| Tokyo Sando | |
|---|---|
 | |
.jpg) Thefood cart atMidtown Beer Garden, 2025 | |
 Interactive map of Tokyo Sando | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | February 2, 2020 (2020-02-02) |
| Owner |
|
| Previous owner | Andrea McCullough (formerly Nakajima) |
| Location | 431 Southwest Harvey Milk Street, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, 97204, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′15″N122°40′35″W / 45.5208°N 122.6763°W /45.5208; -122.6763 |
| Website | tokyosando |
Tokyo Sando is a restaurant inPortland, Oregon. Spouses Taiki Nakajima and Andrea Nakajima began operating thefood cart from thePortland State University campus indowntown Portland in February 2020, just prior to the arrival of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The business later relocated to 2nd Avenue andStark Street. In 2023, the owners announced plans to close permanently due to increases food costs and declining revenue. However, in 2024, Tokyo Sando re-opened in theSouthwest 5th Avenue food cart pod. The business has garnered a positive reception.
Tokyo Sando servesJapanese-style sandwiches from afood cart indowntown Portland'sSouthwest 5th Avenue food cart pod.Willamette Week has described the food as a fusion of Japanese andPacific Northwest cuisine.[1] Sandwiches useJapanese milk bread; varieties include katsu chicken or pork with cabbage andtonkatsu sauce, as well asegg salad withdijon mustard, green onion,Kewpie, and a house-mademayonnaise.[2][3]
Owners and spouses Taiki Nakajima and Andrea Nakajima opened Tokyo Sando on February 2, 2020, initially operating from afood cart at the intersection of Southwest 4th Avenue and Hall Street on thePortland State University campus in downtown Portland.[2][3][4] Like many businesses, Tokyo Sando experienced hardships during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[5] By May 2021, Tokyo Sando was operating at 2nd Avenue andStark Street (also known as Harvey Milk Street).[6][7] Cash and credit card machines were stolen from the cart in July.[8] According toOregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), "Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the food truck developed a sizable clientele, evident in its following of more than 21,000 accounts onInstagram and an overallYelp rating of 4.5 based on 300-plus reviews."[6] Andrea Nakajima had also decided to leave the business during the summer of 2021.
In November 2023, the owners announced plans to close permanently on December 17. The couple wrote: "We struggled to keep the business operating in the challenging times, but tried to stay open 7 days a week, because we didn't know what else to do, other than keep open the cart. Now, due to the condition of what Portland has become, we don't know why we're making Japanese food in Portland."[9] Taiki Nakajima cited increased food costs and declining revenue as reasons for the closure. He shared plans take an extended break in Japan and possibly return.[6]
In January 2024, Taiki Nakajima teased the possible return to Portland onsocial media.[10] Tokyo Sando began operating from theSouthwest 5th Avenue food cart pod (rebranded Midtown Beer Garden) in February.[1][11][12] In a statement, the cart's owners said, "We think we want to fall in love with the city of Portland again."[13]
In 2021, during the pandemic, Andrea Damewood included the miso pork katsu sandwich inWillamette Week's list of five "makeshift picnics perfect for a Portland summer".[7] Jean Chen Smith recommended Tokyo Sando inSFGate's 2023 guide to Portland.[14] Following the 2023 closure announcement, OPB said the business was "leaving a shokupan-shaped hole in Portland's heart".[6] Tokyo Sando was included inEater Portland's 2025 overview of the city's best food carts.[15]
