10 fantastic food trucks worth tracking down in Vancouver
If you’re not familiar with the world of food trucks in Vancouver, you’re in for a treat.
These mobile hotspots provide some of the best eats in the city and with a little research, it’s easy to find one in or around your neighbourhood.
The only downside is that there might be too many to choose from.
Don’t worry, we have you covered with a list of some of the must-try food trucks in the city, from gourmet Japanese to greasy spoon grilled cheese and everything in between.
Mom’s Grilled Cheese
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The good folks at Mom’s have found their niche, serving a menu almost entirely of grilled cheeses. That said, you’d be surprised how many varieties of cheese sandwiches they manage to offer, including a Caprese-inspired Italian ‘wich and a spicy offering with cappicollo and aioli. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also build your own, with five different cheese options available to you. They’re most often found outside the Art Gallery downtown.
Takenaka
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Takenaka begs the question: can a food truck be fine dining? The answer, thankfully, is a resounding yes. Featuring some of the most immaculate and artisanal Japanese food this side of Tokyo, this truck takes pride in its presentation as much as its flavour. Check out its colourful chirashi bowl for bites of delicious sashimi and additions like egg and crisp cucumber. Takenaka spends most of its time parked in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, conveniently surrounded by breweries like Bomber and Luppolo.
Chickpea Food Truck
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Vegetarians and vegans should definitely put Chickpea Food Truck on their list. Featuring a huge variety of dishes, from falafel and soy-based shawarma to a truffle and oyster mushroom salad and perfectly crispy cauliflower, you’ll wonder how it manages to fit all the ingredients in there. Find it on Yew Street in Kits most days.
Tornado Potato
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The spiral potato is a regular feature on Instagram stories around the Lower Mainland, though many think of them as limited to the Richmond Night Market. The good news is that Tornado Potato, true to its name, offers the “rotato” year-round from the food truck. It tends to move around a lot, whether parking in North Van or Yaletown, and those who prefer a non-potato lifestyle will be happy to know it offers a zucchini option.
Super Thai
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Super Thai earns its superlative name with authentic — and excellent — dishes from across Thailand. You can’t go wrong with the pad thai, but the tom yum soup with lemongrass and shrimp is also a must-try. Fair warning: it doesn’t skimp on the spice, so make sure to mention if you have a weakness for capsaicin. Look for Super Thai in the South Granville neighbourhood off Fir street.
Il Saltimbocca by Via Tevere
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When choosing between a food truck and a restaurant, Via Tevere took an excellent bit of advice: why not both? While its Victoria Drive location almost always has a line outdoors, lucky diners might also be able to find the food truck when it ventures into the city. Unlike the restaurant, the menu on the food truck changes often, offering not only pizza but also some excellent Italian sandwiches.
Cannoli King
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Expanding the boundaries of what a food truck can be, Cannoli King is a dessert-oriented truck that offers a small but powerful assortment of treats: a variety of cannolis, as well as a flight for those who would prefer not to choose. It also doubles as a proper bakery and dessert lovers can order anything from beautifully decorated cakes to mouthwatering focaccia. Among dessert trucks, there’s no question which is the real “king.”
Burdy
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For those who love food trucks but hate having to search for them, don’t worry: the folks at Burdy have a permanent spot just outside Container Brewing on the border of Grandview-Woodland and Strathcona. The perfect counterpoint to Container’s excellent tap list, Burdy specializes in sandwiches, specifically parms, whether eggplant or chicken. The bread is also baked at Tall Shadow break, a micro-bakery near Commercial.
Tacofino
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Nothing says Vancouver quite like Tacofino. Though its origins trace back to Tofino on Vancouver Island, locals have embraced the truck’s delicious take on Mexican cuisine. It now has seven restaurants to its name, but something about ordering a burrito to go from the excellent truck — when it does make the rounds in the city — is hard to beat. Though the menu features new additions on a regular basis, the Pacific Cod burrito remains unbeatable.
Mogu Fried Chicken
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This one is cheating a bit since Mogu opened its first brick-and-mortar two years ago, but it’d be a mistake not to give a shout-out to possibly the finest food truck in recent Vancouver history. You could argue it features the best-fried chicken in the city, or at least the best of the Japanese karaage variety. But the fried shrimp sandwich is also well worth the visit. Mogu’s permanent location is on Commercial near Venables.