At lunch I headed over to check out the latest food cart lot, a “concept experience” as much as anything, established by Deschutes Brewery and holding its soft opening now. As KTVZ wrote:

Deschutes Brewery is calling it a “unique experience” because it is going to have a different theme for each season of the year. Right now, for example, it will be called “The Marina.”

The food cart lot will be on the gravel lot bordered by Shevlin-Hixon Drive and Southwest Columbia Street, across from Riverbend Park. It will only be in one corner, so it will not spread across the entire property that is used for overflow parking by river floaters.

“The Marina” will feature two to three sailboats, but this experience will be replaced in September, when the weather begins to change, and another themed experience will be put in.

“The Marina” will be a family-friendly place featuring various food carts such as Parilla tacos, shaved ice and ice cream options.

This lot is definitely high-concept and Deschutes has put a lot of work into it:

Yes, the brewery not only bought three used boats, but also built a dock. That’s commitment.

And then today news of another planned food cart lot was reported by KTVZ. (Video only right now.) The lot will be called River’s Place and include a tap house, and will be located near Costco on the east side. It will house 4 to 5 food carts and is planned to open in the fall.

So by my count, unless I’m missing any, that’s now seven food cart lots in or right near Bend:

1. The Lot
2. The one by Spoken Moto (there are several carts there, right? Does it have a name?)
3. The Bite – Tumalo
4. On Tap (east side, near 27th and Neff Road)
5. The Podski (between Arizona and Colorado)
6. Deschutes Brewery’s Marina/corner lot
7. River’s Place (fall 2018)

I’m not even counting the food trucks in Redmond at Wild Ride Brewing or the various single ones around town. Are there any others I’m missing?

That seems like a lot! I know food carts/trucks are super popular right now, but how many lots or pods does Bend need, really? Enough to cover the various quadrants or sections? More, less?

And that’s not even getting into the beer serving angle. Because it’s Bend so of course you need beer…