Viking Soul Food
{{Short description|Scandinavian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox restaurant
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| name = Viking Soul Food
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| image = Portland, Oregon (April 2025) - 114 (cropped).jpg
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| image_caption = The restaurant's exterior, 2025
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| established = {{Start date|2010|08}}
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| food-type = Scandinavian
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| city = Portland
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| state = Oregon
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| country = United States
| coordinates = {{Coord|45.5168|-122.6185|display=it}}
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| website = {{URL|vikingsoulfood.com}}
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Viking Soul Food is a Scandinavian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. The business operates in southeast Portland's Woodstock neighborhood and previously operated from Airstream trailer in the Sunnyside neighborhood. Viking Soul Food has been featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Description
Viking Soul Food (VSF) is a Scandinavian{{Cite web|title=Viking Soul Food|url=https://www.pdxmonthly.com/restaurants/viking-soul-food|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Portland Monthly|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808181638/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/restaurants/viking-soul-food|url-status=live}} restaurant in southeast Portland's Woodstock neighborhood. Previously, the business operated from an Airstream trailer on Belmont Street, in the Bite On Belmont food cart pod in southeast Portland's Sunnyside neighborhood.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Suzette|date=March 3, 2021|title=Takeout Club: Bing Mi and Viking Soul Food Serve Up Deliciousness In a Wrap|url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/03/03/31963600/takeout-club-bing-mi-and-viking-soul-food-serve-up-deliciousness-in-a-wrap|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Portland Mercury|language=en|archive-date=2021-09-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906161542/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/03/03/31963600/takeout-club-bing-mi-and-viking-soul-food-serve-up-deliciousness-in-a-wrap}}
In 2020, Christen McCurdy of Willamette Week said the Black-owned restaurant serves "Scandinavian-soul fusion" food,{{Cite web|title=These Black-Owned Portland Restaurants Are Offering Takeout and Delivery|url=https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2020/06/02/these-black-owned-portland-restaurants-are-offering-takeout-and-delivery/|last=McCurdy|first=Christen|date=2020-06-02|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Willamette Week|language=en|archive-date=2021-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006204155/https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2020/06/02/these-black-owned-portland-restaurants-are-offering-takeout-and-delivery/|url-status=live}} and the Portland Mercury{{'s}} Robert Ham described the menu as "Nordic-inspired" comfort food.{{Cite web|last=Ham|first=Robert|date=June 3, 2020|title=Help Support Portland's Black-Owned Restaurants|url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/06/03/28502713/help-support-portlands-black-owned-restaurants|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Portland Mercury|language=en|archive-date=2021-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418065533/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/06/03/28502713/help-support-portlands-black-owned-restaurants}} The menu includes lefse (potato-based Norwegian flatbread) with meatballs with gravy or smoked salmon, dill, greens, and creme fraiche, as well as seafood chowder and lingonberry iced tea.{{Cite web|last=Woo|first=Nick|date=2015-06-10|title=A Guide to Portland's Most Outstanding Food Carts|url=https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-food-carts-portland|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Eater Portland|language=en|archive-date=2021-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918081209/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-food-carts-portland|url-status=live}}
History
Megan Walhood and Jeremy Daniels have operated VSF since August 2010.{{Cite web|date=2012-07-30|title=Viking Soul Food|url=https://1859oregonmagazine.com/live/food-drink/food-cartographer-viking-soul-food/|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-21|website=1859|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118100500/https://1859oregonmagazine.com/live/food-drink/food-cartographer-viking-soul-food/}} The restaurant appeared on season 32, episode 11 ("From Vikings to Wings") of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.{{Cite web|title=From Vikings to Wings|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/episodes/from-vikings-to-wings|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Food Network|language=en|archive-date=2021-10-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010112104/https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/episodes/from-vikings-to-wings|url-status=live}} In 2014, the duo announced plans to close and sell the Airstream.{{Cite web|last=Russell|first=Michael|date=2014-04-17|title=Viking Soul Food cart closing for good in May|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2014/04/viking_soul_food_closing_for_g.html|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-21|website=The Oregonian|language=en|archive-date=2022-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121153502/https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2014/04/viking_soul_food_closing_for_g.html}}
Some VSF menu options are also available at the duo's food cart The Wild Hunt, which opened in 2016.{{Cite web|last=Bamman|first=Mattie John|date=2016-03-22|title=Viking Soul Food to Open The Wild Hunt, Menu Revealed|url=https://pdx.eater.com/2016/3/22/11285028/the-wild-hunt-menu-revealed-scandinavian-food-teutonic-wine|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Eater Portland|language=en|archive-date=2016-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826224734/http://pdx.eater.com/2016/3/22/11285028/the-wild-hunt-menu-revealed-scandinavian-food-teutonic-wine|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Walsh|first=Chad|date=2016-05-16|title=Viking Soul Food's Wild Hunt Food Cart Celebrates Its Grand Opening This Friday|url=https://pdx.eater.com/2016/5/16/11683324/viking-soul-food-s-wild-hunt-food-cart-celebrates-its-grand-opening|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Eater Portland|language=en|archive-date=2016-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825084015/http://pdx.eater.com/2016/5/16/11683324/viking-soul-food-s-wild-hunt-food-cart-celebrates-its-grand-opening|url-status=live}}
In 2022, owners announced plans to move to a brick and mortar restaurant in Woodstock, occupying the space which previously housed El Gallo Taqueria.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Janey |date=2022-10-21 |title=Stalwart Scandinavian Cart Viking Soul Food Sets Sail for Woodstock to Open a Restaurant |url=https://pdx.eater.com/2022/10/21/23416925/viking-soul-food-woodstock-restaurant |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Eater Portland |language=en}} The restaurant opened on November 26.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Janey |date=2021-01-27 |title=A Guide to Portland's Bar, Restaurant, and Food Cart Openings |url=https://pdx.eater.com/22251525/portland-restaurant-bar-cafe-openings |access-date=2022-11-30 |website=Eater Portland |language=en}} In 2024, Walhood and Daniels confirmed plans to sell the 1958 Streamline trailer, and update the menu at the Woodstock restaurant.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Janey |date=2021-01-20 |title=Portland’s Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures |url=https://pdx.eater.com/22240842/portland-restaurant-bar-cafe-closings |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=Eater Portland |language=en}}
File:Viking Soul Food.jpg|The Streamline trailer in 2013
Reception
Nick Woo and Brooke Jackson-Glidden included VSF in Eater Portland{{'}}s 2021 guide to the city's "most outstanding" food carts. Jackson-Glidden also included the smoked steelheadlefse in a 2024 overview of "iconic" Portland dishes.{{Cite web |last=Jackson-Glidden |first=Brooke |date=2015-01-29 |title=Iconic Portland Dishes That Are Actually Worth Eating |url=https://pdx.eater.com/maps/portland-iconic-dishes |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=Eater Portland |language=en}} VSF was also included in the website's 2025 list of Portland's best restaurants for mid-week lunches.{{Cite web |last=Bicchieri |first=Paolo |date=2022-03-08 |title=The Best Restaurants for a Mid-Week Lunch in Portland |url=https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-lunch-portland-oregon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727083258/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-lunch-portland-oregon |archive-date=2024-07-27 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Eater Portland |language=en}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Viking Soul Food}}
- {{Official website|http://www.vikingsoulfood.com}}
- [https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/or/portland/Viking-soul-food-restaurant Viking Soul Food] at the Food Network
- [https://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/pacific-northwest/portland/restaurants/viking-soul-food/a/poi-eat/1422749/362093 Viking Soul Food] at Lonely Planet
- {{TripAdvisor|5572865}}
{{Restaurants in Portland, Oregon}}
{{Sunnyside, Portland, Oregon}}
{{Woodstock, Portland, Oregon}}
Category:2010 establishments in Oregon
Category:Black-owned restaurants in Oregon
Category:European restaurants in Portland, Oregon
Category:Food carts in Portland, Oregon
Category:Restaurants established in 2010
Category:Scandinavian restaurants in the United States
Category:Soul food restaurants in Portland, Oregon