Food trucks have officially arrived in Phoenix.
There are more of the mobile kitchens on the streets than ever before. They’re helmed by saucy entrepreneurs who bring their street foods — burgers, rice bowls, burritos, barbecue and pies — directly to the masses.
And the trucks are easier to find than ever. They’re at baseball games, festivals, community events and business lunches. Many areas, such as downtown Phoenix, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Peoria, host weekly mobile food courts that showcase several trucks at once.
With so many trucks serving intriguing dishes, it can be difficult to know where to begin.Here’s our starter's guide food trucks to satisfy any craving. Note that several trucksmay be on a hiatus during the summer or other months.
SAVORY
Flippin' Rice
Serves: Asian street fusion.
Menu sample:Bulgogi pao, Flippin' teriyakichicken, kimchi bacon fried rice and banana spring rolls.
Details: Search “Flippin' Rice” on Facebook.
Jamburritos Cajun Grille Express
Serves:Cajun-inspired burritos, quesadillas, tacos, catfish and bowls.
Menu sample: Chicken Jamburrito filled with chicken etouffee, jambalaya rice, smoked andouille sausage, Creole sauce, Monterey Jack cheese and shredded lettuce wrapped in a tortilla.Texas toast catfish sandwich with Cajun tartar.
Details:jamburritos.com.
The Maine Lobster Lady
Serves: Seafood.
Menu sample: Traditional Maine Lobster roll filled with chunks of lemon aioli-dressed lobster, seafood chowder, fried Haddock sandwiches and whoopie pies.
Details:mainelobsterlady.com.
Emerson Fry Bread
Serves: Sweet and savory Indigenous fry breads.
Menu sample: Jazzy — tacos filled with beans, carne asada, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo and sour cream.Lucky —fry bread topped with powdered sugar and honey. Drinks like prickly pear lemonade.
Details:emersonfrybreadphx.com.
Short Leash Hot Dogs
Serves: Naan-wrapped hot dogs, bratwurst and veggie sausages.
Menu sample: Bear — choice of hot dog topped with peanut butter, cracker jacks, barbecue sauce, bacon and smoked Gouda.Moki —choice of hot dog covered with roasted green chile, sautéed onion, tomatoes, pinto beans, Cheddar and a touch of mayonnaise.
Details:shortleashhotdogs.com.
United Lunchadores Street Gourmet
Serves: Authentic Mexican food andAsian fusion. Gourmetquesadillas and street tacos.
Menu sample: All Thai'd Up,with citrus-marinated chicken, serrano peppers, grilled onions, sweet Thai chili sauce and Jack cheese.Steak and Bleu filled with carne asada, blue cheese, Jack cheese and pico de gallo. Everything comes with a side of fresh corn chips and charred tomato salsa.
Details:unitedlunchadores.com.
BuzznBeez Good Food
Serves: Southern comfort food.
Menu sample: Fried chicken infused with local desert wild flower honey. The Rich Boy — catfish Po'boy topped with grilled shrimp servedon a baguette with spicy sauces and slaw.
Details:buzznbeezgoodfood.com.
Q Up!
Serves: Barbecue.
Menu sample:Gangsta grilled cheese sandwich —a mashup of slow-smoked beef brisket, bacon macaroni and cheese and Q UP! barbecue sauce on toasted cheesy sourdough. Nachos topped with slow-smoked pork, nacho cheese, Q Up! barbecue sauce, tomato and green onion.
Details:qup-bbq.com.
The Great Pho King Food Truck
Serves: Vietnamese and French fusion.
Menu sample: Beef or chicken pho noodle soup, banh mi burrito, pot stickers andvegetarian stir-fry.
Details:phokinghungry.com.
Island Loco
Serves: Hawaiian.
Menu sample:Plate lunch with choice of kalua pork or teriyaki chicken with white rice and side salad; teriyaki beef burger;Spam Musubi (on special).
Details:islandloco.com.
Satay Hut
Serves: Dutch-Indonesian satay.
Menu sample: Beef, chicken, pork or tofu satay (marinated, skewered and grilled food). Order a plate that comes with two skewers, steamed rice, gado-gado vegetables, spicy peanut sauceand atjar (seasoned cucumbers).
Details:satayhutaz.com.
The Grilled Cheese Truck
The Grilled Cheese TruckServes: Grilled sandwiches.
Menu sample:French Onion Soup Melt made with Gruyere and onion soup compote on French bread with a Parmesan crust and served with a side of onion soup broth. For dessert, S'mores Melt made with marshmallows, Nutella and crumbled graham crackers.
Details:thegrilledcheesetruck.com.
Burgers Amore
Serves: Burgers.
Menu sample: Build-your-own burgers and signatures such as the Greasy Tony Bacon Cheddar, Big Boss BBQ Cowboy and Skinny Snookie Turkey Shroom.
Details:burgersamore.com.
Green Chile Grill
Serves: Burritos, nachos and tacos.
Menu sample: Chicken and green chile street tacos;mini green chile cheeseburgers;breakfast burritos;chicken nachos.
Details:greenchilegrill.com.
Aioli Gourmet Burger
Serves: Burgers.
Menu sample: Aioli Burger,topped with aged sharp Cheddar, applewood bacon and onion jam, lettuce, tomato, shaved red onion and roasted garlic aioli.California Burger with pickled red onion, avocado, pepper Jack cheese, tomato, sunny-side egg and chipotle aioli. Burgers are served on a toasted brioche bun or wrapped in lettuce.
Details:aioliburger.com.
Rock-a-Belly
Rock-a-BellyServes: Tacos and burgers named after famous musicians.
Menu sample: The Cash chicken tacos—corn tortillas filled with Sermato-poachedchicken, Tillamook cheese blend, shredded cabbage, cilantro cream and chipotle aioli. The Willie Nelson vegetarian option, made with falafel, cilantro tzatziki, avocado, pico de gallo, cucumber, microgreens and garlic cream served in a "rock o" (a naan-pita-liketaco bowl).
Details:rockabellytruck.com.
Queso Good
Serves: Quesadillas.
Menu sample: Build your own or choose a signature such as the Pork-a-dilla, with three cheeses,adobo-marinated pulled pork, chorizo, queso fundido, caramelized red onion, sauteed cabbage, sour cream and guacamole.
Details:quesogood.com.
Saffron JAK
Serves: Stone-bread pizza.
Menu sample: Persian sourdough flatbread pizzas with toppings such as baked potato, bacon, mild peppers, mushrooms, sausage and pepperoni.
Details:saffronjak.com.
2 Fat Guys Grilled Cheese
Serves: Grilled sandwiches.
Menu sample: Thai chicken grilled cheese with pepper Jack, Asian coleslaw, cilantro and chopped nuts. The Toasty Pig with sliced pork loin,pepper Jack and Havarti cheeses, onions, pickles and barbecue sauce on sourdough bread. To Brie or not to Brie for dessert with honey-drizzled Granny Smith apples between apple Danish bread.
Details: Search "2 Fat Guys Grilled Cheese" on Facebook.
Spice It Up
Serves: Internationally inspired dishes.
Menu sample:Cambodian spiced ginger beef;chicken tikka masala;Jamaican jerk chicken lettuce wraps; and quinoa corn cakes.
Details:spiceituptruck.com.
Chef Wade's BistroOn Wheels
Serves: French and American bistro cuisine.
Menu sample: Ultimate BLT with fried egg and cheese;duck confit sliders with raspberry sauce;butter truffle mushroom mac and cheese; and bistro burger with cheese, green chili and green onions.
Details:bistroonwheels.com.
Bang Bang Dumpling
Serves: Dumplings.
Menu sample: Steamed chicken dumplings, Asian chicken wrap, and peaches and cream crepes.
Details:Search @BANGBANGDUMPLIN on Twitter.
New Flame Cafe
Serves: Burgers and other street food.
Menu sample:Sliders;New Mexico-style braised brisket sandwiches with roasted green chili, caramelized onions, cheese and bacon;Kalua pork tacos;mac and cheese stuff with roasted red peppers.
Details:newflamecafe.com.
Nicastro Wood Fired Pizza
Serves: Pizza and calzones.
Menu sample: Create your own pizza or choose from such combinations as fugazzeta, prosciutto-arugula, or ham and roasted red peppers.
Details:nicastropizza.com.
Triple Dot Food Truck
Serves: What it calls“random good food.”
Menu sample:Argentinean beef empanada;Sheppard’s Pie empanada;bitterballen (beef croquettes);zucchini fries;and stroopwafel, a fresh-pressed wafer cookie layered with brown sugar, caramel and cinnamon.
Details:tripledotfoodtruck.com.
Best Dressed Dog
Serves: Hot dogs.
Menu sample: Sonoran Dog with bacon jam, pinto beans, shredded Cheddar, Jack cheese, guacamole sauce, green chile, tomato and olives.Seattle Dog with cream cheese, jalapeño relish, mustard, onion, sauerkraut and Judd sauce.
Details: Search “Best Dressed Dog” on Facebook.
Press
Serves: Italian street food.
Menu sample: Arancini;Italian pork sausage pressed sandwich;meatball pressed sandwich;grilled chicken pasta bowl with pine nuts,fried capers,basil pesto and Parmesan.
Details:pressfoodtruck.com.
Wandering Donkey
Serves: Burros, churros and bowls.
Menu sample:Build your own burro or bowl from such proteins as carne asada, carnitas and lamb barbacoa and dress it up with toppings like citrus cilantro rice, black beans, Mexican crema and salsas. Quesadillasand churros are also offered.
Details:wanderingdonkey.com.
Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse
Serves: Barbecue.
Menu sample: Baby back ribs, brisket sandwich and smoked chicken breast quarter with corn muffin and choice of side such as baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potatoes.
Details:sweetmagnoliasmokehouse.com.
Local Lunchbox
Serves: Healthful food.
Menu sample: Truck-made granola with local pecans, beet and black bean burger;Italian chicken sandwich; Greek salad.
Details:locallunchboxaz.com.
Mustache Pretzels
Serves: Mustache-shaped pretzels.
Menu sample: Original pretzel with queso dip, cinnamon sugar pretzel with nutella, garlic Parmesan pretzel with marina sauce or cilantro-infused hot sauce, and salted caramel pretzel with nuts.
Details:mustachepretzels.com.
Comfort Cravings
Serves: Classic diner foods.
Menu sample: Cuban sandwich,Reuben sandwich,braised short rib fried macaroni and cheese balls;root beer float.
Details:comfortcravingsaz.com.
Dough Mama
Serves: Pizza and salad.
Menu sample: Spicy sausage, pesto, margheritaand the Spudman topped with mozzarella, Cheddar,shaved potatoes andgarlic rosemary.
Details:doughmamapizza.com.
Yatai Ramen
Serves: Noodle and rice dishes.
Menu sample: Ramen with roasted pork, corn, egg, sprouts and green onion; yakisoba pan-fried noodles with beef; and chicken teriyaki bowls.
Details: Search “YataiRamenAZFoodTruck” on Facebook.
Loca Popa
Serves: Mediterranean.
Menu sample: Roasted garlic and eggplant hummus; Moroccan chicken soup; falafel pita with fried eggplant, sweet and spicy peppers, tabouli, tzatziki, sumac onionand spicy tahini.
Details: locapopa.com.
Mingo's Louisiana Kitchen
Serves: New Orleans-inspired cuisine.
Menu sample: Shrimp, catfish and salmon jambalaya; creamy grits with eggs and sausage; short rib poutine.
Details:mingoslouisianakitchen.com.
Frites Street
Serves: Pommes frites.
Menu sample: Duck confit poutine topped with local cheese curds and brown sherry gravy; black bean soyrizo and vegan chili cheese fries; Philly cheesesteak fries.
Details:fritesstreet.com.
Cousins Maine Lobster
Serves: Seafood.
Menu sample: Maine lobster roll, lobster quesadilla, lobster tater tots, lobster tacos, New England clam chowder and whoopee pies.
Details:cousinsmainelobster.com/phoenix.
SWEET
Totally Baked Cookies
Serves: Cookies and ice cream for those who need a late-night fix.
Menu sample: Eight types of cookies, including a gluten-free and vegan chocolate chip. Ice cream in four flavors. Hours are7 p.m.-4 a.m. Thursdays-Sundays.
Details:totallybakedcookie.com.
Waffle Crush
Serves: Liege waffles.
Menu sample: The Berry, topped with Biscoff (a European spread made of crushed cookies), strawberries and cream. The Mellow, filled with chocolate and topped with Biscoff, toasted mini marshmallows and cream.
Details:mywafflecrush.com.
Waffle Love
Serves: Liege waffles.
Menu sample: Nutella Love with Nutella spread, cream and choice of fruit.The Dulce, a churro waffle topped with fried ice cream and dulce de leche. The Works has Biscoff, cream and choice of fruit.
Details:waffluv.com.
Mamma Toledo's
Serves: Pie.
Menu sample: Brown sugar peach, apple crumb, key lime, triple chocolate, banana cream, coconut cream.
Details:mammatoledos.com.
Lulu's Sorbetto
Serves: Italian water ice.
Menu sample: Lemon, blue raspberry, vanilla, mango, coconut, pineapple lemongrass and passion fruit.
Details:lulusitalianwaterice.com.
Frosted Frenzy Cupcakes
Serves: Cupcakes.
Menu sample: Red velvet, salted caramel, carrot, snickerdoodle, peanut butter and chocolate-covered cherry.
Details:frostedfrenzy.com.
Naturally Sweet
Serves: Fruit smoothies and açai bowls.
Menu sample: Açai bowls with such toppings as bananas, strawberries, blackberries, shaved coconut, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi and granola.
Details:natureissweet.com.
Dipstick Waffles
Serves: Stuffed waffles on a stick.
Menu sample: Pepperoni and mozzarella; jalapeño and Cheddar waffle stick; corn dog; strawberry and Nutella; almond joy; and banana cream.
Details: Search “Dipstick Waffles” on Facebook.
