Thai$hawthorne-belmontDaily 09:00-21:00
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 $1.50; order it.
Chinese$downtownMon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00
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 $1 Cash is faster than card.
American BBQ$mississippi-williamsDaily 11:30-21:00
Matt Vicedomini's smoker on N Mississippi at Prost Marketplace in Portland, a brisket sandwich on white bread with pickles for $14, eat at the heated patio.
Try: Brisket sandwich
Tip: Order the sandwich or by the half-pound. Sides cost extra; the brisket is the meal.
Vietnamese$alberta-artsWed-Sun 08:00-16:00
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.
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.
Bakery$downtownMon-Wed 06:00-24:00, Thu-Sun 06:00-03:00
Voodoo's $5 bacon maple bar in Old Town Portland is the canonical city doughnut, available 06:00-03:00 weekend nights with cash, card or contactless payment.
Try: Bacon maple bar and coffee
Tip: Open until 03:00 Thu-Sun. The line moves faster than it looks.
Vegan$division-clintonMon-Thu 11:30-20:00, Fri 11:30-21:00, Sat 11:30-21:00, Sun 11:30-20:00
Garden Monsters' vegan and gluten-free salad-and-wrap cart on SE Division in Portland, raising the salad bar since 2013 with keto, paleo and whole 30 picks.
Try: Gourmet vegan and gluten-free salads and wraps
Tip: Counter order; outdoor seating only. The entire menu is gluten free except croutons, pita chips and flour wraps.