With all of the food cart lots popping up lately, it was time to add a new category to our Best of Central Oregon readers' poll. The winner of the brand spankin' new category "Best Food Cart Lot" is not only a favorite lot of locals — it's THE Lot — the one and only!
If you've never stopped by, it's hard to miss the double-decker green bus (that doubles as Fricken Faco's mobile kitchen) out front on Columbia Street, just off of Northwest Galveston Avenue.
Home to Fricken Faco, Bend Burgz N Dogz, Greek Street and Á la Carte, as well as 16 taps that rotate regularly, this lot is the perfect laidback addition to the west side. The communal tables are housed under an outdoor, open air structure, with solid overhead heaters for colder weather.
David Staley, the owner and founder of The Lot, says he attributes part of the food cart lot's success to customers valuing the consistency in hours—they're open 11am-9pm, seven days a week. He says he's excited to see a nice variety of food trucks and lots opening up around town—and is always looking for ways to improve The Lot's atmosphere.
"I just feel very lucky that we were kind of the first one to get into it," Staley says. "Galveston, I think, is definitely an eating destination—so I think part of it is having a great location."
Additionally, he attributes The Lot's success to the phenomenal food that the carts have served to hungry Bendites over the years.
"Maybe be the biggest thing is just the quality of the food carts here—and that's nothing that I personally can take any credit for," Staley says. "But I just feel like we really have, over time, had some great food carts come in—Á la Cart has been here for almost five years now."