8 of the Best Examples of Food Truck Restaurants

Food trucks are here to stay and can compliment brick and mortar restaurants.

Food trucks currently account for more than $900 million worth of business in the United States, and the food truck industry is projected to hit $1.1 billion by the year 2022.

So, restaurants, take note. Food trucks are getting more creative, and restaurant owners are even adding food trucks to their existing brick and mortar restaurants. (tweet this)

Food trucks are hitting the streets in records numbers. Because of their continuing popularity, we’re going to look at eight of the best examples of food truck restaurants. 

#1: Mac Mart Cart in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This food truck offers simple, comfort food in the way of multiple takes on macaroni and cheese.

What began as a food truck in 2013 on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia, has become a local staple. Marti Lieberman capitalized on her own version of mac and cheese. She then began experimenting with different recipes before she took the plunge and purchased her truck.

Diners can choose from a seven-cheese mac and cheese that’s topped with potato chip panko crunch, her most popular chicken bacon ranch, or even mac topped with crabmeat. The options are endless, and diners love being able to create their own delicious version, too.

In addition, Lieberman recently opened a brick and mortar restaurant due to her widespread popularity.

See Mac Mart Cart

#2:  Urban Sugar in Portland, Maine

This food truck is one sweet shop! It’s a mobile food truck serving up donuts and sweets in Portland. Like the Mac Mart Cart, they recently opened their first brick and mortar location due to their incredible popularity.

They serve hot and fresh bite-sized gourmet donuts, both sweet and savory. They also rotate through a wide selection of baked goods and pastries as well as coffee, purchasing local beans.

Miss Rosie, the truck, makes her rounds all over town, at weddings, and other venues serving such delicacies as Ol’ Blue Eyes – a lavender pastry cream with lemon curds and Nilla wafer crumbs.

See Urban Sugar

#3: The Flying Stove in Wichita, Kansas

Wichita hosts a huge food truck presence and even has a food truck event at the ICT Pop-Up Park where people from all over come to sample the many food trucks in town.

At The Flying Stove, the menu changes ever week.  While one week you may enjoy burgers, a marinated kale and avocado sandwich, and a spring chicken ciabatta sandwich, other weeks may find you enjoying carnitas tacos.

What you can count on every week are their incredible truffle fries dusted in Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme and their fries smothered in grilled port and Chile cheese sauce.

See The Flying Stove

#4: Curry Up Now in San Francisco, California

This truck serves several locations in California but is see most often in San Fran.

They bring samosas, chicken masala, and other Indian street food to people all over. Of particular delight are their Itsy Bitsy Naan Bits. Their street food is delicious and manages to cater to a wide variety of people.

They are dedicated to creating a brilliant menu that uses clean ingredients and stays true to their earth-friendly belief system.

See Curry Up Now

Food trucks are popular in many US cities.

#5: Farmers and Foragers in Burlington, Vermont

The focus of this popular food truck is on locally-sourced, organic ingredients. They want to support sustainable farming in their area while celebrating Vermont farmers.

Their delicious menu rotates based on what they get fresh from their local farmers. You might find Vermont Cheesesteak, Lake Champlain Perch Po’Boy, Crispy Squash Blossoms, Truffle Fries, Pork Belly Banh Mi, and many others.

See Farmers and Foragers

#6: Basic Kneads Pizza in Denver, Colorado

This pizza mainstay has four trucks that pop up all over town serving high quality, artisan pizzas, made to order. You’ll find them at breweries, food festivals, music events, and more. Their trucks in feature their own wood ovens.

The owners of Basic Kneads Pizza use pizza dough made from Colorado-milled flour, and vegetables from organic producers.

See Basic Kneads Pizza

#7: Cinnamon Snail in New York City

Their website says they offer: “Vegan kosher food made by a gaggle of wild ponies who live in a magical tree. They also have gluten free options in that lovable tree.”

This pretty much sums up the food truck that serves vegans and those who aren’t vegan and sure didn’t think they’d like it.

Chef Adam Sobel launched his truck in 20eight to share vegan fare with New York city. They serve incredible sandwiches such as the Lentil Artichoke Burger, Blue Corn Pancakes, Apple Pecan Pancakes, Creole Grilled Tofu and much more.

Like others on this list, he added to his trucks by opening a brick and mortar location at Pennsy Hall in Penn Station. Another one pups up in New York City’s financial district later this year.

See Cinnamon Snail

#8: Seoul Taco in St. Louis, Missouri

With locations in St. Louis, Columbia, and even locations in Illinois, this Korean-Mexican fusion truck serves incredible tacos, Gogi bowls, quesadillas, burritos, and more.

The owner of this truck, David Choi, not only operates one of the most popular truck in St. Louis, but he cares about the underserved areas of town as well.

On Mondays, he donates all of the proceeds from his trucks to the St. Louis Metro Market, a non-profit, mobile, farmers’ market that delivers healthy, local foods to the city’s poorer neighborhoods. 

See Seoul Taco 

Final Thoughts

Now that we’ve looked at eight of the best examples of food truck restaurants, you may be inspired to start your own.

This can be a great idea for many restaurant owners as well as people without brick and mortar restaurants.

Mobile food service has seen many iterations through the years, and it looks like the food truck is here to stay. (tweet this)

Owners are exploring the farm to table phenomenon; they’re setting up their trucks at festivals and sporting events as well as traditional places. They’re experimenting with new food as well as new methods of food delivery.

Give the food truck a try, and you’ll find your overhead is lower, and the business model for a food truck business is easy to follow.

At Restaurant Engine, not only do we create great, responsive websites, but you can count on us to create a website that drives business to all your restaurants and edges you above the competition by using mobile-friendly design with a terrific user experience. Ready to take the plunge and create a website with an online menu, blog and beautiful photos? Get your free website consultation today!

Images:  Isaac Benhesed and Emily Fletke on Unsplash

One response to “8 of the Best Examples of Food Truck Restaurants”

1. Hunter says:

   December 3, 2019 at 1:50 pm

   There are many examples we see in the Restaurant Field ,but in restaurants field ,restaurant owner need patience,without patience no body can get the success the Restaurants

   Reply