Posts Tagged ‘food trucks’

Food Truck Rally at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Kicks off Spring and Summer Season

You know it’s truly spring (and almost summer) when food truck events kick into high gear.  This weekend marks the start of the beloved Brooklyn Food Truck Rally in Prospect Park.

Food Truck RallyOn Sunday April 14, head to Grand Army Plaza for some of the best outdoor eats in New York. Brought to you by the NYC Food Truck Association in conjunction with Prospect Park, the Food Truck Rally will be held from 11am-5pm, with dishes representing the diversity of the city’s cuisine and population. (Other food truck events are scheduled through the fall on 4/26, 5/3, 5/17, 6/7, 6/28, 7/12, 7/19, 8/2, 8/16, 8/30, 9/20, 10/4, 10/18).

Twelve to sixteen trucks will participate per event including Andy’s Italian Ices, Brooklyn Organic, Carl’s Steaks, Carpe Donut NYC, Coolhaus, DUB Pies  - The Pie Truck, Gorilla Cheese NYC, Kelvin Natural Slush Co., Kimchi Taco Truck, Milk Truck, Neapolitan Express, Nuchas, Papaya King, Phil’s Steaks, Ponti Rossi, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Snowday, Taïm Mobile, Toum and more.

Some of my favorites:

Coolhaus

Cool HausHailing from LA, the Coolhaus ice cream-sandwich truck has entrenched itself into New York City foodie culture. Coolhaus has an “out there” menu of all-natural handmade ice creams of classic and seasonal varieties with flavors like horchata (vegan), dirty mint chip, and lychee martini, packed between two cookies that are equally as creative (think gluten-free peanut butter miso or red velvet, for example).  All this comes wrapped in an edible paper made of potato with soy ink.  How cool is that!  http://www.eatcoolhaus.com

Red Hook Lobster Pound

Red HookAnother truck shaking up the food truck world again, Red Hook Lobster Pound brings its Big Red truck to Prospect Park.  With lobster bought fresh from Maine every week, the Pound’s lobster rolls are sweet and delicious and served correctly, IMHO, on a J.J. Nissen roll from Portland, Maine. You can add a sweet finale with another Maine delicacy, homemade whoopee pies.

Kelvin Natural Slush

Kevin SlushThis continues to be one of my absolute favorites and one with some of the longest lines of all (a hint: head there first).  With their distinctive slush flavors including Spicy Ginger, Tangy Citrus or Green & Black Tea, combined with your choice of real puréed fruit, fresh chopped mint and basil, pomegranate seeds and other natural mix-ins, Kelvin’s all-natural slushies are the perfect accompaniment to the day.  If they’re offering their “special” of the day, definitely go for it.  And, happily, it’s another blue truck!  http://www.kelvinslush.com/

Milk Truck

Milk TruckIf you’re hungering for a taste of your childhood, or if you brought kids with you, the Milk Truck is the place for you. Serving up delicious, fresh grilled cheese sandwiches, the Milk Truck has a varying menu of sandwiches, some purely cheese and others with ham and other goodies thrown in.  http://www.milktruckgrilledcheese.com

Game on! Brings Fun and Games to Lower Manhattan Through Labor Day

Game on! Brings Fun and Games to Lower Manhattan Through Labor DayDowntown Manhattan’s Water Street is turning into an outdoor playground this summer for adults as well as kids with its pop-up Game On! Series.  Through Labor Day, Monday through Friday from noon to 7pm, you’ll never lack for fun if you head to the Financial District, between Wall Street and Whitehall.  Follow the hash tag #gameonwater for updates on new programs, being added daily.  In addition to the “games,” there’s a host of food choices, beach areas, and hangout spaces.

Some of my favorites are the Giant Connect 4 game located on Gouverneur Lane where you can feel like a four-year-old all over again as you play with your friends or with actual four-year-olds.  I also love the Urban Beach Shuffleboard on Whitehall Plaza, a worthy competitor to all the shuffleboard action happening in Brooklyn of late, as well as the second shuffleboard location at 1 NY Plaza.

Game on! Brings Fun and Games to Lower Manhattan Through Labor DayMore intellectual types will be attracted to the Sudoku corner at Mannahatta Park, where you could also park yourself with your own chess board and score a feisty match (people love playing chess in this city). On Sundays, bring along your New York Times and invite a new friend to help you tackle the crossword puzzle.

If you’re thirsty, the beer garden at Coenties Slip will keep you satisfied while you play bean bag toss (cornhole), while the variety of food trucks will satisfy your hunger along Old Slip Park. Look for faves like Korilla BBQ and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

Old Slip Park is also where you can engage in two favorite games from times past, Nok Hockey and Battleship.

Game on! Brings Fun and Games to Lower Manhattan Through Labor DayAnd, for those craving the ultimate summertime family experience, there’s mini-golf on Elevated Acre at 55 Water Street. It’s only a three-hole course, but who cares? You can play it six times!

For a full schedule of activities and to sign up for the latest news, visit http://gameon.downtownny.com/.  Water Street, between Whitehall and Wall Streets. Monday-Friday, noon-7pm. The program, sponsored by the Alliance for Downtown New York, is an effort to revitalize spaces and areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“Choice Streets” Food Truck Festival Returns on May 7

Choice Streets Food Truck FestivalFood truck lovers, this is the event you’ve been waiting for. The Village Voice’s Third Annual “Choice Streets” Food Truck Tasting Event on Wednesday, May 7. (Rain date: May 9). A gathering of 20 ore more food trucks against the gorgeous backdrop of the Hudson River and the Intrepid, the event takes place at Pier 86 (W. 46th St & 12th Ave), Manhattan, from 7-11pm. Early entry is recommended as lines form quickly. Trucks doling out their specialties at this event include some not usually found roaming around Manhattan. You can sample goodies from around the world, from pizza to kimchi tacos, at trucks including Taipan Fusion Express, Toum, Big D’s Grub Truck, Comme Ci Comme Ca, Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches, DUB Pies, Hibachi Heaven, Korilla BBQ, Love Mamak & Lucky Yim, Luke’s Lobster, Luzzo’s La Pizza Napoletana, Mike N’ Willie’s, Moo Shu Grill, Nuchas, Solber Pupusas, Souvlaki GR, and Sweet Chili. You must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets can be purchased at http://ticketf.ly/1jQC0MA.

“Choice Streets” will not only feed you, but it will also entertain you with sets by popular NYC-based DJ Andy Rourke of The Smiths, the alt-rock band that materialized from the British independent music scene in the 1980s. Since The Smiths parted ways in 1987, Andy Rourke has played and recorded with some of music’s greatest performers including Sinead O’Connor, Morrissey, The Pretenders, and Badly Drawn Boy, and has DJ’ed his way around the city.

Choice Streets Food Truck FestivalDiffering from the previous food truck events, this year’s “Choice Streets” will feature multiple ticket options. All ticketholders will be offered complimentary food tasting, unlimited beverages, complimentary access to the Intrepid Museum (a $22 value on its own) and entertainment throughout the night. The Early Entry ticket ($60) will allow guests entry into the event at 7:30pm, a full half hour earlier than the event’s door time. The General Admission ticket ($50) allows entry at 8pm.

Also new this year is a passport system so that everyone can try as many of the food truck options as possible. Upon arrival, all guests will receive a passport card attached to a lanyard that will entitle them to one (1) sample from each truck.  Alcoholic beverages are unlimited to all.

The Village Voice will once again partner with the non-profit organization Slow Food NYC for the event and plans to donate a portion of ticket sales from Choice Streets. Sponsors include: Shock Top, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Verizon FIOS, New York Botanical Gardens, Southern Wines and Spirits, Four Roses Bourbon, Ste Michelle Wine Estates, American Harvest Vodka, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Green Mountain Energy and Frames.

For more details and to purchase tickets, visit http://villagevoice.com/choicestreets.

Food Festivals Continue All Summer (into October)

The food truck craze continues all summer long in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Mad Sq. Eats may be over, but celebrated chefs from around the world are still serving up signature dishes with a twist through October. This batch of food truck festivals includes events every day of the week. The lines can be long, so it’s best to arrive early (or bring a lot of patience).

Hester Street Fair

The marketplace at the Hester Street Fair in Manhattan’s Lower East Side will keep you busy with its vintage clothing, jewelry, crafts and home goods, but you have to eat, right? Artisanal is the mode here as you create your own s’more from S’amore or indulge in a local fave, the cuppie, a cupcake with cookie dough baked into the middle from It’s a Cuppie . Sticking around for dinner? Get adventurous with Jambalaya Balls topped with dirty gravy at Exchange Alley, paired with a thirst-quenching sweet tea or cayenne lemonade. Check out the full list of this year’s participating vendors here: http://www.hesterstreetfair.com.

When/Where:

Saturdays through October 26 from 10am-6pm; corner of Hester St. and Essex St.

SmorgasBar

The creators of Smorgasburg have set up shop in South Street Seaport with SmorgasBar, a pop-up aimed at revitalizing the area post-Sandy. SmorgasBar adds two full bars serving up local and other beers, wines and spirits so you’ll have something to wash down one of Milk Truck’s (http://milktrucknyc.com/) weekly grilled cheese specials, or fresh oysters from Brooklyn Oyster Party (http://brooklynoysterparty.com/). If you’re looking to beat the summer heat, try a slushie from Kelvin Natural Slush Co.

When/Where:

Sunday-Thursday from 11am-10pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am-11pm; Front St. and Fulton St.

Participating Smorgasburg vendors:

Asia Dog

Blue Marble Ice Cream

Brooklyn Oyster Party

Brooklyn Soda Works

Fonda

Kelvin Natural Slush Co.

Landhaus

Milk Truck Grilled Cheese

Pizza Moto

Red Hook Lobster Pound

Rice & Miso Everyday

Food Truck Rally

After sightseeing in Prospect Park, grab a bite at the Food Truck Rally in Brooklyn’s historic Grand Army Plaza. Several Manhattan food truck staples, including Van Leeuwen and Wafels & Dinges , are in this year’s lineup, so you can finally try all the treats you’ve hurried past on your way to work while you have the chance to relax.

When/Where:

First and third Sundays through October 20, from 11am-5pm; Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn (note: event will take place September 8 instead of September 1)

Participating Vendors:

Andy’s Italian Ices

Big D’s Grub Truck

Chinese Mirch

COOLHAUS

Eddies pizza

Gorilla Cheese nyc

Green Pirate Juice Truck

Kelvin Slush

Kimchi Taco Truck

Mexicue

Miami Food Machine

Mike n willies

Milk Truck

Morris Grilled Cheese

Mud Truck

Nuchas

Palenque

Phil’s Steaks

Red Hook Lobster Pound

Rickshaw

Souvlaki Gr

TAIM MOBILE

The Treats Truck

Toum

Valduccis Pizza

Van Leeuwen

Wafels & Dinges

It’s the Beginning of Summertimes Food Events: Happy Memorial Day

You know summer’s just around the corner in New York when deciding what to eat for lunch becomes your toughest decision all day. Food trucks are all the rage, and for good reason, since they take all the work out of finding good food around the city. With such a wide variety of vendors popping up at events around NYC, you’re guaranteed a mouth-watering meal, so forget run-of-the-mill and grab some grub at one of these food truck festivals! Go early and bring friends so you can try several dishes:

Mad Sq. Eats

Food truck vendors at Mad. Sq. Eats, presented by UrbanSpace and the Madison Square Park Conservancy, (http://urbanspacenyc.com/mad-sq-eats/) have been serving up dishes made from local produce and fresh ingredients since early May, and there’s still one more week to catch this pop-up shop before it hits the road until next year. Try new dishes created by some of NYC’s most celebrated chefs as you stroll through Worth Square, located near Manhattan’s iconic Madison Square Park.

Feeling hungry and adventurous, but not sure what to eat? Sample one of ilili’s contemporary Lebanese and Mediterranean dishes, or try arancini – deep fried rice balls served with various toppings – a traditional Sicilian street food from Arancini Bros. And there are plenty of sweets to go around at Mad. Sq. Eats, too: cool off with an ice cream sandwich from Melt Bakery, home to New York’s first ice cream sandwich store, or grab an ice pop made with fresh, local fruits from People’s Pops.

Mad. Sq. Eats is open daily from 11am-9pm until May 31, at Worth Square (located directly adjacent to Madison Square Park on the intersection of Broadway, 5th Ave. and 25th St). Here’s the full list of vendors:

New:

Third Rail Coffee

Dreamscoops Ice Cream

Sunday Gravy NYC

SEOUL LEE KOREAN BAR B CUE

Eleni’s New York

Mason Jar NYC

Mrs. Dorsey’s Kitchen

MMM ENFES

Returning:

Arancini Bros.

ASIADOG

Bar Suzette

CALEXICO

Charlito’s Cocina

Graffiti / Mehtaphor

Hong Kong Street Cart

ilili

La Sonrisa Empanadas

Macaron Parlour

Mayhem & Stout

Melt Bakery

Mexicue

Mighty Balls

Mimi and Coco NY

Momofuku Milk Bar

Nunu Chocolates

Red Hook Lobster Pound

Roberta’s

Stuffed Artisan Cannoli

The Cannibal

people’s pops

Smorgasburg

100 to 115 food truck vendors from NYC and around the world are gathering every Saturday and Sunday this summer for Smorgasburg, a Brooklyn Flea Food Market (http://www.smorgasburg.com/). Both the locations (Williamsburg and DUMBO) andthe cuisine ensure a trendy experience.

New vendors in this year’s lineup include Scharf & Zoyer, famous for their noodle-kugel sandwiches, and Deji, where you can nosh on Korean pub food favorites and foie gras beignets. Looking for the ultimate indulgence? A plate of nachos at El Gato Nacho should do the trick. Satisfy your sweet tooth with peach cobbler crumb cheesecake from BITEME Cheesecake or some decadent cake truffles from CakeBites .

The Smorgasburg lineup changes throughout the season, so this one’s worth checking out more than once! Here’s the full list of vendors that will make an appearance this summer: http://www.smorgasburg.com/vendors.

When/Where:

Saturdays from 11am-6pm at East River State Park (Kent Ave. and N. 7 St.) on the Williamsburg waterfront;

Sundays from 11am-6pm on the DUMBO waterfront at the historic Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Food Trucks and their Food Shop Siblings in New York City and Brooklyn

Are food trucks morphing into food shops? The rapidly changing food truck scene has spawned a number of related storefronts and a number of related carts (as food trucks lose their prime parking spots) In New York City, Calexico, Souvlaki GR and the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck are prime examples. Calexico has a storefront in the Greenpoint and Redhook nabes of Brooklyn, Souvlaki Truck has a dedicated store on Stanton Street in the Lower East Side. The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop has just opened in the East Village, and Mexicue’s recent opening in Chelsea will soon be followed by another in Chinatown. And there are definitely more changes in the offing. Remember to follow any of these on twitter, still, to find out their daily ramblings.

Here are some of the food truck-storefront hybrids already in place:

More on Food Trucks and their Food Shop Siblings in New York City and Brooklyn

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