The 20 Best Food Trucks in the United States
The food truck revolution is in full force as mobile restaurants around the country dish out tacos, BBQ and other great eats
- By Megan Gambino and Aviva Shen
- Smithsonian.com, February 23, 2012
(Courtesy of Kogi, via Facebook)
Los Angeles
In 2008, Roy Choi, a classically trained chef who once worked at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, took his Korean-Mexican fusion food to the streets. There, his beef short rib taco with a special, 21-ingredient sauce quickly emerged as his signature dish. From one truck, which Newsweek declared “America’s first viral eatery,” Kogi has expanded into an empire, with five trucks, whose locations on any given day are tweeted to over 96,000 followers, and four brick-and-mortar establishments. Many, including Smithsonian magazine’s very own food columnist Jonathan Gold, feel like food truck culture is indebted to Kogi, which proved that delivering “high-end food at street level prices,” as its website says, is possible. – Megan Gambino
Website: http://kogibbq.com/
Twitter: @kogibbq
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KogiBBQTacos
Comments (55)
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Food-truck safety should count as your top priority—for customers and your staff. Hence you need to train your cooks to follow various safety rules besides keeping your Lunch truck equipment functioning optimally. Safety valves and thermostats are helpful to avert overheating and it keeps tanks from rupturing. Hence you must always take good care of your lunch truck parts or other food truck equipments.
Posted by Tom Richard on May 2,2013 | 08:31 AM
Yummy. Time to make a food truck journey and look for the best food trucks of the world. Look here for a good one in Hamburg Germany http://de-de.facebook.com/pages/Sosumi/157095074358749, sorry they should translate it, but I think the photos tell a lot.
Posted by Nicole on September 9,2012 | 03:45 AM
You're all insane. Burrito Buggy in Athens, Ohio. It's Been parked nightly at the same spot at Court and Union Streets since the dawn of man. Nothing else comes close.
Posted by Rob on June 25,2012 | 08:08 AM
You neglected "Neighborhood Pizza" in Carmel, Indiana...the owner (driver) Tammy makes fresh pizza to order in your driveway! Probably the freshest, tastiest pizza you will ever enjoy. All ingredients are fresh.
Posted by Rob on June 24,2012 | 12:56 AM
Guess the Smithsonian has never been to Hawaii to see lunch wagons which have been around since at least the 70's. Best place to get a "plate lunch".
Posted by larry on June 24,2012 | 12:09 AM
Come to Austin and go down on Congress Avenue to the "Mighty Cone".. World famous chef Jeff Blank.. www.mightycone.com
Posted by Buster Spillar on June 24,2012 | 05:57 PM
Not having the Rutgers Grease Trucks is a BIG miss on the part of the folks that put this list together. Can't wait to get a Fat Koko!
Posted by Bill Johnston on June 24,2012 | 05:53 PM
of all places, Gloucester, Massachussetts has a food truck called Happy Taco that serves gourmet fish tacos and other fare..using locally sourced ingredients..very unlikely sight, you must try it though if you're in Cape Ann area this summer. On Eastern Avenue.
Posted by barbara grandon on June 3,2012 | 01:34 AM
If you want to see raves about a food truck, look at the Bay Area program at http://blogs.kqed.org/checkplease/2012/05/16/the-chairman-food-truck-restaurant-info/ There was high praise from all those who patronized The Chairman, an Asian cuisine food truck that serves San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. Steamed buns, pork bellies with daikon, spicy chicken, braised/grilled pork, duck confit, tofu with crisp greens, warm squash soup, pickled vegetables, baked brioche bun.
Posted by Susan Tripp on May 19,2012 | 12:57 AM
Sorry you missed the Food Shark in Marfa TX. Check it out under the pavillion between the railroad tracks. To die for.
Posted by Elvis Labrador on May 9,2012 | 10:45 AM
For more on the Hot Truck:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/02/the-hot-truck.html
you've gotta try it if you are anywhere close to Ithaca at night... :)
Posted by Tahl on May 7,2012 | 02:38 PM
I am sorry that you never got to experience The Hot Truck in Ithaca, NY. Bob Petrillo started this food truck a LONG time ago, and served up pizza (and heartburn) to several generations of Cornellians night after night (Hot Truck was a nigh truck only). As far as I know, the truck is now run by another generation of servers (I'm pretty sure Bob died?), but not sure it stayed in Bob's family. There are rumors that Hot Truck pizza gave birth to Stouffers's french bread pizza.
Posted by Tahl on May 7,2012 | 02:32 PM
KOGI is the best--always go when in California. Portland has good ones too--The Dump Truck & Korean Twist. Stolen Recipe BBQ truck in Tucson,AZ
Posted by Gloria on May 4,2012 | 02:40 PM
Except for that veggie truck, this is nothing but obesity, high blood pressure and heart attacks. We have some great food trucks right here in Chico where you can get Korean, Philipino, Elio's Pasta (my favorite), not to mention all the taco trucks. San Francisco is notable for it's very wide variety of food trucks.
Posted by Jim Dwyer on May 3,2012 | 03:42 PM
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