It’s no secret that Asheville’s food scene is on par with some of the more well known culinary hot spots around the country. But what about a more casual dining experience? The culinary prowess and creativity is rampant in the Asheville food truck scene. Don’t miss out on the delicious cornucopia of meals on wheels that will make you one happy camper!
Out of the Blue Peruvian
This 5 star food truck serves up Peruvian fusion cuisine, unique to the Western North Carolina area. The dishes don’t hold back on flavor, pumping up the spice and expanding the pallet. With dishes like the Seco, a full flavored, cilantro beef stew, and the Empanadas, buttery, spicy, crisp and stuffed to perfection, you get an authentic taste of Peruvian fare. Everything comes with aji sauce and pickled onions.
Their wings most recently took 1st place in Asheville’s spiciest food fest, the 2017 Wing War.
Must try:
Pig in a Poncho
Wings
Seco
Out of the Blue
(828) 552-4511
Open:
Their truck schedule varies, but they are currently at Pisgah Brewing every Thursday from 5-9pm. You can find their weekly truck schedule on their Facebook page.
El Kimchi
Fusing the best of traditional Korean fare with Mexican street food, El Kimchi has struck a delicious balance with a big following. The menu is simple: with most of the dishes, you chose your protein (beef, pork, chicken or tufu) and build around that. The Bibimbap is a mixing of noodles, rice, veggies and a protein, topped with a fried egg. We recommend the beef- it’s tender, flavorful and melt worthy. The kimchi dog is another favorite- a beef frank, topped with avocado cream, bulgogi beef and salsa. And the Korean BBQ tacos? NOM. True to it’s name, the kimchi is on point and very popular. Add it as a side to your dish, or buy a pint or quart jar to take home!
1st place in Best of WNC 2017 Food Trucks
Know before you go: Arrive early to avoid the crowd, this food truck has a following and the wait can get long. The kimchi sells out toward the end of the day. Early bird gets the kimchi.
Must try:
Beef Torta
Bulgogi Burger
Tacos
Open:
Monday: Wedge Brewery 4-9pm
Wednesday: The Brew Pump 5-9pm
Thursday: New Belgium 11am-8pm
Friday: The Brew Pump 5-9pm
Saturday: Wedge Brewery 12-9pm
Belly Up
Belly Up food truck is a seasonally inspired, gourmet taco shop, offering locally sourced ingredients, crossing borders with multicultural fushion dishes. Paying homage to authentic street food, Belly Up offers fun and fancy, handheld delights that will have your taste buds buzzing. Items like the Chicken & Waffle taco and the Tater Tot Taco are just a few ways Belly Up has creatively brought tacos to Asheville. The tacos are sizable, with two tacos per person being a good bet.
Must try:
Gochujang BBQ Lamb Taco
Kalua Pork Taco
Belly Up Truck
Open:
Fridays: New Belgium, 11am-8pm
Saturdays: Catawba– South Slope, 2pm-9pm
See Belly Up’s Facebook page for other rotation locations and times.
Stay tuned for their brick and mortar restaurant, Haywood Common, opening in December in West Asheville! Here they will expand from tacos to plated dishes and small plates, while maintaining their seasonal style.
Bun Intended
Specializing in Thai street food, Bun Intended can make one helluva hot steamed bun! And who doesn’t love a good pun? Here, it’s all about palm-sized, Asian comfort food. The Bao and Salapao buns are scratch made and filled with delicious mixings of braised pork, chicken and veggies, along with chili and garlic pastes, oils and fresh herbs. Customize your warm bun to your liking, including the amount of spice, heat and flavor that you’re after. Don’t miss out on that lemongrass and coconut. Not feeling your buns? Go for the Chicken Satay and their Som Thum, a green papaya salad with fresh, marinated veggies. All proteins are sourced from local, organic farms in WNC.
Must try:
Pork Salapao
Chicken Bao
Open:
Tuesdays at New Belgium, 12-8pm
See Bun Intended’s website for updated schedule of locations and events.
Gypsy Queen Cuisine
You can’t talk about the Asheville food truck scene without talking about Gypsy Queen Cuisine. Owner, Suzy Phillips, helped pioneer the food truck scene back in 2009 when she brought Lebanese & Eastern Mediterranean cuisine to Asheville and lobbied to allow food trucks downtown. Since then, Gypsy Queen has been serving up Lebanese street food with local love. The menu is unique with traditional Middle Eastern foods like falafel, baba ganouj, and warmly seasoned lamb. The portions are plentiful and the prices are reasonable. The wraps are paired perfectly with the Lebanese fries: hand-cut, crispy, tossed in garlic aioli and drizzled with tahini sauce. If that doesn’t make your mouth water, then something is wrong.
Check out the daily specials on the website which include $5 Falafel Mondays, $5 Yum Yum Wednesdays and $5 Chicken Shawarma.
Gypsy Queen Cuisine placed 2nd in Best of WNC 2017 Food Trucks. Check out Edible Asheville’s Holiday Edition, featuring Gypsy Queen!
Must try:
Suzy’s Sampler
Lebanese fries
Fried Cauliflower
Kibbeh Platter
Kafta Platter
Fried Halloumi sandwich for brunch
House made lamb merguez sausage gravy with peppered buttermilk biscuits
Gyspy Queen Cuisine
807 Patton Ave
Asheville, NC 28806
Spartacus, the beloved food truck, runs only at local events and festivals. Not to fret! All the same mobile deliciousness can be found at their brick and mortar in West Asheville.
Open:
Monday – Saturday: 11am – 9pm
Sunday Brunch: 11am – 3pm
Farm to Fender
With a loyalty to local farms and sustainability, Farm to Fender gave Asheville it’s first mobile version of the farm-to-table experience. The menu is simple, local and delicious. This farm-style, American fare gives some kick along with the freshness. The menu changes with the seasons, but offers mouth watering staples like their juicy, award winning Brisket burger. Their smoked, then fried chicken sandwich with Sriracha honey glaze is also a crowd pleaser. Choose from sides like the Cajun Fried Brussels or Fresh Fried Chips. The Jicama Slaw is fresh and delicious with any meal! Their brick and mortar opened in South Asheville in 2016, making all that farm fresh goodness available in one place.
Farm to Fender won 1st place WNC 2015 Best Burger. We also loved their brunch so much, we included it in our 10 Brunches Under $10 story.
Must try:
Brunch Egg
The 8th Wonder
Tasso Brisket Burger
Farm to Fender
3080 Sweeten Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28803
Open:
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-9pm
Sunday 11-4
The food truck is available for events, intimate dinners, lawn parties and festivals. Check out their catering menu here. Check out the truck on Dec 7, 2017 at Nitrograss at Southern Appalachian Brewery.
Melt Your Heart
Gourmet grilled cheese is a no brainer. Throw in the creative concoctions of Melt Your Heart food truck and you’ve got the best upgrade to grilled cheese since tomato soup. With a variety of cheeses atop thick, crusty French bread from West End Bakery, each specialty melt comes with a side of Asian or Chipotle slaw. It will be Love at First Bite, which is funny because that’s the name of their melt with gouda, caramelized onions and house made stout mustard! Don’t forget their homemade Rosemary Lemonade in the warmer months, paired perfectly with any of the melts. Changing daily specials like the Cuban or Cali Melt. Budget friendly too, with Classic melt being under $5.
Melt Your Heart took home 3rd place in the Mountain Xpress Best of WNC 2017 Food Trucks and Top Ten Food Trucks through Buzz Feed.
Must try:
Fire on the Mountain
The Heartbreaker
Melt Your Heart
Open:
Thursdays at The Brew Pump 6-9pm
Friday at Wedge Brewery 12-9pm & Wedge at Foundation 5-9pm
Saturday at New Belgium 11am-8pm & Green Man Brewery 12-9pm
Sunday at Wedge Brewery 12-9pm
Find their weekly schedule on their Facebook page.
Salt & Smoke
Salt & Smoke is a husband/wife team cooking up old world European traditions with a classic Southern fare. You can find this duo in their permanent food truck at Burial Beer Co, on the South Slope in downtown Asheville. Each pushing the envelope of their craft, Salt & Smoke and Burial are a match made in heaven. The Koldt Bord is the best way to try their housemade charcuterie, offering a huge spread of meats, cheeses, pickles, mustard and a sourdough baguette from OWL Bakery. Pair it with deliciously crafted brews from Burial and it’s a date!
Feeling brunchy? Salt & Smoke offers a delicious brunch menu on Sundays, 12-3pm. See more brunchy ideas here.
Want more? Their brick and mortar, Vivian, is scheduled to be open in December (2017) in the River Arts District, taking over where The Junction once lived. Expect honest American food with European flare, an extensive cocktail program and imported European brews!
Must try:
Sweet Pups
Brunch Tostada
Braised Pork Belly
Salt & Smoke
40 Collier Ave
Asheville, NC 29901
Open:
Tues – Fri: 4 – 9pm
Sat: 12pm – 9pm
Sun Brunch: 12 – 3pm
Le Bon Cafe
A tiny coffee house on wheels, Le Bon Cafe is a cross between a food truck and a rustic cottage for coffee loving hobbits. Not really, but once you see the truck, you get it. Built by Rolling Roots Asheville, a conscientious green building company with a strong focus on sustainability, it’s the most adorable coffee house you will ever lay your eyes on. Brewing up coffee, teas and treats with local love. Mills River Creamery supplies all their milk and creams, and the hot chocolate is made from French Broad Chocolates. They get their coffee beans from a rotation of roasters: Larry’s Coffee, Penny Cup, Summit Coffee, and Mountain Air Roasting. Their treats include a rotation of fresh breads, cookies and brownies. (Check out our story on Summit Coffee here)
They carry a unique latte of sorts called golden milk, an ancient Indian milk with tumeric and ginger. It’s frothy, creamy and a golden yellow! Le Bon Cafe makes their golden milk in house with fresh tumeric and ginger from local farms, Rayburn Farm and Aardvark Farm. They also serve house made apple cider!
Must try:
Golden Milk
Le Bon Cafe
You can find them at various events around town and at RAD Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays from 2-6pm. Otherwise, see their permanent schedule below.
Open:
Monday-Friday at Sweeten Creek Antiques & Collectibles 7-11am
Los Tacotes
Parked at the Root Bar in East Asheville is one of the best food trucks you’ve likely never heard off. Los Tacotes has been credited by the community as having some the best authentic Mexican in Asheville. Their menu is simple: tacos, quesadillas, tortas, burritos and nachos. You choose your protein. The meats are slow cooked and melt in your mouth delicious! The tortillas are made fresh and each plate is garnished with a whole, grilled jalapeno. With $2.50 tacos, this truck will keep your wallet fat too.
It’s not uncommon for there to be a long line, so arrive early or call ahead to order.
Must try:
Chicken taco
Fish taco
Steak Torta
Los Tacotes
1410 Tunnel Rd
Asheville, NC 28805
828-424-5860
Open:
Monday-Saturday at Root Bar
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