Food Truck Grub

Street vendors around the country are offering up everything from waffle sandwiches to sweetbreads.

user rating

4.5 out of 5 stars(2)

If you haven’t jumped on the street food vendor bandwagon yet, you’re missing out. Mobile eateries are dominating the scene from New York and Washington, D.C. to Denver and Los Angeles, dishing up restaurant-quality food from sidewalk stations and food trucks. And they’re not only serving breakfast and lunch. Many are offering dinner, or staying out late to make sure that nighttime revelers can get a tasty snack on their way home. They make it easy to figure out where they’ll be with Twitter feeds or new apps like RoadStove. And some will let you pre-order via email.

Here's a rundown of some of the most interesting menu items filling stomachs across the country.

The Waffle Sandwich, served up by Flavour Spot in Portland, Ore. Choose savory and sweet options, like sausages with organic maple syrup wrapped in a toasty crisp waffle. Or opt for toppings of whipped cream cheese with organic strawberry or raspberry jam. flavourspot.com

Gourmet tacos stuffed with traditional Korean-style barbecue from Kogi Korean BBQ in Los Angeles. Choose among short ribs, spicy pork, spicy barbecue chicken or tofu inside your taco or burrito. kogibbq.com

High-end desserts made by Dessert Truck in New York City. You’ll think you’re ending a four-star meal when you try items like Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding and Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Rosemary Caramel and Black Raspberries. No surprise since one of the owners is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute. dt-works.net

Steuby Snacks from Steuben's Food Truck in Denver, Colo. One of Denver’s staple restaurants has hit the road serving up Steuby Snacks, made of fried pork, sugar and hot sauce, served in a paper cone, as well as burgers, fries, burritos and specials like lobster rolls. steubens.com/truck.htm

A mobile bistro serving French takeaway from Spencer on the Go in San Francisco. Try grilled Sweetbreads with Sherry, Ratatouille and Truffle Beef Bourguignon crafted by Chef Laurent Katgely of Chez Spencer, an upscale French restaurant. These delicacies will please palates and wallets, as all dishes are under $12. spenceronthego.com

Healthful, eco-friendly foods from On the Fly in Washington, D.C. Served up in biodegradable packaging, On the Fly has redefined grab-and-go eating with organic hot and cold food ranging from pasta and empanadas to prepackaged sandwiches and salads. You’ll recognize them by the SmartKart—a cart pulled by a green Smart Car. dconthefly.com

Seasonal, local fast food from Clover Food Truck in Cambridge, Mass. Fueled by fryer grease, Clover Food Truck lets you pre-order your vegetarian food via email. Try the sandwiches wrapped in warm pita with chickpea fritters or BBQ Seitan. cloverfoodlab.com

Marfalafel from Food Shark in Marfa, Texas. This low-key truck offers up excellent Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare, like the Marfalafel, made of homemade falafel stuffed into a large tortilla with all the trimmings. Plus, they offer a “dining car” that looks just like a refurbished school bus, for days when the weather demands a place to eat inside. foodsharkmarfa.com

Fresh, seasonal fish, meats and produce with experimental preparation techniques from the GastroPod in Miami, Fla. This converted 1962 Airstream trailer is good looking, but it’s the food that’s served from it that’s getting attention. Chef Jeremiah from the acclaimed Bullfrog Eatz in Wynwood now offers affordable food like the Old Dirty Dog, a smoked short-rib hot dog in a potato bun topped with cole slaw, or Curry in a Hurry vegan curry with rice. —Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

1 comment

Erika I would like to write about a new food truck, called Chez Yasmine, and located in West Philadelphia around the University of Pennsylvania campus. The truck is a silver box and serves incredible food. I did read some nice reviews on the food they serve. From Swedish salmon sandwich with black caviar, to Banh Mi, tunisian Couscous, quinoa salad, soups. They have it all. My friends at work kept talking about the place in a daily basis. I tried it and became addicted. One important thing, the truck do not sell sodas, but offers fruits and a bottle of water with every order. The owner (or partner) was a known researcher at the University of Pennsylvania and this makes it even more appealing. They opened a month ago, and I really think it's the best food you can eat on campus. Service is very friendly and fast. They even have some guests (workers and doctors from the area) coming to serve and to chat with people. The price is very affordable and some dishes are even cheaper than other trucks. Try it and you will become addicted like I did. Best. Erikau will become addicted like I did. Best. Erika