The big foodie news in the TC (or the Twin Cities, for those of you who don’t live in Minnesota) is the arrival of food trucks to our downtowns. Food trucks, or food carts, are vehicles that serve food (As opposed to trucks that deliver food. More on that in a different post.). Such as tacos, hot dogs, sandwiches, and even tasty Ethiopian food. YUM.
Why am I excited about food trucks? Because they are a tasty and inexpensive alternative to dining in a bricks-n-mortar restaurant, they offer speedy service, and they are more exciting (food-wise) than fast food.
The only problem? They can be difficult to find. You may need the investigative skills of Jessica Fletcher (80’s shout out, woot!) to find a food truck. Here are my food findings, plus tips on locating a truck near you.
Seek out the latest news on food trucks at these local sites – TC Foodies, Heavy Table, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul section of Chowhound. Once you hear of a food truck you’d like to try out, look for their hours and locations on Facebook or Twitter. Or you can call their bricks-n-mortar restaurant (if they have one), or by searching their website (if they have one).
Food trucks I found:
Chef Shack, http://chefshack.org/, 507-358-4220. Use their Facebook page to find them throughout the week. M/W/F at 5thnd Hennepin from 11 to 2 PM, Mears Park today for lunch, Friday MPR for lunch. They are “Chef Shack” on Facebook.
Dandelion Kitchen, http://dandelionkitchen.com/, 612-836-7636. Located at the Midtown Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and Tuesdays, locations and times on their website. Everything is $5! Drinks are $2. They are “Dandelion Kitchen” on Facebook.
Barrio Taco Truck, http://www.facebook.com/BarrioLowertown#!/BarrioLowertown?v=info 651-222-3250. They primarily do festivals, like Lumberjack Days this 22nd through the 25th. Call the restaurant for hours and locations.
128 Mobile Café, http://128cafe.net/ 651-645-4128. Tuesday nights in Stillwater 4:30 to 8:30, Wednesdays and Thursdays in downtown St. Paul by Wabasha (parking dependent) for lunch. Fridays are wild card – with occasional late night dining outside the Turf Club. They usually serve ribs, pulled pork, fresh fish sandwiches, and vegetarian options. Call the restaurant for hours and locations.
The Magic Bus Café, http://magicbuscafe.com/ 612-722-6278. They serve hot dogs priced between $4 and $6. Hours, locations and menu are on the website.
She Royal Food Truck, http://www.sheroyalcoffee.com/ 612-746-4141. They offer DELICIOUS Ethiopian foods, and everything is between $5 and $6 (water and soda is a mere $1). The owner is Samson Benti, and he is a doll.
Foxy Falafel, http://foxyfalafel.com/about/ Serving up falafels (dur), and their locations and times are on the web site.
Border Taco Truck, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Paul-MN/Border-Tacos/254293040376 , Located on University and Hamline in St. Paul. Maybe. So I was told, but they weren’t there at 11 AM on Tuesday of this week, so…
Sonny’s Ice Cream Cart, http://www.cremacafeminneapolis.com/ 612-824-3868. Crema Café Mpls on Facebook. Check on Facebook or call the restaurant for hours and locations.
Olive Pizza, wood-fired pizza available at the Midtown Farmers Market. Currently, no web site or phone number available. I heard about them at the Midtown Farmers Market website ttp://midtownfarmersmarket.org/.
What food trucks are you noshing at this summer?
One Comment
I never understood why we Twin Citians didn’t have food trucks! Faboo that we do now. I can’t wait to try them out. THANKS, Erin, for the info here, as well as today’s Fox 9 Morning Buzz segment on the subject. My confession? I wish *I* could start my own food cart. How cool would that be!