Sample some of the best food L.A. has to offer by chasing down one of these amazing food trucks!
The food scene in L.A. is easily one of the best in the country. We have some of the most amazing restaurants around, serving every kind of food imaginable. There are even entire neighborhoods centered around specific styles of cuisine. But a new trend has gained major traction in the L.A. food scene recently, one that allows you to eat the best the city has to offer no matter where you are. Food trucks are gourmet restaurants on wheels, and they’ve started popping up all over the city.
There are way too many trucks to list them all in one article, so we’ve narrowed things down to the 10 best food trucks in L.A. that you have to try. Some are standalone trucks whose only business is what they sling from their window. Some are mobile versions of the city’s best restaurants. But there’s no denying that all of them are outstanding!
Whether you’re looking for a great meal while you’re out and about, or you want to chase down a certain food to satisfy a craving, this list will help you find the best meals on wheels in L.A. Any of the trucks on this list would make for a great family lunch or dinner, or an unforgettable after-school treat the kids can partake in with their nanny or babysitter. So fire up the GPS and start tracking one of these 10 best food trucks in L.A.
The Grilled Cheese Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule for up-to-the-minute stops throughout L.A.
Ah, grilled cheese: keeping toddlers and kids happy for as long as we can remember. But why settle for a boring old American-cheese-between-two-slices-of-white-bread grilled cheese when you can have a grilled cheese with macaroni and cheese inside? The Grilled Cheese Truck takes the grilled cheese sandwich and elevates it to a place that will please kids and adults alike. Their menu has everything from sandwiches with goat cheese and short ribs to s’mores melts for dessert. Of course, you can’t have a grilled cheese sandwich without tomato soup, so make sure to grab a cup for dipping. This truck can be found all over L.A. and its surrounding cities seven days a week.
The Beignet Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or check its Twitter feed for locations and times.
Looking for a hot, pillowy beignet without having to travel to New Orleans? The Beignet Truck has you covered. Their secret recipe makes the beignets light and fluffy, and of course, they’re very generous with the powdered- or cinnamon-sugar topping! You can even jazz up your beignet with a variety of dipping sauces, like salted caramel or raspberry. Don’t forget the coffee, which the truck serves up piping hot and strong. The truck can be found in Hollywood and Atwater Village on Fridays and Saturdays.
Baby’s Badass Burgers Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or follow along on Twitter for exact locations and times.
Sometimes you just need a burger and fries, right? Satisfy your craving for an all-American meal with one of the insane creations from Baby’s Badass Burgers. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill burgers. Bacon, blue cheese, an over-easy egg — the sky’s the limit for what you can pile on your Baby’s burger. They even have turkey and veggie options! You can also get the signature burger, the Original Beauty, in “baby” size for the kids. Add a side of curly fries, and you’ve got a meal on the go that you won’t soon forget. The Baby’s truck moves locations throughout the day, so make sure to check its schedule to find out when they’ll be in your neck of the woods. It can generally be found all over Los Angeles, from downtown to Glendale, serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Border Grill Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or check Twitter for upcoming dates and times.
Border Grill is one of L.A.’s hottest restaurants, putting a modern twist on traditional Mexican cuisine. The concept was dreamed up by Food Network stars Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, and the success of the bricks-and-mortar restaurant inspired them to take the delicious show on the road. The Border Grill truck serves up amazing tacos, ceviches, quesadillas, and more. They’re regulars on the streets of L.A. and also make appearances at some of the city’s community events, like the Rebel Rebel Concert Series at the Hammer Museum and L.A. Zoo’s Roaring Nights. Check the schedule online to find out where they’ll be, and head over for some gourmet Mexican street food. The truck can usually be found around Los Angeles during lunchtime and dinnertime, as well as at local events.
Cool Haus Awesome Ice Cream Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or follow them on Twitter for dates and times.
Sometimes you just need a treat to satisfy that sweet tooth, and with temperatures hitting the 90s for the next couple of months in L.A., a nice, cold ice cream sandwich is the way to go. Cool Haus takes the ice cream sammie as we know it and turns it on its head, with gourmet ice creams and fresh-baked cookies. Their flavors change daily, but they always have sammies, scoops, and even coffee floats! For current flavors, you’ll want to check their schedule online, or stay up to date with their Twitter feed. The truck can be found daily in Pasadena and Culver City.
Cousins Maine Lobster Truck
Location: View the trucks’ schedule or check their Twitter feed for daily updates and locations.
We know what you’re thinking: A lobster roll? Out of a truck? In L.A.? We’re here to tell you, this truck is the real deal for this Eastern Seaboard favorite. The menu is heavy on the lobster (it’s in EVERYTHING), but they’re known for their traditional Maine lobster roll: chilled Maine lobster with a little bit of mayo, served on a New England-style roll. If you’re craving seafood with a twist, you’ll want to try their lobster quesadilla or tacos. If you’re a New England transplant or just looking to see what all the fuss over lobster rolls is about, the Cousins truck is one to track down. With three trucks serving the L.A. area, they aren’t hard to find! The trucks can be found all over Los Angeles and surrounding areas, from Camarillo to Pomona.
Peaches’ Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or its Twitter account for updates.
Good Southern food isn’t easy to find in L.A., so Peaches’ has taken their home-cooked cuisine on the road. Everything is made from scratch, so eating at Peaches’ is just like having Sunday dinner at your grandma’s house. Pulled pork, fried chicken, country-fried steak, and coleslaw are just a sampling of what this truck serves up every day. Because everything is prepared fresh and made from local ingredients, the menu can change daily based on what’s available. So make sure when you check the schedule to find out where the Peaches’ Truck is parked that you also check to see what they’re slinging from the window that day. They can be found all over Los Angeles and surrounding cities Monday through Saturday.
Jogasaki Truck
Location: View the truck’s schedule or its Twitter account for updates.
Jogasaki has taken two of our favorite foods — sushi and burritos — and morphed them into one amazing creation. The Jogasaki truck is considered to be the the home of the original sushi burrito, and its take on Japanese/Mexican fusion has people lining up to get a taste. They serve traditional sushi fare, but their most popular items by far are those combining two food styles that have seemingly nothing in common. The sushi burrito, spicy tuna nachos, and salmon ceviche are must-haves on their menu. Check the schedule and get in line for one of L.A.’s hottest food trends. They serve up lunch and dinner all over Los Angeles and surrounding cities, from Burbank to San Pedro.
Kogi BBQ Truck
Location: View the trucks’ schedule or follow them on Twitter for updates.
While the Jogasaki truck is doing amazing things with the newest food-fusion craze to hit Los Angeles, Kogi BBQ has long been considered a pioneer of the Asian fusion food movement. Since Kogi BBQ hit the streets in 2008, they’ve been serving up the best Korean BBQ tacos you can find in L.A. Spicy pork or short rib tacos, Kogi dogs, kimchi quesadillas, and a daily menu of specials are just some of the reasons people still flock to Kogi for their Korean BBQ fix. They have three trucks that cover a huge part of Los Angeles and surrounding areas, and each truck changes locations three times a day, giving you plenty of chances to catch them and have a taste of the original fusion food truck.
CVT Soft Serve
Location: View their Twitter and Instagram accounts for daily updates.
Sometimes, keeping things simple is the best way to go. The folks who operate CVT Soft Serve know this and have made it their philosophy. They claim to have perfected a mix that results in the best soft serve ice cream west of the Atlantic Ocean. And with claims that bold, you’ve got to try it for yourself, right? CVT takes to the streets in its two trucks, Charlie and Frankie, to offer patrons the no-frills goodness of a simple soft-serve ice cream cone. You won’t find any fancy gourmet flavors or rows and rows of toppings here. Just vanilla or chocolate (or both!) served up the right way, swirled high on a cake cone. With the summers we have in L.A., it’s always a good idea to know where to locate the best cool treats on a hot day, so make sure you’re following them on Twitter or Instagram to find the truck when you need it!
