The Tufts student body is no stranger to meals on wheels: between Moe's BBQ Trolley and the Sweet Idea "Cookie Man," several types of late-night cravings can be satisfied by walking down Packard and Pro Row. However, the notion of a portable restaurant, highly popular for years in New York City where storefront space is astronomical, is sweeping the rest of America and Boston in a big way. Take a nod from reality television show "The Great Food Truck Race" or the local Food Truck Throwdown that happened recently in Boston. The fad developed into sustainable and profitable business models for restaurants Clover and Bon Me, both brick and mortar restaurants now that got their start in the food truck circus. Below is a round up of Boston's best food trucks and their typical environs.
Roxy's Grilled Cheese
"We don't make your grandma's grilled cheese," boasts this wildly popular food truck that believes in bacon, cheese and melted goodness. A sample of recent menu options include the "Green Muenster Melt" and the "Mighty Rib Melt" which are grilled to order and are far heartier than any white bread and pre-cut slices of American could ever hope to be. The pickings are slim, but some side items include truffle fries, soups, and a daily beverage. Frequented neighborhoods seem to be Cleveland Circle, Dewey Park and Copley Plaza. Sandwich prices range between $5-$7, definitely a few dollars cheaper than a New York counterpart. Be careful, however; judging by the devotees and cult-like following, frequenting this truck could quickly turn into an addiction.
Area Four
This Kendall Square shining star recently went mobile with a food truck that sells more of the locally sourced ingredients and food that have made it such a success. The Cambridge hotspot, a warm, cozy haven amongst the sterility of the tech high rises near MIT, got on the streets at the beginning of April with a black and white truck with a bold yellow "A4" emblazoned in yellow on the side. Morning pastries and coffee set this food truck apart, and an aim to compete with Starbucks for caffeine-crazed professionals is apparent. For lunch, the menu strays from the conventional slice of pizza to the piadina, a traditional Italian flatbread that Area Four employees liken to "a sandwich, sort of like an Italian tortilla." Currently, the truck moves between Dewey Square near South Station and Rowe's Wharf. Prices range between $8-$11.
Kickass Cupcakes
A Somerville specialty, this is another example of a storefront shop that decided to take to the streets of the greater Boston area with a cupcake-selling four-wheeled location. Unlike the most of the fare at a local grocery store, these cupcakes contain no artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. The truck maintains the same menu as the Somerville store, so you can choose from the standard vanilla and chocolate sweetness to the Ginger Peach Bellini, Caramel Macchiato or Lemon Meringue Pie. These gourmet confections cost around $3 and can be found most days at the Greenway at Dewey Square.
Bon Me
Bold, fresh Vietnamese food brought to you by an entrepreneurial Tufts alum -- what could be better? This fairytale story started with husband-wife duo Patrick Lynch and Ali Fong in 2010 when they won the Boston Food Truck Contest; since then, it has developed into a small restaurant series with three food trucks and a Kendall Square brick and mortar location. The food highlights the traditional Vietnamese fare sprinkled with some French flavors as well -- think a toasted baguette with pickled carrots and daikon, pork pate, and topped off with cilantro and cucumbers. There are also rice bowls and noodle salads, with complementary side dishes like deviled tea eggs and edamame. The menu appears about as full service as a food truck could be, with final elements like homemade teas and desserts. Bon Me could arguably be considered one of the healthiest food truck options in the area too, a reflection of the veggie-centric culture of Thai and Vietnamese foods. Prices range between $6 and $9.
Mei Mei Street Kitchen
The family team behind Mei Mei uses three phrases to describe their approach to food: Chinese-American, locally sourced and made with love. Brother Andy and his two sisters Margeret and Irene come from a diverse background in Boston clothing start-ups, restaurant managing and organic farming, but the bizarre melding of past careers produced the perfect food truck emporium. Recent menu samplings consist of braised beef dumplings, barley salad and bacon fried rice. The daily choices are limited -- they only have five or six items -- but cover an array of food groups and the team always serves up a sweet option like shortbread cookies and cranberry crumb bars. Prices top out at $7 for a heaping plate of dumplings. Mei Mei mostly hangs around BU, City Hall Plaza and the Greenway.
Boston food trucks rely on fresh ingredients and community to make for an urban institution. Most can be found on various social media sites like Twitter and Instagram, which provide information on location and entice and engage potential and repeat customers with delectable pictures of the daily fare. Warmer months mean more time walking around and longer days, so why not support local businesses and enjoy the beautiful weather by dining al fresco at one of these options?
