Vancouver Food Carts: Who Makes The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

Have you met anyone who doesn’t like grilled cheese sandwiches, lactose intolerant excluded? They’re as rare as the Sasquatch. The ultimate icons of cheesy goodness can be prepared for both the simplest pallette or the most adventurous sandwich connoisseur and while most everyone knows how to make their own grilled cheese sandwich, not everyone carries around a sandwich press. Luckily, Vancouver has two GC specific food carts so it’s possible to have your favourite lunchtime sandwich even when you aren’t in your kitchen. Let’s take a closer look at Mom’s and Taser, Vancouver’s dynamic grilled cheese duo.  

Variety

No matter how you like your grilled cheese, you’ll be happy to know that neither Mom’s or Taser will let you down. Mom’s has the best selection with five deluxe daily varieties, their classic made-to-order menu and even a couple un-grilled sandwiches. I’ve had three of the daily specials and my favourite is the Jackson 3, a simplistic yet divine blend of brie, Boursin and gruyere on my personal bread of choice, sourdough. Top shelf. Sam’s Special is special indeed and will have you dreaming of Thanksgiving on any given Tuesday. Turkey and brie on cranberry pecan bread will do that to you. Throw in a pickle and some Hard Bite chips and you’ve got yourself quite the meal.

Taser’s might not boast the expansive menu of Mom’s but the four core sandwiches they offer are all excellent. You can’t go wrong with the Classic, just aged cheddar on your choice of bread. But Taser gets really fun when you sample the other three. I love the So Gouda: smoked bacon and caramelized granny smith apples with gouda and havarti on, you guessed it, sourdough. Another favourite is the Vampire’s Bite, which is aptly named due to the heaps of garlic, sriracha-infused mayo, grilled chicken breast and aged cheddar, again on sourdough. Great name, great grilled cheese sandwich.

Price

Mom’s won the variety battle but price is another important factor. This time, Taser wins. Taser is one of the best values amongst all the Vancouver food carts, with their basic grilled cheese going for a mere $3. The So Gouda and Vampires Bite, both gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches in my opinion, are only $6. Mom’s are a little more pricey but by no means would I say they are overpriced. Mom’s daily specials all sell for a reasonable $8.50, with the average Mom’s Classic custom sandwich going for between $8 to $10 (depending on your toppings). Plus you get a pickle and some potato chips for what that’s worth (I hate pickles).

A victory for Taser. But in reality, a food cart this good and this cheap is a victory for all Vancouverites.

Experience

Both food carts make amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and make them affordable, we’ve established that. But how do they shape up when it comes to the customer experience? Both carts appear quite different, with Taser being a tiny push cart reminiscent of your basic hot dog vendor and Mom’s being one of the biggest, nicest looking food carts in Vancouver. While they vary greatly in size and presentation, both of these food carts deliver top-notch customer experiences. At Mom’s, you’re always greeted by smiling faces, with Cindy and her team doing a fantastic job of feeding huge lunch rush lineups while chatting and getting to know the customers. Smiles and conversation are definitely complimentary here.

Taser also delivers a great experience, with the small cart bringing you face to face with the grill and with the great ladies running the cart. You can really see the love and quality that goes into each sandwich. . .and what would a grilled cheese sandwich be without a little love? I happen to think that Taser is one of the city’s most unique carts, due primarily to its small stature, awesome attitude and great prices.

All in all, both carts understand that a meal is an experience and not just something you must do multiple times a day. You can expect them to remember your name at both carts once you come around enough and it is little surprise that both of these carts are constantly mentioned as a local favourite. If you love grilled cheese sandwiches (and who doesn’t?), you have to try both of these food carts.

Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck

Taser Grilled Cheese Sandwiches