Do you remember the food-truck Renaissance of the 2010s? An explosion of mobile eateries rippled across Canada – licences in Toronto alone increased by 400 percent between 2014 and 2016, according to the Government of Canada’s Competition Bureau; in Vancouver, the number of permits issued increased from 13 to 95 between 2010 and 2015 – thanks, in part, to a new generation of foodie entrepreneurs who were thinking beyond your classic hot dogs. Inspired by the recession-era food-truck revival in the U.S., which started with Roy Choi’s famed Korean-taco truck, Kogi BBQ, it meant you could find highly skilled chefs serving up innovative, restaurant-worthy dishes that peo- ple wanted to seek out streetside across the country. The trend was slowing down pre-pandemic, but COVID-19 brought an unexpected boon. Food trucks made eating out and social distancing easy and encouraged a vibrant sense of community at a time when we really needed it.
Now, Canada’s mobile eateries have a renewed purpose; this summer, you’ll find fresh dumplings in Toronto, Nashville hot chicken in Calgary and Indigenous cuisine in Quebec City. Use a site like Street Food App or Roaming Hunger to find trucks that are open in your area – or just wait to see which ones you run into on the road.
Tacofino (B.C.)
With 11 bricks-and-mortar locations throughout British Columbia, it’s almost hard to believe that Tacofino started out as a single food truck in 2009. The OG Truck, as the founders call it, can still be found in the parking lot of Tofino’s Live to Surf shop (though they have others that appear at B.C. street festivals), serving up a selection of classic tacos and burritos as well as a range of refreshing drinks, including cans of kombucha from local brand Tofino Kombucha.
tacofino.com
Crack On (B.C.)
Vancouver’s Crack On specializes in sandwiches featuring what they call “the universally beloved and versatile ingredient:” eggs. The business also cures and smokes their own bacon, glazed with extra dark maple syrup sourced from Maples’ Sugar Shack in Squamish – try it in BLT or in their signature Crack Sandwich, which also has havarti, candied jalapeño, tomato relish and aioli.
crackon.ca
The Brownie Bakers (B.C.)
Mother-daughter duo Lily and Kelly Chau started their brownie truck in Fraser Valley in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing Lily out of retirement to pursue her long-held dream of selling bakes professionally. Choose between a lengthy list of signature brownie flavours like Espresso, Chocolate Sea Salt and Whisky Hazelnut – you can buy individual brownies or have them made into an ice-cream sandwich.
thebrowniebakers.com
Zilford’s Fried Chicken (Alberta)
Zilford’s Fried Chicken (a.k.a. ZFC) was born out of entrepreneur Parker Morrison’s love for Southern-style fried chicken. Calgary’s retro-style blue truck has a simple set-up: Choose your fried-chicken style (Popcorn, Tenders, Nashville or Sammie), sauces (Mild, Comin’ In Hot, Honey Butter or Lava Juice) and sides (Southern Parm Herb Fries or Corkscrew Mac + Cheese) for the ultimate comfort meal.
yycfoodtrucks.com
Meat Street Pies (Alberta)
British pastry chef Jonathan Avis and his wife Thea started Meat Street Pies in 2014, a “street pie” truck serving traditional British fare inspired by Avis’ favourite childhood recipes. Try the classic Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, Steak and Kidney Pie or Cornish Pasty – all the beef comes from their son’s Edmonton-area farm.
meatstreetpies.com
Tropezón Mex/Can Food (Saskatchewan)
Roberto Flores De la Cruz moved to Saskatchewan from San Buenaventura Coahuila, Mexico, when he was just 17. He returned to Mexico for culinary school, but eventually moved back to Canada, where he and his wife Valeria now operate Tropezón Mex/Can Food in Regina. This truck keeps it simple – tacos, quesadillas, churros and Jarritos are what you’ll find on the menu.
tropezonmx.com
Knapsack Coffee (Manitoba)
In Winnipeg, Quinton Anderson operates a full-service coffee shop out of his restored 1978 Boler Camper. Knapsack Coffee offers both drip and espresso, as well as other cafe favourites like London fogs, matcha lattes and hot cocoa. There are also occasional seasonal specials, like iced drinks for the summer and caramel apple lattes in the fall. Snag a punch card to win a free coffee if you anticipate being a regular.
knapsackcoffee.ca
FeasTo (Ontario)
Ada Mok and Cameron Pounder are food-truck royalty in Toronto. The duo started their Hong Kong street food-inspired pop-up, FeasTO, in 2012 and went on to win the Food Network’s reality contest Food Truck Face Off in 2014, prompting them to take the truck full-time. Mok, who grew up in Hong Kong, developed the truck’s nine dumpling varieties – think Crispy Shrimp, Sweet and Sour Chicken and the classic OG Pork. They’re usually served fresh, but during the winter, the truck delivers frozen-dumpling orders around the city so you can make your favourites at home.
feasto.ca
Casero Taco Bus (Ontario)
If you’re in Sauble Beach this summer, be sure to head to the Casero Taco Bus, a restored 1949 double-decker bus that was reborn as a taquiera in 2013. Casero (which means “homemade”) serves up a menu with all manner of tacos – though their specialty is the brisket variety, made with Ontario beef. You can also grab quesadillas, burritos and good ol’ chips and guac.
caserofood.ca
Little Havana Cafè (Ontario)
Authentic Cuban coffee is the name of the game at Little Havana, the “vintage caravan cafè and bar” run by Monica Mustelier and Joshua English. The goal was to recreate the Cuban-American coffee shops Mustelier frequented as a child in Miami, serving authentic cafecíto. Try The Little Havana, a double espresso with steamed coconut milk, caramel, vanilla and coconut whipped cream.
littlehavanacafe.ca
Saga Nomade (Quebec)
The cedar canoe on top of the Saga Nomade food truck can be spotted weaving through the streets of Quebec City every summer. Steeve Gros-Louis and Niva Sioui started their bricks-and-mortar eatery, La Sagamité – which is named for an Indigenous corn stew and serves cuisine from the Huron-Wendat community – in nearby Wendake in the late ’90s and have since expanded to the province’s capital with a new location and the truck. Choose from a selection of pizzas named for tribes of the surrounding area, like the Malecite (with duck confit and mushrooms) or the Abenaki (with a game-based spaghetti sauce).
sagamite.com
Sapré Charles (Quebec)
Local ingredients are front and centre at Sapré Charles, a Montreal-area food truck whose first priority is highlighting the province’s agriculture. Braised-boar poutine, Quebec turkey drumsticks and, of course, no shortage of fresh cheese curds can be found on the menu. And be sure to stick around for dessert, which includes fried maple cookies made with homemade crepe dough and raspberry coulis.
saprecharlestraiteur.ca
Mi Corazon (Quebec)
Vegans in Montreal must try Mi Corazon, the city’s plant-based food truck with a range of flavourful tacos and burritos on the menu. Try their signature falafel or “soyrizo” (soy-based chorizo) in either, or snag a vegan poutine. Don’t leave without perusing the homemade hot sauce bar for the perfect finishing touch.
micorazonfoodtruck.com
Beatz n Eatz (New Brunswick)
Downtown Fredericton (specifically, parked by The Lot patio at The Provincial Lounge) is where you’ll find Beatz n Eatz. – look for the trailer decorated like a neon beatbox, complete with nonstop tunes. Kanye Eustache and Amanda Michaud started the business in 2021 with the goal of combing their two passions – cooking and listening to music – and switch up the menu every few weeks. Popular dishes that are regulars include Dill Pickle Chicken Strips and Lobster Poutine (this is the Maritimes, after all).
instagram.com/beatzneatz.ca
Ol’ Boys Eatery (PEI)
This hidden gem can be found in Marshfield, PEI, offering a lineup of elevated poutines and signature “sandos” – think pesto chicken clubs, lobster grilled cheeses and a buffalo-maple fried chicken. Look for seasonal specials as well, like the new Strawberry Bruschetta sandwich with fresh basil and balsamic glaze.
instagram.com/ol.boys.eatery
Nomad Gourmet (Nova Scotia)
Emergency physician (and lifelong foodie) Sarah Lynn McLernon’s love of the ocean was so strong that she moved from her home in Alberta to the shores of Nova Scotia in the early aughts. When she’s not in the ER, McLernon and her partner, Jason Ranger, bring that passion to the Nomad Gourmet, their Halifax-based food truck, which focuses on healthy, sustainable cuisine. Menu items like breakfast burritos and tacos featuring fresh Atlantic lobster are served on ceramic plates to minimize the truck’s carbon footprint.
nomadgourmet.ca
Johnny & Mae’s (Newfoundland)
This St. John’s food truck goes by the slogan “extra napkins needed” – their specialty is burgers and sandwiches that don’t skimp on the sauce. The Big McKenna is their version of a classic cheeseburger, but other varieties (like the Dressed All Over, with – you guessed it – all-dressed potato chips) also appear on the menu.
instagram.com/johnnyandmaes
Perreault Food Truck (Nunavut)
2024 marks the third consecutive season that Perreault Food Truck – a family-owned mobile eatery specializing in all manner of poutines, from the classic variety to their popular Buffalo Chicken – has operated in Iqaluit. (Hint: the truck can often be found near the Nunavut Brewing Company.)
facebook.com/p/Perreault-Food-Truck
One of a Thai (Northwest Territories)
Northern radio station Cabin Radio describes One of a Thai as “something of a culinary legend.” This truck, owned by Sousanh Chanthalangsy-Bornilla, has been bringing authentic Thai food to the streets of Yellowknife since 2011. Well over a decade later, their signature pad thai sauce (made by Chanthalangsy-Bornilla’s mother) still draws lineups.
facebook.com/p/One-of-A-Thai
Bannock Slap Indigenous Soul Food (Yukon)
This Whitehorse food truck prepares all kinds of classic comfort foods – from pizza and hot dogs to spaghetti sandwiches and tacos – on bannock, the traditional Indigenous fried bread. The truck, opened just last year, is owned by Christine Lewis (Yukon’s first Indigenous food truck owner) and can be found at parks, festivals and other events around the city.
