You can plan on giving your convention attendees a purely Portland culinary experience. Portland’s farm-fresh, locally grown ingredients, 600+ food carts, famous Willamette Valley wines, and craft coffee, tea, spirits and beer make us a favorite among foodies! And it’s even more appetizing with 0% sales tax. 

500+ legendary food carts — a foodie’s paradise 

What is a food cart? It’s simply another name for a street food vendor. Whether on wheels as food trucks or serving up goodness from a fixed structure, food carts are a part of the Portland chef-run culinary scene. 

  • #1 food cart city by Foodtruck nation. 
  • Rave reviews from Bon Appetit and CNN (which declared Portland home to the world’s best street food). 
  • Sustainable practices: compostable packaging, locally sourced ingredients, elimination of single-use items.
  • From downtown hotels and the MAX Light Rail line, attendees can easily access the Fifth Avenue food carts and Pioneer Courthouse square food carts.

85+ Microbreweries in Portland

  • Portland is nicknamed “Beervana” – the craft beer capitol
  • Brewpubs throughout the central city for after-hour gatherings
  • Fresh ingredients: Bull Run water source and Willamette Valley hops
  • Innovative creations: IPAs, Sours, Belgians
  • Don’t forget there is NO sales tax in Oregon, including on alcohol!

Home of James Beard & several award-winning chefs and nominees

The James Beard Awards, named for the eccentric, Portland-born chef who revolutionized the American dining scene in the 20th-century, are the nation’s highest annual culinary honor. With such a talked-about and delicious food scene, it’s no surprise that Portland chefs have racked up a few James Beard Awards over the years. 

Downtime? Enjoy some local wine.

With wine country in its backyard, Portland overflows with wine bars and urban wineries. Though most known for its pinot noir, Oregon’s wine country produces a seemingly endless array of delicious wine varieties — all of which are worth sampling. Enjoy a wine-tasting expedition without leaving town.