PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Local foodies still mourning the loss of the beloved Alder Street food cart pod in downtown Portland will soon have reason to rejoice while enjoying some long-lost bites.
The Alder Street food cart pod was displaced in 2019, after Marriott International, Inc., signed an agreement to build the Pacific Northwest’s first Ritz-Carlton hotel. More recently in 2022, KOIN 6 was told that the Ritz-Carlton would house a new food hall upon opening — with some of the same businesses that once operated in the same space.
Flock food hall will be located on the first floor of the 35-story Block 216 tower in Downtown Portland, which will also house the Ritz-Carlton hotel and its accompanying residences.
According to a press release, Flock will be an indoor-outdoor dining space that provides seating for up to 134 patrons. But while the Ritz-Carlton is projected to open in the summer of 2023, the food hall opening is slated for later in November.
The food hall vendors serve a variety of food and drinks, ranging from coffee to Thai food. Here’s the current list of businesses to expect at Flock.
- Artly Coffee: cold brews, lattes, americanos — all from a robot barista.
- Birrieria la Plaza: birria tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, etc.
- Kim Jong Grillin: Korean restaurant serving bulgogi, kimchi fried rice, spicy pork and more.
- Magna Kusina presents Sunrice: established Filipino restaurant Magna Kusina partners with this pop-up eatery to “push Filipino food forward.”
- Prime Tap House: keeps 26 beers on tap, in addition to offering Asian-inspired wings on its menu.
- Queen Mama’s Kitchen: This Hillsboro food cart closed its Hillsboro location, but will continue selling Saudi Arabian cuisine in Block 216.
- Suzaku: Suzaku hasn’t opened in Portland yet, but this link from Block 216’s announcement indicates that the restaurant will specialize in sushi.
- ZabPinto Thai Kitchen: Thai restaurant featuring pot stickers, stir fry, fried rice, etc.
Of the nine food vendors making up the food hall, each of them identifies as BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. There will also be a 10th vendor space that will allow other small business owners to host pop-ups in Block 216.
“FLOCK honors Portland’s diverse culinary legacy while also looking forward to today’s tastemakers,” FLOCK founders Jae Kim and Daniel Lee said in a statement. “Rebuilding on the historic Alder Street Food Carts location, it is our mission to support local, BIPOC-owned businesses and bring them to the forefront of downtown Portland’s revitalization.”
The 8,000-square-foot food hall will be located at 812 SW Washington St. and will be open from Monday to Sunday.