Welcome to one of the most contentious lists of the year! It’s hard to imagine that just a few years ago the mobile dining scene was just the glint of an ironic mustache in a Fojol Brother’s eye. Today, there are currently 219 trucks licensed to vend in the District alone. And if experience has taught us anything, it’s that you can get restaurant quality food (and be charged commensurate prices) from an 18-foot kitchen-on-wheels. Below is a list of our favorite trucks across a variety of categories. Did we miss your favorite truck? Probably — there are over 200 of them, and this list doesn’t even include the ones only licensed to sell in Maryland and Virginia. You can tell us about it in the comments.
Photo by Ted Eytan
RITO LOCO: Look out, Chipotle. Devotion to Rito Loco’s burritos is so strong that the burrito truck is about to open a brick-and-mortar storefront in Shaw. The secret to their success appears to lie with the Rib Rito, made with sweet and spicy dry-rubbed baby back ribs that have been cooked to melting tenderness. The Mojito Rito, a burrito stuffed with citrus-marinated pulled chicken, is another popular choice. And if a hulking burrito for lunch is apt to send you into a food coma, you can also get Rito Loco’s tasty meats on top of a spinach salad. — Alicia Mazzara
Follow Rito Loco on Twitter.
PEDRO AND VINNY’S: Pedro and Vinny’s Burritos was one of the first popular food carts in the city, drawing a big following to its 15th and K location in the mid-2000s. They’ve since expanded to two carts, the second run by the owner’s daughter on 12th Street NW near Metro Center. The options have expanded a bit since the early days; you can get five kinds of thick, tasty tortillas, a bunch of homemade hot sauce and salsa (I’m a big fan of the mango hot sauce) and small, medium or large burritos (but even the medium is pretty huge). And unlike some food trucks, it’s fairly inexpensive. The medium starts at $5, plus a bit extra for for guacamole ($0.75), sour cream ($0.25) and cheese ($0.50), and the cart features a unique, make-your-own-change system. It’s a tasty, filling and cheap lunch, like food trucks are supposed to be. — Andrew Wiseman
Pedro and Vinny’s is located at 15th and K.
LILYPAD ON THE RUN: Don’t be confused by the name: the Lilypad on the Run truck has nothing to do with frogs and everything to do with generous portions and flavorful Ethiopian fare. The truck originally sold noodles and sandwiches but completely reinvented itself two summers ago. The change has been a good one, with the menu now loaded with combo platters featuring beef tibs, lamb wot, lentils and collards. Vegetarians or those just wanting a lighter lunch will be pleased with the variety of veggie combos, and daily specials also ensure that there’s plenty of variety. It may be a food truck, but Lilypad’s vibrant flavors easily stand up to, and sometimes surpass, the Ethiopian establishments dotting U Street and Shaw. Portions are hefty, so be prepared to either exercise some restraint and save some for later or hope that your boss doesn’t catch you napping under your desk. — Alicia Mazzara
Follow Lilypad on the Run on Twitter.
CHAPAT TRUCK: As a South Asian, it would be irresponsible of me to not point people toward the Chatpat Truck. It specializes in Indian street food with a focus on North Indian chaat and South Indian dosas (paper thin rice crepes folded around various kinds of deliciousness). And the operators avoid the socially uncomfortable camp of now-shuttered Fojol Bros. —Sriram Gopal, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
Follow Chapat Truck on Twitter.
HALAL GRILL: The Halal Grill truck doesn’t have a sleek logo or a cute paint job. In fact, the truck is a rather unappetizing shade of bright green. It usually doesn’t even have long lines, playing the overlooked stepsister to the likes of Korean tacos and Chick-fil-a. But what Halal Grill does have is some of the juiciest, tastiest gyro and chicken around. The menu doesn’t vary much between kabob trucks; you’ve got your meat on pita or your meat on rice, and chickpeas are implicated somewhere in there. But Halal Grill has a definite edge in the protein department. Both the chicken and gyro are finely cubed, so you get some in every bite, the marinade permeating through the meat. Like all carts, there’s a white sauce and a hot sauce; I suggest you ask for a little of both. The combination is less spicy than spiced, slightly reminiscent of a curry sauce. Fresh, puffy pita and crisp lettuce and onions help seal the deal. — Alicia Mazzara
YELLOW VENDOR: The Yellow Vendor is another old school food truck, originally a small yellow cart serving Korean food at 14th and L — bulgogi and bibimbap with kimchi and the like. There was no sign, just a Korean lady and some relatives serving freshly made, hot and spicy goodness. They got on the food truck craze a few years ago, launching the simply named Yellow Vendor truck which travels around downtown, while the cart moved to Vermont and K. The bibimbap is great, a mix of sauteed vegetables, chili pepper paste and optional beef over rice or noodles, all for $7. — Andrew Wiseman
BALL OR NOTHING: Ball or Nothing follows a simple formula: pick a ball (you get three, in classic, veggie or wild boar flavors) and two sides for $11. Now, I want to say that the meatballs are just like the ones my Italian grandmother used to make, but the truth is, they might be better. (She is probably turning over in her grave as I type this.) The moist wild boar meatballs come dressed in a fresh tomato sauce, drizzled with a little pesto, and dusted with fresh basil and grated parm for a nutty, saline kick. It’s all the good parts of Italian American cooking — bright flavors and hearty proteins — without any of the bad. The sides are not too shabby either. Seasonal vegetables like heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn and peppers, caramelized green beans are ideal for summer, but I can also imagine wanting a side of creamy polenta or roasted sweet potatoes as the temperatures dip.— Alicia Mazzara
Follow Ball or Nothing on Twitter.
BASIL THYME: Lasagna from a food truck is an unusual proposition, but it’s Basil Thyme’s specialty. Despite threatening to close in the face of new food truck regulations, the popular pasta truck has kept chugging along, serving lasagna that would be at home in any number of brick-and-mortar restaurants in D.C. The homemade noodles are layered with gourmet ingredients like lobster with sherry cream sauce, butternut squash, goat cheese, black truffles, mushrooms and gorgonzola.— Alicia Mazzara, from DCist’s best pasta list
Follow Basil Thyme on Twitter.
FAR EAST TACO GRILLE: We know Far East Taco Grille keeps popping up on various best-of lists, but it’s because the truck serves totally delicious and cheap street tacos. With four different types of moist, flavorful meat or tofu, flavorful sauces and salsas, and your choice of corn or flour tortillas, the creative combinations are practically endless. No matter what you get, the fusion of Asian and Latin flavors always feel bright and fresh. —Alicia Mazzara, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
Follow Far East Taco Grille on Twitter.
PEPE: It’s not surprising that Pepe, Jose Andres’ foray into the mobile vending world, tops the list for food truck sandwiches. No, the prices aren’t cheapest ($12, plus tax), but frankly it’s not much more than you’d for a disappointing meal at Chop’t or Cosi. In fact, a number of the sandwiches, including the Futbol Club Barcelona, featuring juicy chicken confit and smoky bacon, are the same as what you’ll find on the lunch menu at Jaleo. So if you prize ingredients like aged Spanish ham, manchego cheese, house-made morcilla (blood sausage), or fresh crusty bread, it’s worth paying the premium for a high-class sandwich from Pepe. Just think of it as Jaleo on wheels. —Alicia Mazzara
You can follow Pepe on Twitter.
RED HOOK LOBSTER POUND: It never ceases to amaze me how many people will wait in a really long line for seafood served out of the Red Hook Lobster truck. But, in the name of journalistic research, I queued up for a $15 Maine-style lobster roll (the line was 10 people deep at 11:40 a.m. on a Tuesday, so get there early). And you know, hype aside, it’s a pretty damn good sandwich. The lobster is very, very lightly dressed in lemon mayo, and the toasted bun is buttery without being too rich. There’s just enough fat and salt to play up the sweetness in the lobster, but not enough to overpower the flavor and slightly chewy texture. Next time Red Hook is in my neighborhood, I’ll be sheepishly lining up with the rest of them. —Alicia Mazzara, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
Follow Red Hook Lobster Truck on Twitter.
STELLA’S POPKERN: The “gourmet” popcorn of my childhood came in a round tin at Christmas and was always filled with the same three flavors: butter, neon orange cheese, and sticky sweet caramel. While I still harbor some perverse, nostalgia-fueled love for the stuff, I’d recommend trying something more sophisticated from Stella’s Popkern truck. Fat, puffy corn kernels are popped in olive oil and then tossed with the likes of salted caramel, white cheddar and Old Bay, or clarified butter and Brazilian sea salt. For the adventurous, there are rotating weekly specials that go far outside the popcorn box — think sriracha, cardamom and pear and bourbon bacon cheddar. The only problem with getting popcorn from a truck? The D.C. humidity means you’ll need to eat your bag quickly or else the kernels start to lose some of that signature crunch. —Alicia Mazzara
Follow Stella’s Popkern on Twitter.
WOODLANDS VEGAN BISTRO: The Woodlands Vegan Bistro food truck serves the same tasty vegan soul food as their location on Georgia Avenue, but without the wait that often plagues the restaurant location. The food truck menu is limited, but typically includes a rotating selection of entrees, a few sandwich options (like their delicious Garvey burger or Vegan fried chick’n sandwich), as well as my favorite: the sides. On a recent trip, I spent $7 for two sides: the garlic kale salad and the vegan mac & cheese. This was a huge amount of food and a great bargain, with enough for dinner the next day. And, to all of the commenters who pleaded that Woodland’s garlic kale salad was missing from our Best Vegan Dishes list, you were right — that salad is undeniably amazing. But, be sure to order it when you don’t have an important office meeting later; they do not skimp on the garlic! —Lynne Venart
You can follow the Woodland’s Vegan Bistro food truck on Twitter.
TAKOREAN: Based on my own anecdotal evidence, the tofu taco appears to be the least popular item on TaKorean’s small menu. This is a shame, because it’s actually better than their chicken and beef tacos. The tofu has been marinated and then caramelized on the grill, creating some deep, sweet-savory flavors. Be sure to order it with the kimchi slaw and a squirt of Sriracha to ensure that the taco stays 100 percent vegan (the napa slaw is made with fish sauce). Tofu may seem like a weird taco filling, but next time you see their truck around town, give soy a chance. —Alicia Mazzara, DCist’s best tacos list
Follow the TaKorean truck on Twitter.
PHO JUNKIES: Pho never seems conducive to delivery when you can dine in, so how could a food truck do this spicy Vietnamese soup service? Maybe its owners ate some genius brains, but the Pho Junkies nail the crisp freshness that’s integral to the soup’s green ingredients while preserving the buttery heart and soul: the meat. The limited menu keeps it simple: steak ($10), chicken ($10), “all the meats” ($12) or a pick-three-proteins option ($10): get the brisket, skirt flank and meatball. Add on some all-shrimp summer rolls ($5) and ask for extra Sriracha with your plum sauce. Here’s hoping they expand the menu this summer to include Vietnamese iced coffee. —Catherine McCarthy, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
You can follow the Pho Junkies on Twitter.
PHOWHEELS: No matter how you pronounce pho, the Vietnamese noodle dish is one of the most satisfying inexpensive meals out there. There’s no shortage of good pho places in D.C., but for a mobile option I recommend Pho Wheels. Ignore the questionable name and gaudy truck: PhoWheels’ pork belly bahn mi, which can be served on either a baguette or croissant, more than makes up for it. Make sure to spend the extra dollar and get a fried egg on top. You’re worth it. — Sarah Anne Hughes, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
You can follow the PhoWheels on Twitter.
CAPTAIN COOKIE: Captain Cookie and the Milkman sounds like every kid’s favorite super hero (or a diabetic’s worst nightmare, take your pick). Regardless of your age, it’s hard to turn down a warm, slightly under cooked chocolate chip cookie, perfectly buttery and slightly gooey. Other flavors include oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, ginger molasses, peanut butter, and Nutella, which is reminiscent of eating a flattened brownie. Cookies are baked right in the truck and come out soft and chewy; if you like a crunchy baked good, this probably isn’t the truck for you. You can further channel your inner child by ordering your cookie with a cold glass of milk or making it into an ice cream sandwich for an extra two bucks. —Alicia Mazzara
Follow Captain Cookie on Twitter or catch the truck outside of Thomas Foolery (2029 P St NW).
GOODIES FROZEN CUSTARD & TREATS: In a city of transplants, it’s easy to pine for your hometown favorites. Until 2012, getting decent frozen custard—the creamy, wholesome comfort kind mostly found in the Midwestern states (nice try, Shake Shack)—was impossible in the District. Then came Gigi—a restored baby-blue-and-white 1952 Metro van that’s the conveyor of Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats, which serves the best custard concretes this side of St. Louis’ beloved Ted Drewes. Also on offer from Goodies founder Brandon Byrd: sundaes, baked goods such as doughnuts and Bundt cakes, and milkshakes, including a seriously addictive caramel flavor. Byrd and his employees go for retro charm, with dapper outfits and an oldies soundtrack. True custard aficionados will seek out Goodies for the cold stuff, but will be pleased that the always friendly Byrd works hard to connect with his customers, too. The downside to Goodies’ custard? The truck tries to serve a wide swath of areas in the District, and it’s frustrating when you can’t get your fix. Tracking down those concretes is about to get easier: Byrd is working on a second truck that will specialize in doughnuts. —Abra Lyons-Warren, from DCist’s 2013 best food trucks list
You can follow Goodies on Twitter. Also, join their Kickstarter campaign to help them repair their beautiful vintage truck.
