Twice a year, thousands of locals and visitors gather around Charlottesville's Emancipation Park for a massive weekend block party at the Spring Founder’s Festival and Fall Tomtoberfest. The annual fall festival celebrates local founders with a weekend full of music, speakers, art and, of course, food in the heart of downtown Charlottesville.
With two days of free outdoor concerts, a craft beer garden, a community arts fair and a food truck rally combining the best of local food, there’s no excuse to miss this event.
This year, the sixth-annual festival holds significance as the first city-wide event held in Emancipation Park since the devastating events that made headlines this past summer. Standing for positivity and community, the Tomtoberfest is a celebration of the individuality, diversity, creativity and innovation that Charlottesville is known for.
Featuring the city’s best on-the-go dishes at the Food Truck Rally, grab a plate and get inspired by some of the city’s top innovators at the Fall Forum or bring a blanket and enjoy some bluegrass, reggae and indie-pop in the park.
With that, here are 10 local food truck favorites to try at this not-to-miss fall festival:
1. Blue Ridge Pizza
Make your friends studying abroad in Italy jealous by sending them a picture of this local pizza. Blue Ridge Pizza has a wood-fired oven in its truck, so you can watch your personal pie being made from the moment you choose your gourmet toppings.
Design your own pizza and grab a seat in Emancipation Park to hear artists South Hill Banks and Footwerk perform on the main stage Sunday afternoon.
2. Pearl Island Catering
Just because Charlottesville is hours from a beach doesn’t mean you can’t get your fix of satisfying tropical cuisine. Pair the sounds of reggae from artist New Kinston with the Caribbean inspired food from Pearl Island Catering.
With authentic Haitian cuisine like fried plantains and creole style rice and beans you’ll feel like you’re on island time without leaving town.
A naturally carbonated tea, Kombucha's benefits include boosting the immune and digestive systems as well as lowering cholesterol. Sourcing their water directly from their namesake mountains, Blue Ridge Bucha is a local brewer of this wellness drink full of nutrients and probiotics.
Not only will your body thank you, but Blue Ridge Bucha’s commitment to sustainability has saved over 675,000 plastic bottles, so you can feel good about this drink in more ways than one.
4. Arroz RVA
The best part about food trucks is that they’re always somewhere new, and luckily Arroz is coming from Richmond for the weekend to bring your fix of Mexican inspired cuisine to Tomtoberfest. Your stomach and wallet will thank you as you enjoy the fresh bowls and burritos made from locally sourced fresh ingredients.
5. The Juice Place
Located in the heart of the downtown mall, The Juice Place is the go-to for pressed juices, açai bowls, coffee, smoothies and even popsicles. With customizable smoothie bowls, they'll have whatever you’re craving and provide a much needed energy boost for your busy weekend.
6. Wonderment Bakeshop & Creamery
Need to cool off or just facing an afternoon sweet tooth? Grab a chocolate dipped ice cream sandwich or homemade shortbread tart from Wonderment Bakeshop and Creamery. With over 60 unique flavors of custard including everything from merlot to matcha, I guarantee you’ll want to try them all.
#SpoonTip: Celebrate the start of fall with the maple candied bacon, a sweet and smoky custard flavor placed between two homemade oatmeal cookies.
7. Got Dumplings
Dumplings have become a Charlottesville food staple over the past few years thanks to Got Dumplings. With a convenient location on the way to class and on The Corner, the Got Dumplings cart has been a go-to for students and locals for years.
#SpoonTip: Pair your order of dumplings with a side of cold noodles with peanut sauce for a quick and delicious meal between events.
8. Moe's Original Bar B Que
Moe’s Original Bar B Que brings southern tradition to Charlottesville with an appreciation for the blues, college football and home-style cooking. Originally opened in Mobile, Alabama, Moe’s now has locations across the country and is known to serve some of the best barbecue in Charlottesville.
9. Mouth Wide Open
Operating out of a bright yellow and pink 1985 Chevy step-van, Mouth Wide Open is known for serving traditional American dishes inspired by flavors from across the country. Grab some bite-size sliders including crab cakes and veggie burgers before seeing musicians like The Movement on the main stage.
10. 106 Street Food
106 Street Food is a local favorite food truck that combines classic American dishes with Southwest, Latin and Asian inspired flavors. The menu is always changing but guaranteed to always be delicious.
#SpoonTip: Try a fried egg on a burger or barbecue loaded mac and cheese and pair it with a drink from local brewers at the craft beer garden.
Whether you’re interacting with local startups at the tech mixer, shopping the artisanal craft fair or just relaxing with some live music, satisfy both your stomach and your wallet with these venders and more. Don’t worry about only having two days to try them all, these food trucks are all located close to Charlottesville so you can keep going back to your foodie favorites.