7 of the Best Food Trucks in America
September 25, 2015
Generous portions. Low prices. Short waits. Huge flavors. Minimal silverware. Is it any wonder that food trucks are big? No city worth its salt and pepper is without a legion of mobile eateries these days, and whether you’re craving tacos or pizza, burgers or wickedly good grilled cheese sammies, these restaurants-on-wheels are often better than the sit-down options. (Although we always love a good charitable eatery.)
If you’re in Boston, begin the quest at The Chicken & Rice Guys—and then punch in the coordinates for seven more of the best food trucks in America. Just keep one eye on their Twitter accounts: These guys aren’t exactly famous for staying put.
DEL POPOLO, SAN FRANCISCO: What the Golden Gate is to bridges, so
Del Popolo is to
San Francisco food trucks. As in: This is no dented, jerry-rigged old van, but a gorgeous, glass-fronted shipping container that nearly resembles a sidewalk café on wheels. All the better to get a glimpse of what they're cooking up inside: Neapolitan-style pizzas that all get a turn in an imported, Italian wood-burning oven.
Image courtesy of
Edward Blake/Flickr
VERACRUZ ALL NATURAL, AUSTIN: In
Austin, taco slingers provoke Capulet and Montague levels of rivalry and devotion. We realize it's no small matter to toss our hat in the ring with
Veracruz All Natural, then, but we're happy with our choice. Follow the locals and show up for breakfast. Their migas taco, piled with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, queso, and avocado, is rightly legendary 'round these parts.
Image courtesy of Veracruz All Natural
HARD TIMES SUNDAES, BROOKLYN: Originally parked deep in
Brooklyn's residential Mill Basin neighborhood,
Hard Times Sundaes required quite a schlep. But good news, burger fiends: Owner Andrew Zurica has just announced that the truck is relocating to Prospect Lefferts Gardens in October, meaning their cheesy, dribbly, over-the-top-tasty burgers will be that much more accessible. Just don't come expecting sundaes—despite the name, there aren't any on the menu.
Image courtesy of Claire Bullen
KOGI, LA: Founded back in
LA in 2008,
Kogi didn't just catapult its chef Roy Choi to culinary fame—it helped pave the way for food truck culture around the country, period. And then there's its pioneering Korean-Mexican fusion cuisine. For a bite of the good stuff, order kimchi-topped short rib tacos followed by a Sriracha bar for dessert. Spicy.
Image courtesy of
stu_spivack/Flickr
THE FAT SHALLOT, CHICAGO: Chicago is good at comfort food. There's the pizza. There are the red hots. And then, there are the sandwiches at
The Fat Shallot. An unabashed favorite of locals—and definitely one of the best food trucks in all of America—its sandwiches are, quite literally, a cut above. Who could say no to smoked turkey on a pretzel bun? Or grilled cheese made with muenster melted between slices of sourdough?
Image courtesy of The Fat Shallot
AREPA ZONE, DC: If your experience of south-of-the-border fare begins at enchiladas and ends at tacos, have we got news for you. Head down to Venezuela by way of
Arepa Zone and meet the namesake arepa snack. Like the hefty cousin of a tortilla, it's thick, cakey, made with cornmeal and, in this zone, comes stuffed with everything from black beans and plantains to braised beef. Muy, muy bien.
Image courtesy of Arepa Zone
MS. CHEEZIOUS, MIAMI: Ms. Cheezious has been
named top dog among the best food trucks in America, and you'll understand why when faced with its wall of grilled cheese options. (Seriously, there are 17 on the menu.) There's one that comes stuffed with mac 'n cheese. One that uses waffles in place of bread, and sandwiches fried chicken in between. One that mingles ricotta and marmalade with chocolate dipping sauce. No, we're not drooling. Us?
Image courtesy of Ms. Cheezious
DEL POPOLO, SAN FRANCISCO: What the Golden Gate is to bridges, so
Del Popolo is to
San Francisco food trucks. As in: This is no dented, jerry-rigged old van, but a gorgeous, glass-fronted shipping container that nearly resembles a sidewalk café on wheels. All the better to get a glimpse of what they're cooking up inside: Neapolitan-style pizzas that all get a turn in an imported, Italian wood-burning oven.
Image courtesy of
Edward Blake/Flickr
VERACRUZ ALL NATURAL, AUSTIN: In
Austin, taco slingers provoke Capulet and Montague levels of rivalry and devotion. We realize it's no small matter to toss our hat in the ring with
Veracruz All Natural, then, but we're happy with our choice. Follow the locals and show up for breakfast. Their migas taco, piled with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, queso, and avocado, is rightly legendary 'round these parts.
Image courtesy of Veracruz All Natural
HARD TIMES SUNDAES, BROOKLYN: Originally parked deep in
Brooklyn's residential Mill Basin neighborhood,
Hard Times Sundaes required quite a schlep. But good news, burger fiends: Owner Andrew Zurica has just announced that the truck is relocating to Prospect Lefferts Gardens in October, meaning their cheesy, dribbly, over-the-top-tasty burgers will be that much more accessible. Just don't come expecting sundaes—despite the name, there aren't any on the menu.
Image courtesy of Claire Bullen
KOGI, LA: Founded back in
LA in 2008,
Kogi didn't just catapult its chef Roy Choi to culinary fame—it helped pave the way for food truck culture around the country, period. And then there's its pioneering Korean-Mexican fusion cuisine. For a bite of the good stuff, order kimchi-topped short rib tacos followed by a Sriracha bar for dessert. Spicy.
Image courtesy of
stu_spivack/Flickr
THE FAT SHALLOT, CHICAGO: Chicago is good at comfort food. There's the pizza. There are the red hots. And then, there are the sandwiches at
The Fat Shallot. An unabashed favorite of locals—and definitely one of the best food trucks in all of America—its sandwiches are, quite literally, a cut above. Who could say no to smoked turkey on a pretzel bun? Or grilled cheese made with muenster melted between slices of sourdough?
Image courtesy of The Fat Shallot
AREPA ZONE, DC: If your experience of south-of-the-border fare begins at enchiladas and ends at tacos, have we got news for you. Head down to Venezuela by way of
Arepa Zone and meet the namesake arepa snack. Like the hefty cousin of a tortilla, it's thick, cakey, made with cornmeal and, in this zone, comes stuffed with everything from black beans and plantains to braised beef. Muy, muy bien.
Image courtesy of Arepa Zone
MS. CHEEZIOUS, MIAMI: Ms. Cheezious has been
named top dog among the best food trucks in America, and you'll understand why when faced with its wall of grilled cheese options. (Seriously, there are 17 on the menu.) There's one that comes stuffed with mac 'n cheese. One that uses waffles in place of bread, and sandwiches fried chicken in between. One that mingles ricotta and marmalade with chocolate dipping sauce. No, we're not drooling. Us?
Image courtesy of Ms. Cheezious
