Yair Maidan's $11 falafel-pita counter in the Zipper micro-restaurant pod in northeast Portland, Washington-grown chickpea falafel with chopped vegetables.
Tip: Order at the counter; share the dining room with four micro-restaurants and a bar.
Address: 2724 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
Christina Luu and William Vuong's Vietnamese soup counter on SE 82nd in Portland, with two rotating soups daily and the city's most authoritative pho-shop pricing.
Try: Daily rotating Vietnamese soup
Tip: Open Wed-Sun 08:00-15:00. Two soups daily, each runs only one day a week. They sell out by noon.
Pine State's $11 Reggie biscuit on SE Belmont in Portland: fried chicken, bacon, cheese and gravy on a buttermilk biscuit served fast at the morning counter.
Try: Reggie biscuit sandwich
Tip: Open 07:00 to 14:00 daily. Cash and card. Expect 15-minute weekend wait.
Nong Poonsukwattana's $12 khao man gai counter on SE Ankeny in Portland, the canonical Thai chicken-and-rice plate that put her name on the city food map.
Try: Khao man gai poached chicken and rice
Tip: The ginger-soy sauce is the point. Extra sauce is $1.50; order it.
Sandy Di's jianbing cart in downtown Portland by Pioneer Square, savoury Chinese street crepes around scrambled egg and crisp wonton skins for $10.
Try: Jianbing Chinese street crepe
Tip: Cash or card at the cart. Add extra chili crunch for $1.
Matt Vicedomini's smoker on N Mississippi at Prost Marketplace in Portland, a brisket sandwich on white bread with pickles for $14, eat at the heated patio.
Try: Brisket sandwich
Tip: Order the sandwich or by the half-pound. Sides cost extra; the brisket is the meal.
Christina Luu and William Vuong's Vietnamese soup counter on SE 82nd in Portland, with two rotating soups daily and the city's most authoritative pho-shop pricing.
Try: Daily rotating Vietnamese soup
Tip: Open Wed-Sun 08:00-15:00. Two soups daily, each runs only one day a week. They sell out by noon.
Voodoo's $5 bacon maple bar in Old Town Portland is the canonical city doughnut, available 06:00 to 03:00 on weekend nights with cash or card.
Try: Bacon maple bar and coffee
Tip: Open until 03:00 Thu-Sun. The line moves faster than it looks.
