Street Food Throwdown: Portland vs. NYC.

Last Saturday the New York Post published a piece in which Portland Mayor Sam Adams claimed the street carts in their fine city were the best in the country, and more on point, better than those in New York City. To rebut, New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg (armed with NBC news) headed down to visit Calexico Carne Asada to feast on the cart’s namesteak.

The NBC segment has yet to air, but in the days following a number of follow up posts have been created between popular food blogs in the rivaling cities. The first came from my good buddy Zach Brooks of MidtownLunch.com. His argument was… well, that there is no comparison. New York City far trumps the history, ethnic heritage, and volume of the street vendors in Portland:

“You just can’t beat the rich history of New York City’s street vendor scene. Take Midtown (where the chicken and lamb over rice with white sauce and hot sauce from a cart was pretty much invented), add Chinatown, the Red Hook Ballfields, and our own little crop of hipster vendors, and you’ve got yourself a pretty good dogfight. Of course once you throw Jackson Heights and Astoria in there, it’s no longer really a competition.”

Quickly from the west, FoodCartsPortland.com writer Brett Burmeister (as seen in VendrTV’s Grilled Cheese Grill episode) replied:

“I don’t think it is a matter of who’s best because each city has much to offer. I will point out that here in Portland, if you want a choice, we got something for everyone. With the 5 pods in downtown alone, I counted about about 75 carts available for the taking, all within walking distance. One could easily check out all the carts in an hour.”

So, here I am in the middle. I live in New York City, but have filmed tons of episodes in Portland. So I think it’s fair to say I have a pretty clear understanding on both scenes. Here’s where I stand.

In my mind no city in the United States can beat the rich and diverse ethnic street vending scene of NYC and its outer boroughs. In neighborhoods like Flushing or Jackson Heights street vending is truly reflective of it’s bazaar and outdoor market roots. The food is authentic and wildly delicious.

Additionally, it goes without saying that New York’s sheer volume of street vendors (especially when counting all five boroughs) trumps everything in the country.

So what does Portland have that New York lacks? Well, in my experience visiting both cities, I notice two drastic differences. The first is hails from city planning, the other is cultural.

For those who haven’t visited, Portland is small. It’s easy to get around, and has a small town vibe. The city also takes a much different approach to street vending. Instead of mobile carts parked on sideways, the street vendors line up trailers along entire city blocks commonly referred to as ‘pods’. Visually, this creates the sense of vendor abundance, with each pod brandishing a greater diversity of carts than the next.

Now is diversity a strong enough argument? In my opinion, yes. While I will argue that New York has more carts, the diversity is spread out among all the boroughs, a great distance apart. So while New York might have great diversity, it’s diminished by the distance one would have to travel to take it all in. In New York, the option of going out to lunch with a co-worker, both standing side by side in lines, and one purchasing a Thai curry while the other a panini sandwich doesn’t exist.

The second thing I feel Portland has going for it is it’s culture. Let’s call a spade a spade: Portland is not as ethnically diverse as New York (but really what is?). This coupled with the small size and homey feel creates a sense of grassroots entrepreneurship with an artisan flair. That mix makes the carts and their proprietors more accessible, which lends to a more intimate relationship, and most importantly a sense of innovation and exploration with their wares.

Of course, that lack of ethnic authenticity can work against itself. While you’re quick to find grass fed beef burgers and artisan grilled cheese sandwiches, it’d be a bit more of a stretch to come across tongue tacos or Peking Duck sandwiches.

So, truly it’s a matter of preference. If you want rich ethnicity, new and sometimes bizarre foods, and the occasional language barrier New York City sure does deliver. Plus, where else can you get Halal Chicken and Lamb at 4AM. But if a truly diverse and centralized street food scene with an artisan flair seems more up your alley, Portland is the place to be.

For me, personally, if I had to pick, I’d say my heart lies with Portland. I enjoy the culture, and really appreciate the how surprisingly diverse the scene is. That being said, I’m truly excited by the new generation carts that are permeating the streets of NYC. I think this new generation of vendors bring something to the table no city has seen yet. For that, I wouldn’t be surprised if by next spring I’m singing New York, New York!