If you want something from the water or sea
A Taste of N’Awlns
Did you miss Mardi Gras? Not to worry. A Taste of N’Awlns Chef/owner Alan Franco graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park and makes everything from scratch right on the truck.
Recommendations: Crawfish mac & cheese, gator bites (made with real wild-caught alligator!) and jambalaya
Vegetarian options: Red beans and rice – which is also gluten-free!
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Facebook at A Taste of Nawln’s
Cousins Maine Lobster
Get there early for this one – there’s always a serious line! But, trust us, it’s well worth the wait for lobster rolls with fresh Maine lobster. “Main lobster is the only sustainable fishery in the world,” says owner Jim Matz.
Recommendation: The Connecticut Roll – “The lobster meat is warmed and we add lemon butter,” Matz says.
Make it gluten-free: Lobster bisque and clam chowder and corn tacos are gluten-free. Order the lobster rolls without the bread – served on a bed of cabbage instead
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/CMLobsterPittsburghPA
Surf on Turf
Michael Madigan of Vagabond Catering has a new venture – the Surf on Turf food truck. Specializing in lobster rolls, steak sandwiches and more, he says the truck is “a really cool land boat.”
Recommendation: Shrimp tacos
Vegetarian options: The vegetable taco
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: facebook.com/surfonturf
If you’re craving Greek or Mediterranean fare
Ash & Kris Kitchen
Ash & Kris Kitchen serves Greek Mediterranean fare all over the area, year-round. If you have a hankering for baklava, falafel or tabouli salad, this is the truck to visit.
Recommendations: The gyro – spice rotisserie lamb and beef wrapped in a pita and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and Ash & Kris Kitchen’s special homemade Tzatziki sauce
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: facebook.com/ashandkriskitchen
Hummus Pittsburgh
With this food truck, “Everything is fresh and homemade, daily,” says owner Louie Laith.
Recommendation: The Falafel sandwich
Vegetarian options: Laith says that anything on the menu can be vegan, as well as the obvious grape leaves, hummus and fries.
Make it gluten-free: No stress here – everything on the menu is gluten-free except the pita that they use for the sandwiches
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/hummuspittsburgh
The Kabob Mob
“The Kabob Mob Food Truck is a Mediterranean-based menu,” says owner Liliane Khalil-Sabbagh. “My family, the Khalils, were one of the first families in Pittsburgh to introduce Syrian food. My father and uncle began in a small place on Semple Street in Oakland. So, I grew up around fantastic authentic food. KHALILS restaurant still exists on Baum Boulevard and is well-known by the natives of Oakland.”
Recommendations: The Bulldozer – angus sirloin shish kabob that’s seasoned and marinated, then grilled with tomatoes, onions, and peppers to order. Or, The ChicLit, which is marinated and seasoned breast of chicken.
Vegetarian options: Authentic homemade Syrian Hummos with homemade pita chips, tabouli salad, meatless stuffed grape leaves and The Pink Tiger – six tangy lemon garlic shrimp grilled to order
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Instagram @kabobmob18
Mr. Gyro
Looking to get your Greek food fix? Head to Mr. Gyro, which is 100 percent Greek authentic with homemade recipes – and family owned for 18 years.
Recommendations: The chicken or lamb gyro
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: mrgyrospa.com
Pita My Shawarma
This modern Mediterranean food truck is brand new – owner Jason Taylor hit the streets of Pittsburgh last fall. Fresh pitas from Pitaland in Brookline populate the menu, and they’re stuffed with chicken, beef or hummus and veggies.
Recommendations: the chicken shawarma or beef shawarma – both are served on fresh pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, pickled turnips and a garlic sauce (chicken) or lemon-sesame (beef) sauce.
Vegetarian options: Hummus wrap or fresh-cut fries
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: pitamyshawarma.com
If you have a hankering for a hot dog or other delicious sandwiches
Beander’s
Beander’s Restaurant & Tavern is in Elkins, W. Va., but their food trucks ensure you don’t have to travel that far to experience their homestyle sandwiches, appetizers and more.
Recommendations: Chicken or steak pitas
Make it gluten-free: They offer gluten-free buns on request, and their fries are gluten-free
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: beanderswv.com
Bulldawgs
For the past five years, BullDawg’s has been serving up locally-made hot dogs, cheese steaks, burgers and sausages across the region. They like to keep things local, using fresh buns made daily by Breadworks Bakery and serving condiments from Byler’s Farm in Slatington, Pa.
Recommendations: The cheesesteak or any of the burgers
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: bulldawgspgh.com
Franktuary
“There may be trucks older than us in Western Pennsylvania, but we are the oldest continually operating traveling food truck based in the city of Pittsburgh,” says owner Tim Tobitsch. “We have been food trucking since 2010 and our original restaurant opened when I finished college in 2004.”
Recommendations: The New Yorker – it’s an all-beef natural casing frankfurter topped with sauerkraut, sweet onion sauce and spicy brown mustard. “It’s the taste I grew up with as a native of New Jersey,” Tobitsch says.
Vegetarian options: Veggie dog, potato roll, poutine (the gravy is mushroom-based), New Yorker toppings, Texan toppings (if you request the vegetarian chili).
Make it gluten-free: Ask for a gluten-free bun. The local grass-fed beef dog, natural casing all-beef frank and veggie dog are all gluten-free, as are the toppings for the New Yorker and the Texan.
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/franktuary
Hott Dawgz
Make sure you bring your appetite to this truck. Gourmet, quarter-pound, all-beef hot dogs are served with a plethora of toppings – served with a fork because a bun simply cannot contain it all!
Recommendations: “You can’t go wrong with any of our Gourmet Dogs, whether it’s bacon-wrapped, topped with coleslaw or mac and cheese,” say owners Natalie and Randy Gatten.
Vegetarian options: French fries, onion petals, fried pickles
Make it gluten-free: Sub a bun with a corn tortilla or lettuce wrap
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: hottdawgz.com
Jersey Subs
The name says Jersey and they’re based out of Morgantown, W. Va. – and they specialize in Philly Cheesesteaks. You might say they’re a bit of a trendsetter, as the truck has been around since 2008.
Recommendations: The Philly Cheesesteak, of course! Jersey’s cheesesteaks are made with fresh-sliced steak, creamy Boar’s Head American cheese, and served with or without peppers and onions.
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: jerseysubs.com
Oh My Grill
Take what you think you know about grilled cheese sandwiches and throw it out the window. Then, get in line at Oh My Grill and try to decide between myriad options of flavor combinations that you’ve only seen in your dreams.
Recommendations: Smoked gouda and white cheddar with bacon and caramelized onions with a chive cream dipper. On the side, their loaded baked potato salad is very popular – it’s got cubed baked potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese and scallions with sour cream and chive dressing
Vegetarian options: There are a number of them, including vegan cheese
Make it gluten-free: Ask for gluten-free bread
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Facebook at Oh My Grill or Twitter @OhMyGrill
Primanti Bros.
It’s exactly what you’re thinking – the meat-filled, French fry-stuffed, coleslaw-topped sandwiches on wheels.
Recommendations: The Almost Famous Sandwich with either capicola, roast beef or pastrami, or loaded fries
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: primantibros.com/foodtruck
Yovi’s Chicago Hot Dogs
Yovi’s brick and mortar restaurant has been around for 26 years, but its food truck has just been on the road for about six months or so, serving up the same Chicago-style goodness and fresh, hand cut fries that the Downtown Pittsburgh restaurant does.
Recommendations: The Chicago-Style Dog, an all-beef dog served on a poppyseed bun and topped with mustard, green relish, tomato wedges, diced onions, pickle spears and sport peppers. Or, try the Italian beef sandwich, served on a baguette and topped with giardiniera vegetables
Vegetarian option: Veggie dog
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Facebook at Yovi’s
If you want a cool treat
Caustelot Creamery
“Our specialty is some of the best homemade ice cream in the Pittsburgh area,” says owner Mike Wertz. “Everything is made on-site at the event. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!” For the fifth year, you can spot the big blue truck at various events and locations around the area.
Recommendation: Cookies & Cream
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: caustelotcreamery.com
Kona Ice
Hot days call for cool treats, and Kona Ice brings exactly that. The tropical-themed shaved ice franchise has been refreshing the region since 2011. Additionally, they regularly do fundraisers for local nonprofits, schools and youth sports. Everything on the menu is gluten-free.
Recommendations: Blue raspberry and Tiger’s Blood (strawberry/coconut)
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: kona-ice.com
Remi’s Rootbeer Wagon
Established in 2016, Remi’s Rootbeer Wagon offers nostalgic refreshment on hot summer days, specializing in old-fashioned flavors of soda.
Recommendation: Birch Beer
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: By looking for the PGH Halal truck
Sugar and Spice on Wheels
This dessert truck’s ice cream is made fresh daily at its brick and mortar store in Baldwin. They also specialize in employee and customer appreciation events.
Recommendations: Hot fudge brownie sundae
Vegetarian options: They carry Sticklers Ice Pops, which are made in Pittsburgh with fresh fruit and have no added sugar. Additionally, they are dairy free, gluten free, nut free and vegan.
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: 51sugarandspice.com/truck
If you have an adventurous, ethnic palate
Cilantro & Ajo
Brand new to our local culinary scene with a restaurant that opened on Pittsburgh’s South Side just a few months ago, the complement of a food truck allows them to bring authentic Venezuelan food to even more folks.
Recommendations: The arepas and pabellon bowl – a bowl with rice, black beans, sweet plantains, queso fresco and avocado
Vegetarian options: You’ll find a number of them, marked with a vegetarian symbol
Make it gluten-free: 80 percent of the menu already is!
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: cilantroajo.com
Las Chicas
In addition to traveling the local food truck scene since 2017, the Las Chicas truck also cooks up fresh Mexican cuisine at private events.
Recommendations: Anything on the menu!
Vegetarian options: Almost anything on the menu can be made vegetarian-friendly, and some, like the nachos or tacos, can even be made vegan.
Pay with: Cash or cards
Keep up with them: laschicastruck.com
Mobile Chef
“Our menu is world fusion cuisine, so you can create your own fusion flavor meal from around the world right here in Pittsburgh,” says owner Jamie Gatewood, who has a degree in hotel restaurant management and culinary arts.
Recommendations: American Buffalo chicken dip nachos
Vegetarian options: Salads, wraps, nachos, tacos, steamed rice and hummus
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: mobilechef.biz
Pgh Crepes
Since 2013, owner Ilmir Akhmetzyanov has been selling freshly-made crepes from scratch, smoothies and lemonade. New this year: poutine.
Recommendations: Strawberry banana, Nutella and gyro crepes are the most popular
Vegetarian options available
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: pghcrepes.com
PGH Halal
Halal means “permissible,” and according to PGH Halal’s website, in order “for any food to be considered Halal it must comply with the religious ritual and observance of Sharia law.” Gyros, salads, baklava, pitas and more are on the menu that features traditional dishes with a modern twist.
Recommendations: The chicken or lamb gyros
Make it gluten-free: Order the falafel
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Twitter and Instagram, @pghhalal
PGH Pierogi Truck
Let’s face it, there can’t be a Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival without a truck that serves pierogies! PGH Pierogi Truck’s specialty is, obviously, the pierogi, but they also have Eastern European favorites like haluski and stuffed cabbage.
Recommendations: The potato and cheese pierogi
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: pghpierogitruck.com
Steel City Chimneys
In Hungary, they’re known as kurtoskalacs, but in Pittsburgh they’re known as Steel City Chimneys. The chimney cakes are an old-world style bread grilled, wrapped on a spit and topped with sweet or savory toppings like walnut, hot bourbon caramel, chocolate chip, birthday cake, asiago cheese, bacon, olives or butter and salt.
Recommendation: Pick your favorite topping!
Vegetarian options: The bread is vegetarian-friendly, just choose the toppings accordingly.
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/steelcitychimneys
If you have a sweet tooth
Concession Food Service
For nearly four decades, this stand has been making the rounds at area fairs and festivals.
Recommendations: Funnel cakes and shaved ice
Pay with: Cash only
The Dapper Doughnut Waynesburg
Serving up coffee and light, moist and slightly crunchy cake-style doughnuts, The Dapper Doughnut in Waynesburg has become a destination. Customers get to watch the doughnuts being made and then choose from 24 toppings and sugars – the possibilities are endless!
Recommendations: Cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar doughnuts
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: thedapperdoughnut.com/waynesburg-pa
Patti’s Pastries
Save room for dessert – for real. Patti’s Pastries offers jumbo-sized cupcakes in 12 different varieties, as well as jumbo-sized chocolate and vanilla lady locks.
Recommendation: The Brownie Batter Cupcake
Make it gluten-free: Order one of the gluten-free cupcakes on the menu
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: pattispastries.net
Sinkers & Suds
Freshly-made mini donuts topped to order, they’re more than just breakfast – especially with flavors like Sweet Piggy and Strawberry Cheesecake. Enjoy them as a sweet treat and add a side of cold-brew coffee for a pick-me-up.
Recommendations: Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Sinkers
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/sinkersandsuds
If you’re craving comfort food
The Coop Chicken and Waffles
“At The Coop, we make this classic sweet and savory dish just the way you’ve always dreamed of – with Belgian waffles and homemade fried chicken, both golden and crispy on the outside, and absolutely scrumptious,” says owner Justin Fitzgerald. What you won’t find? Added hormones, steroids or antibiotics.
Recommendations: The Chick-N-Waffle: homemade chicken tenders baked “with-N” a Belgian waffle. “It’s N-sanely tasty,” Fitzgerald says.
Vegetarian options: Dessert waffles and delicious homemade mac and cheese
Pay with: Cash, card or Apple Pay
Keep up with them: On all social media @thecooppgh
Mac and Gold Truck
Starting with a house-made cheese sauce, Mac and Gold Truck cooks to order batches of pan-heated mac and cheese. Then, they top it with a rotating, seasonal menu of meats and veggies – so, this truck is a one-stop shop for the whole family!
Recommendations: The Buffalo Chicken Mac, which is served with crispy tortilla chips and crumbled bleu cheese
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: macandgoldtruck.com
The Twisted Potato
“We have twisted potatoes (hence the name of the truck) topped with bacon, sour cream, cheese bacon, buffalo sauce or ranch dressing. We recommend all of the toppings,” says Samantha Galbreth.
Recommendations: Hot sausage sandwiches and of course, the twisted potatoes
Make it gluten-free: Skip the sandwich buns and everything else is gluten-free
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/thetwistedpotatowashpa
If you’re a barbecue fan
Evil Swine BBQ
The truck might only be out during warmer months, but Evil Swine BBQ caters year-round. They’re known for their pulled pork and pulled chicken with specialty sauces for each.
Recommendations: Pulled pork nachos – topped with Colby jack cheese, salsa, jalapenos, sour cream and red pork BBQ sauce
Vegetarian options: Nachos can be made meatless, and the mac and cheese and coleslaw are also vegetarian-friendly.
Make it gluten-free: Order the smoked meats sans bun for a gluten-free option. The nachos are also gluten-free.
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: evilswinebbq.com
Gil’s Pit Beef
“Our meat is sliced thin, hot off the grill, and piled high on a kaiser roll,” says owner Tom Gilbert. “A large array of toppings and sauces finishes off the perfect meat sandwich.”
Recommendation: Pit beef sandwich with tiger sauce (mayo and horseradish)
Vegetarian options: Coleslaw and potato salad
Make it gluten-free: Forgo the bread
Pay with: Cash only
Keep up with them: facebook.com/gils.pit.beef
Wicked Ribs N’at
Based out of Wicked Witches Bar and Grill in Cheswick, Wicked Ribs N’at caught national attention on the Food Network’s “Carnival Eats” for the Conevore – a bread cone stuffed with barbeque beans, smoked brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and topped with homemade coleslaw and a drizzle of their award-winning BBQ sauce.
Recommendations: Ribs or the Conevore, of course!
Make it gluten-free: Sauces and rubs are gluten-free
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Facebook at Wicked Ribs N’At
If you’re health-conscious
Health-A-Licious
In its third year, the truck travels around Western Pennsylvania with a menu chock-full of healthy, organic foods and drinks, as well as comfort foods.
Recommendations: The Big Mama Drama Loaded Fries with steak, shrimp and chicken. And, founder Tracie Hall says, “Our kabobs can’t get cooked fast enough to keep crowds happy!”
Vegetarian options: Southwestern and Medeterranian salads and wraps have veggie-only options
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: facebook.com/healthaliciousfoodtruck
Main Squeeze Juice
This truck specializes in raw, natural, local, cold-pressed juices. Smoothies and smoothy bowls can be made dairy=free by selecting almond milk.
Recommendations: Revive – cold-pressed juice of kiwi, gala apple, granny smith apple, celery, cucumber and mint
Vegetarian options: Everything is vegetarian and
Make it gluten-free: Everything is also gluten-free, aside from the granola that tops the smoothie bowls
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Facebook.com/mainsqueezejuice412
Terrene
Formerly the Chop Shop Salad Shop, Terrene only uses real ingredients and makes all of the sauces, dressings and marinades from scratch in small batches. “We guarantee great taste,” says owner Kimberley Haugh.
Recommendation: The Glorious Steak Salad – grilled beef strip loin, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted onions, roasted red peppers, hardwood smoked bacon crumble and classic ranch dressing topped with fresh fries
Make it gluten-free: Order the Southwestern Bowl or the Medeterrian Bowl made with falafel balls
Pay with: Cash only
Keep up with them: terrenepgh.com
If you’re in the mood for hibachi or Asian cuisine
Hoshi Food Truck
This Japanese hibachi-style food truck has been on the scene since the summer of 2017, doing private and corporate events, graduation parties, bridal showers and more.
Recommendations: Filet with fried rice
Vegetarian options: Vegetable delight
Make it gluten-free: Choose any protein served with steamed rice and double yum yum sauce
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On all social media @hoshipgh
Hoshi Too
It’s “Part Too” of the Hoshi Food Truck, and this one has a selection of poke bowls and sushi rolls.
Recommendations: Salmon or tuna poke bowl
Vegetarian options: Vegetarian poke bowl
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On all social media @hoshitoopgh
Le’s Oriental
It’s not a truck, but a tent – and Le’s Oriental likely gets the award for being around the longest – 25 years.
Recommendations: Freshley grilled chicken on a stick, homemade egg rolls, fresh vegetable fried rice and freshly-squeezed lemonade
Pay with: Cash only
Keep up with them: “I still have a flip phone,” owner Hai Le says.
Nakama
Pittsburgh’s South Side hot-spot has been on wheels for more than six years, ensuring that folks all over can get a taste of their hibachi and sushi.
Recommendations: Hibachi chicken over spicy lo mein noodles
Vegetarian options: Hibachi veggies, vegetable sushi roll, veggie egg rolls, and fried Brussels sprouts.
Make it gluten-free: Ask about the gluten-free options that are available
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: eatatnakama.com/food-truck
If you’re in an Italian mood
Bado’s
Bado’s Pizza Grill and Ale House in Mt. Lebanon has taken its show on the road, and the truck can serve anything that the brick and mortar restaurant does. The truck caters, as well.
Recommendations: Pizza!
Vegetarian options: Cheese pizza and bianco pizza
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: badospizzagrill.com
Emporio Meatball Truck
Under the umbrella of Pittsburgh’s Burnt Orange Restaurant Group (known for Sienna on the Square, Mercato and the Emporio Meatball Joint), Matthew Porco’s creative Italian is now on the move. Have your meatballs in a bowl, on a sandwich or on their own with a variety of sauce options.
Recommendation: The meatballs!
Vegetarian options: Veggie balls
Make it gluten-free: Order the gluten-free meatballs
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: Instagram, @emporiomeatballjoint
Pyles of Pasta
Not only is Pyles of Pasta the only pasta truck in West Virginia, but it’s also the largest and most-favored truck in the state. They specialize in pasta, but also serve appetizers, salads and sandwiches.
Recommendations: Chicken pesto macaroni and cheese
Vegetarian option: Vegetable pasta primavera
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: plyesofpasta.com
Wood Stoked Oven
Now in its third season on the road, customers appreciate the quality and love that this truck puts into its pizzas.
Recommendations: The Margherita pizza: classic red sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil
Vegetarian options: Cheese pizza, the aforementioned Margherita pizza, and the spinach, tomato and onion white pizza
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: On Facebook, Wood Stoked Oven, LLC
Rolling Meatballs
Just like the name implies, meatballs are the star of the show at this food truck. They also have an award-winning sweet and spicy chili, homemade mac and cheese and a delicious hot sausage sandwich.
Recommendations: The meatball sub or eggplant parmesan meatball
Pay with: Cash or card
Keep up with them: facebook.com/rollingmtbls
