a chat. No matter where you’re looking to buy a home in Portland, you’re bound to find a great food cart close by. Even the suburbs and outlying cities in the Portland area have amazing street food – my favorite tacos are actually at Pastorcillos in Newberg, Oregon. So come on out and get a taste of the best tasting region in the world. We’d love to show you around.
