Midtown Beer Garden by Expensify

Portland’s 5th Avenue Food Cart Pod to Reopen as Midtown Beer Garden | Eater Portland

"I've seen this line of food carts along Southwest Fifth Avenue—between Southwest Harvey Milk and Southwest Oak streets—exist for more than three decades, predating the city's idea of 'pods' and serving as a downtown lunchtime tradition and tourist draw despite having none of the shared seating, fire pits, string lights, or catchy name typical of newer pods. I note that with investment from Expensify and involvement from Chefstable the pod will be redeveloped and rebranded as the Midtown Beer Garden, with room for 30 carts, seating for more than 300 people, a bar cart with beer on tap, and a stage for concerts and events; the updated pod will be completely fenced with onsite security at all times (including a guard while closed and evening patrols), offer daily cleaning service and heated tents for seating, and is offering the first month of rent free to carts that open when the pod launches, theoretically in July 2023. I also recall the pod's recent struggles—loss of customers during the pandemic, ongoing vandalism, and a food cart explosion in summer 2022 that damaged nearby carts—which the new design and security measures aim to address." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden