12 Canadian Food Trucks to Try This Summer

Posted by Dan Clapson on May 26, 2016

During the last five years, Canada has seen plenty of gourmet food trucks emerge, with many more set to launch this year. As we move into the warmer side of spring, temperatures rise along with our craving to enjoy a delicious curbside meal. Here are some newer trucks that opened in a mix of major cities, and have made serious headway on the Canadian street food scene.

Bangkok Food Truck/Facebook

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Bangkok Food Truck (Moncton, NB)

If you’ve got a craving for Thai and you’re on-the-go, seek out this truck that roams the Moncton area. After moving to Canada from Thailand a decade ago, owner Jariya O’Brien started selling pad Thai and spring rolls at a local market as a hobby. As popularity grew, the chef’s small operation grew into <a href="http://www.bangkokfoodtruck.com/" target="_blank">Bangkok Food Truck</a> that now offers various Thai dishes from fan favourite pad Thai to cashew chicken to basil pork.
Chickpea Food Truck/Facebook

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Chickpea Food Truck (Vancouver, BC)

<a href="http://ilovechickpea.ca/" target="_blank">Chickpea Food Truck</a>, which serves primarily vegetarian fare, opts for a Mediterranean-style menu, cooking up dishes like house-made falafel, shakshuka (eggs baked in spiced tomato sauce) and much more. What’s neat, though, is that you can get whatever main (i.e. falafel) you want, either in wrap, salad or platter-form.
Duck Truck/Facebook

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Duck Truck (Montreal, QC)

This canard truck from Québec is one of the only duck-themed trucks in North America, which goes to prove that when you have a well-equipped truck, the world (well, duck) is your oyster. Try <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ducktruckmtl/" target="_blank">Duck Truck's</a> bite-sized snacks like duck empanadas, duck wings in a maple barbecue sauce, or more lunch-friendly dishes like wine-braised duck sandwiches.
Family Freezed/Facebook

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Family Freezed (Calgary, AB)

Since regular ol’ popsicles are so mid-1990s, someone needed to put a gourmet spin on the cooling summer treat. <a href="http://familyfreezed.com/" target="_blank">Family Freezed</a> rose in popularity last summer during the Calgary Stampede, offering up one of the most popular new midway food items for 2015: the mini doughnut popsicle. These days, you can expect to see their truck at various festivals and events, offering up cool flavours like Vietnamese Coffee, Shirley Temple, lavender lemonade and more.
Gotham Grill/Facebook

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Gotham Grill (Toronto, ON)

One of Toronto’s newest food trucks, <a href="http://www.gothamgrill.ca" target="_blank">Gotham Grill</a> puts emphasis on burgers (beef, chicken or veggie patties), and various takes on poutine, like their signature “Gotham” poutine topped with classic baked potato fixings and Montreal cheese curds. If French fries aren’t indulgent enough for your taste, go for some popcorn chicken or mozzarella sticks instead.
I Love Lasagna/Facebook

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I Love Lasagna (Toronto, ON)

How much do I love lasagna? Let us count the ways. This newbie Toronto food truck has chosen this famous comfort food as its blank canvas, filling the space between pasta layers with ingredients like short rib, butternut squash and spinach. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/I-Love-Lasagna-1646321425636067/" target="_blank">I Love Lasagna</a> goes even more out of the lasagna box with their seafood lasagna, made with squid ink pasta and Pernod sauce.
Mr. Arancino/Facebook

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Mr. Arancino (Vancouver, BC)

There isn’t a more delicious bite-sized Italian dish than arancini. <a href="http://mrarancino.com" target="_blank">Mr Arancino</a> fries up variations of these classic risotto balls including vegetable ragu and bacon pesto. Easy enough to eat when you’re on the run, but not as easy to share — mostly because you probably won’t want to.
Nomad Gourmet/Facebook

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Nomad Gourmet (Halifax, NS)

It’s not often you’ll find restaurants or food trucks using only grass-fed beef in their burgers. But having a penchant for all things local is the focus of Halifax’s <a href="http://nomadgourmet.ca/" target="_blank">Nomad Gourmet</a>. Outside of the burger realm, you can opt for Atlantic lobster tacos topped with slaw, a vegetarian burrito filled with mushrooms and local ruffage, and more. If you catch the truck early, you can try their Fireball Oatmeal; a mixture of steel-cut oats, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and a shot of Fireball whiskey for serious pick me up.
Pinoy Pride/Facebook

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Pinoy Pride (Calgary, AB)

It’s hard to miss this bold and brightly coloured <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Pinoy-Pride-Food-Truck-1662227974061717/timeline" target="_blank">Pinoy Pride</a> truck when it’s parked on the curb during the lunch hour in Calgary. Bold and beautiful yellow, blue and red flowers cover the truck, offering an array of marinated pork skewers, Filipino-inspired burgers, yam ice cream and so much more. A perfect edible pairing for a sunny summer day!
Rebel Melt/Facebook

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Rebel Melt (Saskatoon, SK)

Launching in late 2014, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rebelmelt" target="_blank">Rebel Melt</a> is still considered a “newer” truck in my books, seeing as Saskatchewan winters start early and end late in the spring. Having their first full season in 2015, the truck has proven to be quite a hit with Saskatoonians due to their gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. Try the namesake signature, “Rebel Melt,” made with bacon jam, Gouda and cherry wood-smoked bacon.
Sculpt Foods/Instagram

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Sculpt Foods (Edmonton, AB)

If your stomach is grumbling and the only thing that will suffice is a hearty main of meat, this German-themed truck has got you covered. Pork schnitzel with cranberry sauce and French fries, bratwurst with curry ketchup, beef rouladen with braised cabbage and gnocchi... Whatever you order, a quick nap may be required after your lunch break at <a href="//www.sculptfoods.com/" target="_blank">Sculpt Foods</a>.
Waki Temaki/Facebook

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Waki Temaki (Winnipeg, MB)

Sushi off a food truck? I’d be hesitant too. But <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WakiTemaki/" target="_blank">Waki Temaki</a>, serving up everything from avocado and shiitake mushroom hand cones, sushi rolls like spicy salmon or shrimp tempura, and big rice bowls, is sure to please. It’s also a much lighter lunchtime option, compared to most of the food trucks to date. <a href="dansgoodside.com/" target="_blank">Dan Clapson</a> is a food writer and culinary instructor based out of Calgary. He is constantly creating new recipes and striving to expand his culinary horizons. He thinks yam fries are overrated.
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