St. Louis Food Truck Roundup
Within the last couple of years, the presence of food trucks in St. Louis has been quickly on the rise, and the trend keeps on truckin'. Just a few years back, there were only a few food trucks roaming the streets of St. Louis, but now there are dozens in the area. Their offerings range in price and selection; some offer decadent dessert options, while others provide a taste of cuisine from different parts of the world. Here are a few of the food trucks that roll ahead of the rest:
Guerrilla Street Food
This food truck gained national recognition after being featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Last year, it made it to number 31 on The Daily Meal's 2012 101 Best Food Trucks list. Guerrilla Street Food makes all of its Filipino-inspired dishes from scratch, with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients.
ChaCha Chow
Number 83 on last year's 101 Best Food Trucks list, Cha Cha Chow offers non-traditional tacos (short rib, "Baja style" roasted chicken, curried sweet potato — the latter two on flour tortillas) along with a pretty good burger and a "Cuban Crime of Passion" — pulled pork, pickles, cheese, and mustard on a double-toasted roll. Seasoned fries served with spicy ketchup are a side dish.
Seoul Taco
Fare from Seoul Taco includes the gogoi bowl, with rice, fresh veggies, fried egg, sesame oil, and spicy gochujang pepper sauce; burritos with kimchi fried rice, lettuce, cheese, carrots, sour cream, and Seoul Sauce; and tacos with Korean salad mix, green onion, Seoul Sauce, crushed sesame seeds, and a wedge of lime. They were also on The Daily Meal's 101 Best Food Trucks list at number 96.
2 Girls 4 Wheels
As the name suggests, two gals from St. Louis run this food truck, serving foods from the Gateway City. Offerings include brats bathed in Budweiser, sandwiches topped with provolone cheese, and Gooey Butter squares for dessert — all St. Louis favorites!
Burger Ink
Decked out like a huge tattoo on wheels, this food truck is hard to miss. It serves paninis, wraps, and burgers, all with a special twist.
The Cheese Shack
The Cheese Shack's specialties are unusual and delicious sandwiches that of course all contain some type of cheese. One dish you can't pass up: the Mac & Cheese Balls, which are breaded and deep-fried. They're simply hot and melty goodness!
Chop Shop
The Chop Shop food truck offers Japanese favorites with a fresh flair. Specialties include big sushi rolls and wasabi popcorn.
LuLu's Local Eatery
This truck is the product of a husband-and-wife team who are serving good food with sustainability and clean-eating in mind. All of the ingredients are organic, vegan, and local, served on compostable containers. Some ingredients are so local, they're grown on the rooftop of the truck! The sweet potato falafel on pita is a must-try.
Walk Away Waffles
You cannot help but smile when you spot this truck. It is owned and operated by the same individuals that run by the uber-popular Tropical Moose Shaved Ice in suburban St. Louis. It serves Belgian waffles with sweet dipping sauces on the side, so you should save room for dessert or make a meal of it!
To find a food truck in the area, St. Louisans turn to Roaming Hunger and the food truck tracker at Show Me Food Trucks. The St. Louis Food Truck Association is another great resource for up- to-date information on the St. Louis food truck scene.
By Elizabeth Cowie, registered and licensed dietitian and food blogger for Eating Local in the Lou.