Food trucks are all the rage these days, but with so many to pick from, you need to make sure you make the right choice. You don't want to be waiting outside for mediocre food, do you? We didn't think so. Here are our picks for food truck success.
Balkan Treat Box
We don't want to say that we favor any food truck over another, but let's just say that certain members of our team thing that the Balkan Treat Box is the best thing since sliced bread. First of all, the truck has a wood-fired oven AND grill inside of it. Secondly, everything is made fresh on the truck--including the Bosnian somun bread. That means every bite is filled with smoky goodness, which pairs perfectly with the seasoned beef cevapi, or the spit-roasted chicken doner kebab. Then there's the pide, which is like a Turkish pizza. Excuse us, we're going to go hunt down the truck.
Seoul Taco
Asian-Mexican fusion is at its best at Seoul Taco, an STL taco truck staple turned regional success with four brick-and-mortar locations, including in CoMo and Chicago. This truck packs Korean BBQ flavors into Mexican-style tacos, quesadillas, and burritos, with a choice of steak, chicken, spicy pork, or a tofu filling. Our favorite? The fresh-but-savory Gogi bowl: veggies, your choice of protein, spicy Gochujang Pepper Sauce, and a sunny side up egg over a bed of rice. No truck in sight? No worries—Seoul Taco’s funky Loop location is often crowded but lines move quickly.
Guerrilla Street Food
One of the OGs of the St. Louis food truck scene, Guerrilla Street Food has been serving up Filipino and Filipino-inspired cuisine all over town since 2011. Six years later, this food truck is still consistently visited by long lines clamoring for their savory street food, like the fan-favorite Flying Pig, made up of a flavorful blend of slow-roasted pork, calamansi, hoisin, Sriracha, fried garlic, toasted sesame seeds, scallions and an egg over steamed jasmine rice. You’ll find the truck at most popular food truck events, from Sauce’s Food Truck Friday to downtown’s Lunch Time Live, and you can also check their online schedule for a full listing of appearances. No scheduled truck event? You can also indulge in Guerrilla Street Food’s meat-heavy goodness at their brick-and-mortar locations on South Grand and the Hill.
Holy Crepe!
Masters of both sweet and savory crepe options, Holy Crepe! makes the pastry accessible to all with gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options. Housed in a cutesy converted school bus, this mobile creperie knocks it out of the ballpark on classic options like Nutella & banana— but they also know there’s more to the crepe than just dessert. Fuel up with a savory crepe filled with ham and Gruyere cheese, or (our favorite!) the Turkey Club made with turkey, bacon, tomato, mozzarella, and pesto aioli. You’ll find this fan favorite every Saturday at the Tower Grove Farmers Market, or you can follow them on Twitter @HolyCrepeSTL for information about additional appearances around town.
Frankly Sausages
We know what you're thinking: a sausage truck? Oh, it's so much more, friend. Chef Bill Cawthon is using his fine dining training to make not only some of the best sausages in town—ranging from chicken to alligator—but also approachable, delicious small plates. The fries are probably the best in town, so don't plan on sharing.
Cha Cha Chow
Cha Cha Chow has been ahead of the curve since 2010, when they began serving up their Latin American-inspired cuisine as the first live-cooking truck in town. Now with seven years, numerous awards, and a storefront on the Hill under their wheels, this foodie favorite is still preparing the same flavorful cuisine that got them voted one of America’s best food trucks. Chow down on best sellers like the curried sweet potato taco topped with grilled onion, white cheddar, and cilantro, or truly go all in with the Walking Taco: cornflake-breaded fried chicken drizzled with spicy chipotle aioli and topped with a crunchy red cabbage and jalapeño slaw. You can keep up with the truck’s location by following them on Twitter @whereschacha.
Sarah's Cake Stop
The good people at Sarah’s have been bringing joy to the St. Louis area with their custom-baked desserts on wheels since 2010. With fun speciality cupcake flavors like the vanilla crème brûlée and lemon blueberry cheesecake, along with knockout classics like salted caramel, there’s plenty to pick from for your Cheat Day bliss. No one is left out of the fun either, with special gluten-free and vegan-friendly options available for special order. And if you find yourself unable to stop at just one? You’ll be in good company; we can’t restrain ourselves either.
Photo courtesy of Sarah's Cake Stop
Vincent Van Doughnut
How can you make fried dough covered in sweet glazes and toppings taste even better? You serve it out of Clyde, Vincent Van Doughnut’s very own 1960 Ford Grumman Olson step van. Winner of Cooking Channel’s Donut Showdown, this cute van sells some of STL’s best desserts. Grab a classic like the blueberry cake doughnut, or really treat yo’ self with the extravagant speciality flavors, including a Lemon Lavender doughnut made with fresh squeezed lemon and Italian lavender oil. These artisanal, from-scratch treats are also available at brick-and-mortar locations in Clayton and the Grove, but nothing beats the straight-from-the-truck fun.
Photo courtesy of Vincent Van Doughnut.
