Though St. Louis might not be the first city to come to mind for culinary adventures, the foodie scene in this revitalizing city has been expanding extensively over the past few years. The food truck community has been swept up in the wave—with staple restaurants and newbie chefs alike transporting their kitchens into traveling businesses. Food trucks both make restaurants more accessible and facilitate summer staple events like Sauce Magazine's Food Truck Friday. So in honor of the warm weather and abundance of options, I've compiled a list of the 10 best food trucks to try in the St. Louis area.
1. Balkan Treat Box
If you've never had Bosnian food, then Balkan Treat Box is a great way to start. Or if you're already a fan and just really need some döner on the go, be sure to find Balkan somewhere downtown for your lunch break. With a food-fired oven (yes, in the back of a truck) that perfectly blisters the somun (bread) bases into complex mouthfuls as delectable as the fillings inside them, chef-owner Loryn Feliciano-Nalic has created a market St. Louis didn't even know it needed. The truck schedule is published online, so plan your week accordingly.
2. Cha Cha Chow
When it opened way back in 2010, Cha Cha Chow was the first live-cooking truck in St. Louis. With eight years of menu perfection under its belt, the contemporary taco truck boasts original flavors like "Curried Sweet Potato" smothered in the legendary "Cha Cha Sauce." Though the storefront on Shaw now occupies the majority of the Cha Cha business, the truck still roams around classic mobile food centers like City Garden and Barnes-Jewish. If you can find it, consider yourself a winner for the day.
3. Farmtruk
Though farm-to-table cooking usually brings to mind a bougie new-American warehouse-turned-restaurant, owner Samantha Mitchell has managed to bring fresh, local dishes on the move. Her hyper-regional cuisine has a touch of Asian flare, bringing together classics like sweet potato fries with inventive creations like the "Mojo Pork Panini" (stuffed with chili-brined ham, pulled pork, Swiss cheese and citrus-cabbage slaw). The weekly schedule is posted on Farmtruk's Twitter page.
4. Guerrilla Street Food
Another early participant in the St. Louis food truck wave, Guerrilla Street Food now has two storefront locations but continues to upgrade its food truck service (think a 3D-digitally re-designed truck). Guerrilla serves Filipino food, combining staples like Arroz Caldo and adventurous favorites like the Flying Pig. Look at their website for more info on the truck's whereabouts.
5. K-Bop
K-Bop's mission is simple—to provide tasty Korean street bowls to the people of St. Louis. Their rice bowls are legendary in the food truck community, with flavors like "Spicy Tofu Bop" and "Chicken Katsu Bop" taking center stage. But don't overlook the sides, as the kimchi and potstickers are delicious as well. K-Bop tweets its location, but the schedule is also available on the website.
6. Mission Taco Truck
With multiple storefront locations, Mission Taco is a known favorite of just about every St. Louis resident. And while not every restaurant can turn their success portable, Mission Taco has done so successfully. The a la carte tacos are legendary, though my vegetarian self prefers the New Years Resolution burrito. The truck has its own website, where you can track its location and look for upcoming specials.
7. Seoul Taco
Seoul Taco is a fusion of Korean and Mexican flavors that results in the best hot sauce—I mean, Seoul Sauce—that I've ever had. The tacos (three for $8) and Gogi bowls (also $8) are the classic menu go-tos, but the kimchi fried rice is also a star. Seoul's storefront locations get overwhelmingly crowded around mealtimes, so check out the food truck's calendar for a quicker way to enjoy with just as much flavor.
8. Steak Louie
Louie's is a cheesesteak shop on steroids—with deliciously messy, gooey cheese dripping off of each perfectly grilled bite. The East Coast fries are especially indulgent, topped with top-secret house-made seasoning and "showered in cheese". You can find Louie through the locating feature on the website's homepage, but be ready to take a nap afterwards from the food coma.
9. The Sweet Divine
The Sweet Divine's cupcake truck, named Georgie, brings rotating monthly flavors to sweet lovers across St. Louis. Their famous jumbo-size cupcakes are absolutely worth the $5 price tag, especially the chocolate chip cookie dough (pictured above) with cookie dough baked inside. Find the truck online and peruse the menu beforehand to avoid accidentally coming home with two dozen new flavors to try.
10. Vincent Van Doughnut
If riding around in a 1960 Ford Grumman Olson step van wasn't enough to solidify Vincent Van Doughnut's cool factor, it's jumbo-sized, outlandishly flavored doughnuts definitely are. The "Maple Bacon" (maple and cinnamon glaze topped with brown sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne candied bacon) is a crowd favorite, but my personal favorite is the "Caramel and Toasted Coconut," which tastes like an upgraded version of a Samoas cookie. Check out their Facebook page to see where the truck is.
These must-try trucks are only a fraction of the food trucks around the city, but with the ever-expanding St. Louis foodie scene, there are sure to be more popping up this summer. For now, these ten are the one's not to miss.