Jul 26, 2023 - Food and Drink

Portland chef Reuben Demarco shares his last meal

Meira Gebel

Photo illustration of a place setting shaped like a skull and crossbones containing a photo of Reuben DeMarco. — Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Reuben Demarco

Reuben Demarco opened his namesake food cart, Demarco's Sandwiches, on SE Division in 2019. Since then, he's been continually selling out, slinging Italian cold cuts and warm subs (like the phenomenal eggplant parmesan) on Dos Hermanos Bakery rolls.

Demarco is looking to expand his business. He just purchased a food truck so he and his team can start catering for events next month.

We wanted to know: What would he eat if he had one last meal?

Surprisingly, it's not one of the sandwiches from the cart … or even in this Portland, but the other one.

Appetizer: A dozen oysters on the half shell with a tall can of Budweiser. Can't go wrong with classics.

Main course: For his last meal, Demarco would head more than 3,000 miles east to Portland, Maine's J's Oyster, a restaurant beloved by the late Anthony Bourdain, for a $30 bowl of its lobster stew.

"It is a super rich and creamy stew packed full of fresh-caught lobster meat," he said.

Add Axios on Google

Portland chef Reuben Demarco shares his last meal

More Portland stories