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1. Tilt
1355 NW Everett St., 503-894-9528; 22 NE 2nd Ave., Suite 100, 971-420-2165; 3449 N Anchor St., Suite 200, 503-285-8458; tiltitup.com.
The challenge at Tilt is figuring out how to eat the burgers. The innovative combinations of toppings on many of the patties come stacked inches high and skewered like the Leaning Tower of Pisa—the Carne Jefe, for example, is a staggering pile of avocado, jalapeños, tomato and Monterey jack cheese melted between two beef patties. Don't be shy. Roll up your sleeves and make a mess like everyone around you.
2. Bark City BBQ
1080 SE Madison St., 971-227-9707.
You'll want to carve out time for a nap after a trip to Bark City. The small cart—located in the Asylum Pod—smokes succulent, fresh cuts of meat daily, including brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Sides, like pickled avocado and lightly dressed mustard vinegar coleslaw, offer refreshingly crisp accompaniments. You'll want to fork a little bit of everything into your mouth at once—it actually does taste best devoured together.
3. Scottie’s Pizza Parlor
2128 SE Division St., 971-544-7878, scottiespizzaparlor.com.
This hole-in-the-wall pizza parlor is where you grab a paper plate and a slice and scarf it down while walking to the next bar. The thin-crust slices come with an extra-thick layer of mozzarella and bake at rapid speed in the pizzeria's electric oven. Pro tip: Smother your slice with a side of hot honey, a gooey concoction of spicy sweetness that enhances just about everything.
4. Fatsquatch
3423 SE Belmont St.
The sight of this cart may be obscured from the street in a tiny Belmont pod, but the portions of vegan comfort food here may be visible from space. From vegan jalapeño poppers to the surprisingly legit "notzarella" sticks with a host of housemade sauces, including Buffalo, barbecue, ranch, honey mustard and chipotle ranch for dipping, Fatsquatch is some kind of greasy heaven.
5. Original Hotcake House
1002 SE Powell Blvd., 503-236-7402.
Every year since Old Portland was young, the Original Hotcake House has been open every second of every day, Thanksgiving and Christmas excepted. The best time to see this greasy spoon come to life is in the small hours after Portland's earliest brunch rush dies down and a damnably eclectic mix of post-club stragglers, swing-shift workers and jukebox-stuffing heshers of all ages settle down for a short stack of house-syruped fluffiness.