Portland’s Best | Vegans, Vets and Vittles from Vehicles

What you need to know

Local restaurants Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli, the Red and Black Cafe, and the Blossoming Lotus helped Portland grab second place among large cities in PETA’s 2010 survey of the most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly cities in North America!

“Portland residents should be proud that their hometown is on the cutting edge of healthy cuisine that is Earth- and animal-friendly,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “Because factory-farmed animals are subjected to intensive confinement and cruel conditions, more and more people are demanding meat- and dairy-free dining options.”

The showstopper at Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli is the vegan lasagne, which features organic noodles, sunflower “cheese,” tofu, seasonal vegetables, and homemade marinara. Papa G’s also offers an array of vegan delights in its bakery. The Red and Black Café excels with its very own “TLP,” which includes tempeh bacon, herbed Vegenaise, lettuce, and roasted red peppers or tomatoes. And after one bite of the Blossoming Lotus’ barbecue tempeh platter, you’ll know that you’ll be back. The platter features tempeh and red onions sauteed in a rich, smoky barbecue sauce and comes with spicy black-bean chili, cornbread, and a mixed green salad.

Washington, D.C., took top honors among big cities on the list, and Albuquerque, N.M., placed third. Rounding out the top 10 are Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The winner among small cities was Olympia, Wash.

PETA divided the survey of U.S. and Canadian cities into two categories: cities with a population of 300,000 or more and cities with a population of 300,000 or fewer. For each city, PETA took into account the number of vegetarian restaurants and vegetarian-friendly restaurants per capita and also asked for input from PETA supporters and staff members on the quality of the options. The mayor and tourism bureau of each city that ranked among the top 10 in either category will receive a framed certificate and a letter of congratulations.

Hooray for the Red, White and Blue…We won’t keep you in suspense: Portland, Oregon, is America’s Most Patriotic City. Ha, no kidding! If you live, you wouldn’t believe it, but hey, Men’s Health Surveys are known throughout the world as some of the most accurate…wink,  wink. Unlike in 1889, when a newspaper called Portland “the most filthy city in the Northern states,” the evidence for the ranking isn’t overflowing-sewers obvious. After all, how do you gauge patriotism?

Men’s Health calculated the percentage of registered voters who turned out for state and federal elections from 2004 to 2008; money spent on military veterans per capita; percentage of residents who volunteer, participate in civic activities, and/or work with neighbors; and finally, sales of fireworks and U.S. flags. I personally think you only need the last two criteria. And before anyone e-mails us from Jersey City, there are no unpatriotic towns.

Certain cities around the globe have cult followings built entirely around their street-food cultures. And guess who’s #1? Yup, that’s us again, Portland!

You’d have to live under a rock, or should I say, a pile of moss, in Portland to have not seen some of these food cart villages popping up all over town. Downtown, Mississippi Avenue, Alberta Street, Hawthorne…all the way out to Mall 205. With more than 400 carts selling everything from Korean tacos to Carolina-style barbecue, Portland is a microcosm of mobile meals. Lunchtime crowds gather near SW 10th Avenue and SW Alder Street; later on, night owls head across the river to SE 12th Avenue and SE Hawthorne Boulevard for deep-fried cherry pies and savory crepes, served until 2 a.m.

Portland even has it’s own website devoted to helping you find the best vittles you can find served out of a trailer! Visit Food Carts Portland.