CLOSED
Location: NE 23rd and Alberta
The Story:
A beautiful cart! That is really all that needs to be said about Inspire, a new food cart up at Area23 on NE Alberta that is fashioned out of a vintage Portland street car. A beautiful cart.
I had heard that the cart was coming yet couldn’t imagine what a vintage streetcar wold look like on the lot. When I was passing by over the weekend, I almost lost it gawking at what they created. Found on Craigslist in pieces and then fully restored, including new paint, new vintage stained glass windows and refinished wood interior, Inspire truly does inspire one to remake the old for new purposes. When you visit, look or the amazing metalwork in the window grills that spell out the name of the cart in intricate vintage type.
Inspire serves fresh juices and whole fruit smoothies along with raw desserts. (Raw food is defined as that which is not cooked.) The juices include ingredients like roots, spinach, apple, mint, ginger, mixed greens and other choices to provide you with all the vitamins and antioxidants you need. The fruit smoothies include bannana, strawberry, mixed greens, blueberries, peaches and other assorted items. This is the cart to visit when you feel your body needs a jolt of health. I enjoyed the banana berry smoothie which had raspberries thrown in. It reminded me of coming spring when our own raspberry bush will provide us with some tasty little bits of yummy.
Inspire plans to expand their menu as they get situated to include more raw food items like hand made pies. With the size of the cart, they do offer a few tables inside for one to sit down out of the weather and enjoy the ambiance. The cart also acts as a small boutique for local artists and sellers of goods. I’m excited to see Inspire join the us in Foodcartland and am happy they were able to recover a part of Portland’s past in the streetcar. Check out Inspire at NE 23rd and Alberta and let them know Food Carts Portland sent ya.
Sample Menu:
- Whole fruit smoothies – 16oz – $5.50
- Fresh Juices – $4.50
- Other raw food items to come
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 12-6pm; Friday and Saturday, 12-10pm; Sunday, 12-6pm
Contact: unknown
yes! so super happy to see our inspiring cart mentioned here- thank you! and thanks to all the awesome people who’ve been coming by and supporting us everyday!! we’ve had an amazing first 10 days of being open-have been selling out of our raw pies rather quickly- (a testament to their yumminess)
you have to come inside and try the chocolate hazelnut cream pie…before its gone…YUM!
I have had Liss’ raw pies and they are amazing! She is a food creator and everything she touches is delicious.
I am already a “regular!” These are the best pie’s I have ever eaten and made from such healthy ingredients. I Love going in there and seeing Orion’s smiley face. It is so warm, friendly and yummy! You rock!
“A beautiful cart! That is really all that needs to be said about Inspire”
No statement was ever more true. Perhaps if they actually provided a decent product at a reasonable price there would be more to be inspired about. Visited once and the $5.50!!! Smoothie was terrible. Totally Bland and flavorless not to mention Luke Warm. How is that even possible with such basic ingredients as Fruit and Ice?
I won’t even mention the crappy service.
I guess being beautiful can only get you so far.