Q-19 - a new cart pod in NW Portland

While every other neighborhood in the city has been blessed by a food cart pod, Northwest Portland has been lacking in street food goodness. There are a few carts who have succeeded over the years, yet none have grouped together into a pod. Q-19 is changing that.

Located at the corner of NW 19th and Quimby, Q-19 took the lead from Mississippi Marketplace and built out the lot in conjunction with revitalizing a neighborhood bar. Quimby's, the bar, is open as a refuge for eaters to get out of the rain and enjoy a beer or cocktail with their cart food. The lot in general is welcoming with the carts interspersed with picnic tables and soon, a tent flanked by planter boxes.

Q-19 has actually been open for few months, but only recently secured the final carts and finished final construction. We visited the other day to check it out. The carts there include:

• Chili Inside/Chili Outside
  - Frito pie and now hamburgers
• Savvy J's
  - po' boy sandwiches and southern comfort food
• The Wrapture
  - wraps and salads made with fresh local products
• Briskets - new cart serving beef brisket sandwiches
• Crust and Common Pie Shop - savory and sweet pies
• Polish Kitchen - operated by Lydia and Ted Patkowski, who also operate the EuroDish
• Philly's Fat Omelets - cheesesteak hoagies among other items
• Sawasdee Thai - an expansion of the original cart

The carts are open for lunch during the week 11-2, but some are staying open longer and the hope would be to open into the evening on the weekends.

Head on over if you live in the neighborhood or take a trip to check out some of the new carts that are part of this new pod. We tried out Briskets and Crust and Common and they blew our minds. Q-19 is located at NW 19th and Quimby.