Street Foods: 7 Must-Try Food Trucks
We used to call them lunch wagons and sandwich trucks. The menus were generally pre-made sandwiches, chips and sodas, candy bars, fried food, and the occasional burger. Those big white non-descript vans were mostly found at lunchtime near construction sites or industrial office complexes.
Today’s food trucks share little with their predecessors, and with a little online research, one can find anything from apple pie to zucchini strips. Here’s a small sampling of some noteworthy local food trucks and their wares.
Other favorite food trucks to check out!
Today’s food trucks share little with their predecessors, and with a little online research, one can find anything from apple pie to zucchini strips. Here’s a small sampling of some noteworthy local food trucks and their wares.
Bella Familia Pizza
Ever wonder what goes on inside the food truck after you order through the little window? Scott Thorson took the mystery out by building a custom pizza truck replete with glass windows for a pie’s-eye view of the pizzaiolo in action. Bella Familia makes wood-fired, hand-crafted pies with all kinds of tempting toppings—from pepperoni to peaches—using locally sourced produce from their two trailers and the aforementioned custom big rig. Look for them at local breweries (like Moonraker) or events. bellafamiliapizza.com, @bellafamiliawfp
Bella Familia Pizza ;Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Bella Familia Pizza ;Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Outlaw Cuisine
Nothing conjures up visions of a Western (outlaw) chuckwagon like a food truck with a truck-wrap featuring $1,000,000 wanted posters, a skull in a bandana and cowboy hat, and a menu featuring fried risotto balls. That’s right, arancini, a staple of spaghetti western outlaws everywhere! Seriously, they’re called Jesse James on the menu and they’re delicious. As are their Black Jack (pulled pork fries), Doc Holiday (tacos), Hot Rounds (chicken nuggets), and all their other outlaw-inspired chow. “So good they should be OUTLAWED!” outlawcuisine.com, @outlawcuisine
Outlaw Cuisine; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Outlaw Cuisine; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Papi’s Kitchen
Carne asada fries anyone? Papi is serving them along with street tacos (regular tacos and supreme ones with all the toppings). They also serve tri-tip sandwiches, burritos, and flautas with everything from carnitas to chicken. Their catering is top-notch, too. Follow them on social media for their schedule and look for the bardos driving their bright red truck in your area. papiskitchen.net, @papiskitchen.ca
Papi’s Kitchen
Papi’s Kitchen
The Lumpia Truck
Mention the word lumpia in a crowd and immediately heads will swivel your direction, mouths agape. Lumpia has captured the heart (and tongues) of foodies and non-foodies everywhere and The Lumpia Truck has just what you need to satisfy the craving. How about a lumpia flight featuring chicken, pork, and vegetable rolls? They also serve many other Filipino faves like lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly), sisig (grilled pork), and adobo garlic fried rice. thelumpiatruck.com, @thelumpiatruck
The Lumpia Truck; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
The Lumpia Truck; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
The Butcher’s Cleaver
I like the idea of a gastropub on wheels, crossing cultural culinary lines without crossing the white lines on the pavement. That’s what you get from Chef Austen and The Butcher’s Cleaver. While nothing is too over-the-top, the chef recognizes those lines and gives us pork belly tacos with salsa verde and jalapeño crema slaw on the same menu alongside fried Brussels sprouts with a parmesan and balsamic reduction. Sink your teeth into a chicken melt (thigh) with sautéed peppers and onions and provolone on a torta roll, or some smoked chicken buffalo fries. thebutcherscleaverfoodtruck.com, @thebutcherscleaver
The Butcher’s Cleaver
West Coast Taco Bar
Winning the Roseville Chamber of Commerce’s Taco Throwdown two years in a row has amped up the chatter surrounding this wildly popular taco truck. Owners Cynthia and Ivan proclaim, “flavor is our passion” to which I can attest having sampled the Dirty Diana (slow braised beef birria) and the Korean Seoul Tacos (soy and ginger marinated steak). They also feature burritos and asada fries, with the Bitchin’ Cali Burrito having won the Sacramento Bee’s “Best Burrito in Sacramento 2020.” westcoasttacobar.com, @westcoasttacobar
West Coast Taco Bar; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
West Coast Taco Bar; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Buckhorn BBQ Truck
Buckhorn Grill is taking their certified Angus beef tri-tip on the road, and if you’re booking an event, they’re sure to be a crowd favorite. The char-roasted tri-tip is as mouth-watering as tri-tip gets. The truck also serves charbroiled chicken sandwiches, smoky garlic pulled pork, and a grilled portabella sandwich. Most are served with caramelized onions, Granny Smith apple coleslaw, and Jake’s Yummy Beans. buckhorngrill.com/food-truck, @buckhornbbqtruck, @buckhornbbq.truck2
Buckhorn BBQ Truck; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Buckhorn BBQ Truck; Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Other favorite food trucks to check out!
Ahuevo: @ahuevofoods
Ash & Oil: @ash_and_oil
Bad Mobile: @bad.mobile
Buckethead BBQ: @bucketheadbbq
Buenos Aires Grill: @buenosairesgrillsac
Chando’s Food Truck: @chandosfoodtrucks
Cousins Maine Lobster: @cousinsmainelobster
Drewski’s Food Trucks: @drewskis
Fire Goddess Pizza: @firegoddesspizza
The Fry Boys: @thefryboysnorcal
GetFriedSac: @getfriedsac
India Jones: @indiajonessac
JoJo’s Hawaiian Fried Chicken: @jojoshawaiianfriedchicken
Local Kine Shave Ice: @localkineshaveice
Nash & Proper: @nashandproper
Pinorrito: @pinorritofoodtruck
Portu-Goal: @portugoal_
Richeese Burgers: @richeese_burgers
Smokin Ewe BBQ: @smokinewebbq
Wing Mahal: @wingmahal
World Fare: @worldfarecatering
Zintzuni Cocina Mexicana: @zintzuni4u
Ash & Oil: @ash_and_oil
Bad Mobile: @bad.mobile
Buckethead BBQ: @bucketheadbbq
Buenos Aires Grill: @buenosairesgrillsac
Chando’s Food Truck: @chandosfoodtrucks
Cousins Maine Lobster: @cousinsmainelobster
Drewski’s Food Trucks: @drewskis
Fire Goddess Pizza: @firegoddesspizza
The Fry Boys: @thefryboysnorcal
GetFriedSac: @getfriedsac
India Jones: @indiajonessac
JoJo’s Hawaiian Fried Chicken: @jojoshawaiianfriedchicken
Local Kine Shave Ice: @localkineshaveice
Nash & Proper: @nashandproper
Pinorrito: @pinorritofoodtruck
Portu-Goal: @portugoal_
Richeese Burgers: @richeese_burgers
Smokin Ewe BBQ: @smokinewebbq
Wing Mahal: @wingmahal
World Fare: @worldfarecatering
Zintzuni Cocina Mexicana: @zintzuni4u
by LORN RANDALL
Papi's Kitchen photos courtesy of Papi's Kitchen. The Butcher's Cleaver food photo courtesy of The Butcher's Cleaver. Other photos by Taylor Gillespie.
PHOTOS BY TAYLOR GILLESPIE
Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group—please don’t steal our copyrighted photos. For more information about our editorial photos, please click here to contact us https://www.stylemg.com/pages/contact-us
Photos by Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group—please don’t steal our copyrighted photos. For more information about our editorial photos, please click here to contact us https://www.stylemg.com/pages/contact-us