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
| 2 of 21 |

Kogi GastroPod Lardo Clover Food Lab Fojol Brothers Torched Goodness
GastroPod

(Courtesy of GastroPod, via Facebook)


GastroPod
Miami

On November 3, 2009, Chef Jeremiah tweeted: “Welcome everyone to Miami’s food revolution.” And with that ambitious announcement, his GastroPod hit the streets of Miami as the first mobile gourmet kitchen in the city. Soon after, the city exploded with burgers, tacos and even dim sum on wheels. But, GastroPod continues to stand out in the crowd. Today, the shiny 1962 Airstream pod is a familiar sight, usually swarmed by fans of the seasonal fusion cuisine. Yelpers love the Mo’ Better Burger: a mess of short rib, brisket and sirloin topped with a poached egg. The fusion concept comes out in dishes like the banh mi pork tacos and the shitake flan. – Aviva Shen

Website: http://gastropodmiami.com
Twitter: @gastroPodMiami
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gastroPodMiami

| 2 of 21 |





 

Add New Comment


Name: (required)

Email: (required)

Comment:

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until Smithsonian.com has approved them. Smithsonian reserves the right not to post any comments that are unlawful, threatening, offensive, defamatory, invasive of a person's privacy, inappropriate, confidential or proprietary, political messages, product endorsements, or other content that might otherwise violate any laws or policies.

Comments (55)

+ View All Comments

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

Come to Austin and go down on Congress Avenue to the "Mighty Cone".. World famous chef Jeff Blank.. www.mightycone.com

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!

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.

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.

Sorry you missed the Food Shark in Marfa TX. Check it out under the pavillion between the railroad tracks. To die for.

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... :)

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.

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

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.





Follow Us

Advertisement