CARTOPIA FOOD CARTS — Restaurant in Portland

Covid friendly with outdoor tables spaced from each other, each equipped with sanitizing hand pump and spray for the table.

Best...GAS FIRE PITS

Worst...NO BATHROOM/PORTA-POTTY FOR CUSTOMERS

We ordered from the EGYPTION and MEXICAN food carts and Beer from the burger place.

Egyptian food FOUR 🌟 STARS... shawarma (lamb, chopped into small peices) plate was a large portion that came with rice and two sides...and everything was Full of flavor! Shawarma was cooked to your liking in regard to spicy level. Rice was flavorful, salad was delicious and as a bonus it had REAL SPINACH AND A KALAMTA OLIVE 😋. The baba ganoosh was a bit too lemony for my palate, but the Falafel was awesome it had a Crunchy exterior and rich, hearty interior and was served with a nice, mildly-flavored, but-not-boring yogurt dipping sauce👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽. Lastly, the naan style pitas were flat and small...like grocery store pitas. Not great 😕

Mexican food TWO 🌟 STARS.... the asada burrito was lacking in meat☹ BIG TIME and was instead, stuffed with a massive amount of lettuce😐...and I mean a ton of shredded lettuce😠 I literally felt like I was eating some kind of diet wrap...without dressing👎🏿...and a few pieces of meat👎🏿👎🏿. This may have been because I asked the beans and rice on the side... perhaps the woman was trying to make up for the lack of bulk in the burrito (rice and beans were missing) with shredded lettuce?? But I always order this way at other places and usually get either 1) a smaller burrito or 2) extra meat, which in this case either would have been better. It was like a head of lettuce inside a Tortilla 😐. Also it was supposed to be a hot, carne asada burrito... but all that lettuce made the meat cold. Also, the salsa was habenaro which is typically reserved for a restaurants spiciest type of salsa, so beware about the spice level there🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶👎🏿. Not impressed with the Mexican food and with all the incredible mexican places Portland has to offer, we won't be going back to this one. Sorry.

BEER... FIVE 🌟 STARS Dark porter from the beer/burger place was great 👍🏿 no complaints except for the woman working who didn't make much eye contact... which made it hard to communicate 🤔🧐😶 with face masks 😷 Otherwise everything was good. They even give water in cups if you ask, so we got one for...

Absolutely love this place! Cartopia is one of those spots that just gets it right, well-curated, thoughtfully designed, and full of character. The overall vibe is welcoming and relaxed, and the selection of food vendors is both diverse and delicious. Each pod feels like it’s been chosen with intention, and together they create a really interesting mix of flavours and styles.

The space itself is super versatile. There are smaller picnic-style tables for solo diners or smaller parties, and larger fire pit tables that are perfect for communal seating or big groups. Whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite or spending an evening catching up with friends, it works. I love that there are both shaded spots for hotter days and sunny corners to soak it all in, it really has something for everyone.

What makes Cartopia stand out even more is that, despite its popularity, it’s never felt overcrowded when I’ve visited. It has that sweet spot of being lively but still comfortable, no stress, no overly long waits, just good atmosphere and even better food.

Highly recommend checking out Pyro Pizza, their pizzas are excellent, and the natural sodas are a nice bonus. Also, don’t miss Chicken and Guns, the portions are generous, and the flavours are incredible.

Whether you’re local or visiting Portland, Cartopia is a must. Great food, great layout, and a true taste of what makes Portland’s food cart...

Adored this food cart pod. Went on a Friday night and it was lively, but not packed - we only waited about 10-15 minutes for food and met some people and their dogs when we were sitting around a fire pit waiting for our food. The atmosphere is cozy with it’s string lighting and large tent in the middle of the court, which is both aesthetically pleasing and functional when you live somewhere as rainy as Portland. Will warn you right now that while this place has bathrooms, you will definitely NOT want to use them, especially if you’re going to have to sit down - the “bathrooms” are two port-a-potties in a dimly lit corner next to a sink that has no soap, so use the bathroom before you show up.

The pizza from Pyro Pizza was decent, but the real hit of the night was the poutine from Potato Champion - you could put that gravy on a boot and eat it. El Brasero also has a massive menu if you’re looking for a decent selection of Mexican food and I’m excited to go back to try Tahrir Square and Big Ssam Cart, which both has some interesting options.

Carts available: Bottle Rocket (pub food) Pyro Pizza (Italian) El Brasero (Mexican) Potato Champion (poutine/fries) Perierra Creperie (crepes) Tahrir Square (Egpytian) Kjg Ssam...