The Brisbane food truck has become a staple as the new takeaway option at events, parks and even car parks. Here's 10 of the best food trucks to flag down if you see them roaming around Brisbane.
Gelato a go-go
A love of Italian gelato and classic French motoring inspired Andrew Lucas to combine his two passions and create GELATO À GO-GO. Lucas imported his vintage Citroen H van from France, had it painstakingly restored, and fitted out with a gelato cabinet custom-made in Italy. He then partnered with multi-award-winning Maleny Food Co, in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland to supply the gelato which is made with fresh Guernsey milk from a nearby family farm and local fruit. Lucas serves up to eight different flavours of gelato and sorbet (in a choice of cups or waffle cones) and changes the selection almost daily - thanks to a massive 100 flavours to choose from at Maleny Food Co.
Fuel
Fuel is the mobile pizzeria driven by Salt Meats Cheese, the popular permanent fixture at Gasworks. The van has already clocked up some kilometres, doing a tour of capital cities and the Gold Coast before parking, at least until the middle of November, at West Village, West End.
Fuel serves up authentic Napoli-style pizzas, artisan cured meats, cheeses and brunch-worthy breakfasts by co-owner Stefano De Blasi says they have cooked up something special for the new SMC Laneway pop-up in West End, putting a special focus on botanics. Fuel's menu includes a range of fully plant-based vegan and vegetarian wood-fired pizzas with cured meats offered as adds-one while a cocktail bar serves custom drinks infused with Australian native herbs, and there's a gelato bar as well.
King of Wings
King of Wings was Australia's first American-style chicken wing food truck and is one of the most popular - it has almost 27,000 followers on Facebook, was voted Best Food truck in Brisbane 2018 and was Australia's representative at the World's Biggest Buffalo Wing Festival in New York. There are six 'flavours' to choose from - Bee Sting with honey sesame is a crowd favourite - but find them on a Wednesday night if you want to try the Sticky Ginger Plum. Yum.
Ma Petite Cuisine
Ma Petite Cuisine or, as owner and chef John likes to call it 'my little kitchen', where he cooks up French dishes served by wife Camille every Friday night at Boundary Street Markets, West End. Born and raised in Alsace in a family of restauranteurs for three generations John shares his culinary heritage in a menu of classics, including a Plat du jour, (dish of the day, usually slow-cooked and in a rich sauce), ratatouille, croque monsieur, beef bourguignon and a sweet selection of tarts and profiteroles.
The Bun Mobile
The Bun Mobile is one of Brisbane's first full-time food trucks and it continues to be a favourite, voted Brisbane's Best Food Truck four years in a row for its twice cooked pork, teriyaki chicken and wagyu beef classics served on Asian style steamed buns. Wherever it goes, crowds follow as its reputation has spread far and wide, thanks to praise from The New York Times which named it "one of the best eateries in Brisbane on or off wheels" and appearances on Taiwanese, Singapore and Indonesian television shows.
The Frying Piggy
Owner/operators Peter and Diana of the Frying Piggy take their inspiration from street food around the world with a particular focus on pork. Always on the menu are the ever popular Popcorn Pork, marinated with a house mix of herbs and spices, Cheesy Bacon Bombs (soft, stretchy and gooey cheese wrapped with bacon), and bacon chips and their signature home-made sauces - Tangy Bourbon BBQ, Spicy Korean BBQ, Smokey BBQ and Peri Peri Mayo - keep the fans coming back for more.
Vira Lata
Vira Lata is a roaming modern Brazilian and Portuguese street food kitchen on wheels, run by husband and wife Carlo and Taline who use secret family recipes and inspiration from their travels to add their own twist to some ethnic classics. Carlo, who has a Portuguese heritage, says the concept for their truck comes from São Paulo's sandwich culture with an 'extra gesture of care', hand-making many of their ingredients. Don't forget to order the piri piri or smoked paprika-laced Vira Lata fries with that sandwich or burger.
The Wiener Wagon
The Wiener Wagon is hard to miss - a brightly coloured, custom-built retro-style food van with its '60s tunes playing the soundtrack to your order. Owner Marion Mullan's menu is a mix of traditional German sausages and award-winning hand-made modern blends by local butchers served on freshly baked rolls. The foot-long cheese kransky, oozing with melted cheese and a little kick of spice, is the most popular order, with loaded fries not far behind.
London Spuds
Who can resist Prince Harry, David Beckham or Dr Who? Or maybe Adele is more your type - off the London Spuds menu, that is. Prince Harry, for example, is filled with tasty chilli beef, cheese and sour cream; David Beckham with fresh mushrooms and salad crunch; Dr Who with baked beans; and Adele with pineapple and bacon bits. The spuds are cooked in special English potato ovens and all served with pure butter and sour cream. You can also order vegan options or build your own combo.
Happy Soul Bowls
Even Happy Soul Bowl's bright yellow van looks like it's smiling and your gut will thank you too for choosing a Green Pesto Bowl, a Super Bowl or a Sesame Bowl from the menu - all boasting fresh green vegetables, avocado and things like quinoa tabbouleh, sesame, almonds, chickpeas and all sorts of other ingredients that are good for you.