Blog - Portland Pedal Power

At PPP we chose our restaurant and vendor partners wisely. We focus on local spots committed to sustainability, social responsibility, and healthy food. Here’s a few of our foodie faves who are committed to making a difference:

Keeping Portland Socially Responsible

New City Kitchen

New City Kitchen (NCK) is your one-stop solution for socially responsible lunch catering. NCK prepare delicious box and sack lunches with tasty sandwiches, fresh (and gluten free) salad rolls, and yummy cookies. Their food features have Mediterranean accents, and are flavor-tested by ProChefs Oregon, the local branch of the American Culinary Federation. Our favorite is the roasted eggplant sandwich.

Aside from the yummy food, New City Kitchen is a nonprofit social enterprise that trains and employs people who are looking for a second chance in the workforce. Their mantra is “Hope has a flavor,” operating under the belief that when you give people the opportunity they’ve been waiting for, they come alive.

Keeping Portland Green

Aprisa Mexican Cuisine

We deliver a lot of taco bars and delicious burritos from Aprisa Mexican Cuisine, a local favorite. Aprisa is a socially and environmentally responsible company. They aim to make the least impact on the environment as possible by using serving containers that are made from 100% sustainable and compostable materials.

Even more unique, their restaurant locations are made from recycled shipping containers. Using these as building materials (normally considered industrial waste) reduces the impact of this kind of waste on the environment. The building is also very efficient due to high insulation value; because of the layout and minimal square footage the cooking equipment can effectively heat the building!

Keeping Portland Healthy

Gluten Free Gem Bakery

Gluten Free Gem is an independent, family run bakery located in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Owners Anne and Mike Miller started baking gluten free at CCP Gluten Free Bakeshop in 2006 when their daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. By April of 2011, the bakery had outgrown its SW Corbett location and was moved to its current location on N. Hancock St. With this move came a name change, to celebrate the original Gems: Anne and Mike’s daughters Greta and Emma Miller.

Over the last eight years, their understanding of eating and baking gluten-free has grown immensely, and so has the menu. Gem plans to continuing to develop new gluten-free products that help to change the perception of what gluten-free baking can be, all the while maintaining a 100% gluten-free facility, where everything is delicious and safe to eat.

New City Kitchen is striving to change the world, offering delicious meals and second chances. We wanted to learn a little more, so we gave them a call and discovered what makes New City Kitchen so awesome:

Want to help change the world? Order sandwiches! New City Kitchen is your one-stop solution for socially responsible lunch catering. We prepare delicious box and sack lunches with tasty sandwiches, fresh (and gluten free) salad rolls, and yummy cookies. Our products have Mediterranean accents, and are flavor-tested by ProChefs Oregon, the local branch of the American Culinary Federation. Customers describe our grub as “tasty,” “really fresh and tasty,” and “fresh and delicious” (did we say tasty?).

New City Kitchen is a nonprofit social enterprise that trains and employs people who are looking for a second chance in the workforce. Our mantra is “Hope has a flavor.” When you give people the opportunity they’ve been waiting for, they come alive. They are motivated and inspired to give their very best, and this shows up in the quality of the food they create. At New City Kitchen, we’re giving people hope every day. Try us and see for yourself; you’ll taste it in every bite.

We’re excited about our partnership with Pedal Power because we are all about being the change we want to see in the world. Our social mission is to create delicious food while helping people gain skills and find employment. Having our products delivered by bicycle is environmentally responsible (and fun). We’re working to create a “new city” where people can rise to their full human potential, and Portland Pedal Power is part of that vision.

New City Kitchen is available through our catering menu! Check out what New City is offering for lunch, and you help make the world a better place.