Spring is almost here, and with it, lots of fresh new food events and pop-ups are on the horizon. In the next few days, Snow Peak’s Takibi will offer a new tasting menu courtesy of chef Cody Auger and bartender Jim Meehan, a new wood-fired pizza cart is opening on Alberta, Cafe Olli is hosting a food and cocktail pop-up, and much more. Here are our can't miss picks.

Takibi’s new tasting menu

Former Nimblefish chef Cody Auger is now at the helm at the Snow Peak restaurant Takibi (2275 NW Flanders St), and along with legendary bartender Jim Meehan, the restaurant is launching a tasting menu series on Mondays and Tuesdays starting March 7 called Garden Gatherings. The dinners will feature ingredients from the Pacific Northwest and Japan—the opening menu includes grilled oysters with black truffles and Dungeness crab chawanmushi, and a dozen guests will get insight into the ingredients and process behind the dishes while seated at an outdoor communal table. The seven-course dinner is $95; alcoholic beverage pairings are available for an additional $65, while the non-alcoholic pairings are $45. Reservations can be made online here.

Pizza cart Paladin Pie opens

What started as a pandemic-era backyard pizza pop-up for former Nostrana and Oven and Shaker chef Leo Brill is now becoming a full-blown pizza cart at NE Alberta and NE 23rd. Brill and his business partner Flynn McEchron are celebrating with a grand opening on March 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The cart’s wood-burning oven will be churning out an opening menu that includes classic cheese or pepperoni (with pickled jalapeño) pies, plus some more inventive takes like the Jazz Cabbage, which combines bacon, kimchi, cheddar, mozzarella, and garlic, and some nostalgic options like a buffalo chicken-inspired pizza. Plus, the cart will be holding a raffle all weekend, with prizes including free pizza, gift certificates, and merch. Good news for beer lovers: the cart is also teaming up with Baerlic Brewing’s taproom across the street, so you’ll be able to order pizza both directly from the cart and from the brewery.

American Gothic cocktail pop-up comes to Cafe Olli

Cafe Olli (3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd) is quickly becoming a hotspot for Monday night pop-ups, and next Monday is no different. Stop by on March 7 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for a menu of wood fired food from first-time pop-up Lobo (run by Patrick Delsid, formerly of Pok Pok, Tusk, and Gado Gado) such as smoked trout with fermented fresno chiles, soft egg, and toasted quinoa, or a smoked half chicken with mole and masa rolls. Sip on savory, smoky cocktails from American Gothic, a pop-up from Voysey bartender Scout Caldwell, and soak up the hospitality of front-of-house do-it-all Becca Nguyen (Langbaan).

10 Barrel raises funds for Rose Haven

Head to the Pearl District on International Women’s Day for a good cause. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on March 8, 10 Barrel Brewing (1411 NW Flanders St) is hosting a fundraiser for Rose Haven, a day shelter for women, children, and people of marginalized gender identities that’s cutting the ribbon to its new 10,000 square foot space that day. The brewery will offer a special women-brewed beer, plus drink specials, the opportunity to meet head brewer Whitney Burnside, and hear from women in the food industry including Chelo’s Luna Contreras. Proceeds from the event will benefit Rose Haven. (Looking for another way to imbibe and support Rose Haven? CorkScru Wine Merchants has also created a local Pinot Noir from the Nehalem Mountains called Haven, and for every $100 six pack sold, all of the $25 profits will be donated to the shelter.)

Portland chefs headline at Austin’s Hot Luck Festival

Looking to get out of town this spring? Book a flight to Austin for the Hot Luck Festival from May 26-29, a yearly food and music shindig that’s back in its true form for the first time since the pandemic began. Portland’s own Mike Thelin, co-founder of Feast Portland, is also one of Hot Luck’s founders, and our city is repping Portland in full force. Portland chefs featured include Carlo Lamagna of Magna and Colin Yoshimoto and Earl Ninsom of Eem, and you’ll also spot Top Chef Portland finalists Dawn Burrell from Houston and Shota Nakajima from Seattle.