Below is the everything guide to Boston’s food trucks, featuring new trucks for the 2013 season. Plus, tips on how to find your favorite trucks, and what to order at the 13 newcomers.
A4 TRUCK New!
Cuisine There’s no wood-fired oven on wheels, sadly, but a mobile version of Area Four is hitting the road. Not to be confused with the Kendall Square restaurant’s haute hot dog cart, the A4 truck serves sandwiches, pastries, and more.
What to get A piadina — an Italian flatbread sandwich — stuffed with La Quercia prosciutto, hand-pulled mozzarella, and arugula
Cost About $10 for a piadina, chips, drink, and cookie
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How many trucks 1
How to find it @a4truck
Brick-and-mortar 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, 617-758-4444, areafour.com
AMERICAN FARE New!
Cuisine Sandwiches based on regional foods from around the US
What to get Chicago: meatloaf with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and red sauce on Italian bread
Cost This Chicago costs $6.50, or about $300 less than airfare to O’Hare International.
How many trucks 1
How to find it cityofboston.gov/business/mobile
BAJA TACO TRUCK New!
Cuisine San Diego-style taqueria
What to get Try the California Burrito: grilled beef, french fries, guacamole, and sour cream. Top it with house-made hot sauce.
Cost $7 for a California Burrito
How many trucks 1
How to find it bajatacotruck.com; facebook.com/bajatacotruck; @bajatacotruck
BENNY’S CREPE CAFE
Cuisine Sweet and savory crepes (about 10 kinds every day), plus seasonal salads
What to get A crepe stuffed with Black Forest ham, cheddar and gruyere cheeses, sauteed mushrooms, and caramelized onions and drizzled with honey mustard
Cost Crepes range from butter and sugar ($2.50) to smoked salmon ($8).
How many trucks 1
How to find it bennyscrepecafe.com; facebook.com/bennyscrepecafe; @bennyscrepecafe
BONE DADDY’S BURGERS
Cuisine Creative burgers and fancy sides from the chef behind the former Go Fish truck. (Why the switch? Because they’re burgers. That’s why.)
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What to get A traditional burger with American cheese or chicken burger on heirloom-tomato bruschetta with local mozzarella
Cost Sandwiches range from $6 to $9, and sides — including Bacon Salt & Truffle Fries — will run you $2.50.
How many trucks 1
How to find it brothertrucker.biz; @bruthertrucker
BON ME
Cuisine Vietnamese and beyond. Choose a sandwich, rice bowl, or noodle salad, and top with whatever you like from the rotating menu of add-ons. In February, a sister restaurant opened in hot-hot-hot Kendall Square.
What to get The Bon Me Sandwich with Chinese barbecue pork
Cost $6 for a sandwich
How many trucks 2
How to find them bonmetruck.com; facebook.com/bonmefoods; @bonme; instagram.com/bonme
Brick-and-mortar 1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-945-2615
BOSTON’S BADDEST BURGER & SANDWICH CO.
Cuisine Burgers, dogs, sandwiches, and strawberry shortcake (hey, even bad guys like dessert)
What to get 12-ounce burger on Iggy’s brioche with cheese and sauces like the Baddest Homemade Horseradish Cream Spread
Cost Sandwiches start at $7.75; add a fried organic egg for $1.
How many trucks 1
How to find it bostonsbaddestburger.com; facebook.com/bostonsbaddestburger; @bbbtruck
BOSTON SHUCKIN’ TRUCK New!
Cuisine Seafood: The menu changes depending on what is being caught, but farm-raised Salt Pond oysters from Rhode Island are served year-round.
What to get Seared sea scallops on a grilled bun with bacon and cucumber wasabi sauce
Cost $15 for the scallop sandwich, which comes with a drink and coleslaw or potato chips
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How many trucks 1
How to find it shuckintruck.com; facebook.com/shuckintruck; @bosshuckintruck
BOSTON SUPER DOG
Cuisine All-beef hot dogs lead a pack of deluxe sandwiches and sides, including fried pickles.
What to get A Pastrami Dog (why yes, that is a hot dog with pastrami tucked in the bun) slathered with fresh-made toppings
Cost $10 for a dog and drink; add a basket of fries or two fried pickles for $4
How many trucks 1
How to find it bostonsuperdog.com; @americashotdog
BIRYANI PARK New!
Cuisine The Malden restaurant S&S Biryani Park’s Sri Lankan and southern Indian dishes
What to get Sri Lankan string hoppers: steamed rice noodles served with vegetables; chicken, mutton, or beef; and assorted house-made dipping sauces
Cost Get a plate of string hoppers for $8 — a deal considering they’re $10 at the restaurant.
How many trucks 1
How to find it biryanipark.com; facebook.com/snsbiryaniparkmalden
Brick-and-mortar 105 Broadway, Malden, 781-397-1307
CAPTAIN MARDEN’S THE COD SQUAD
Cuisine Fresh New England seafood from the Wellesley restaurant and fishmonger
What to get Haddock Sandy: lightly fried fish on a buttered, toasted roll with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar, homemade tartar sauce, and gherkins; comes with fries and slaw
Cost $9 for the Sandy
How many trucks 1
How to find it cmsfoodtrucks.com; facebook.com/codsquadtruck; @codsquadtruck
Brick-and-mortar 279 Linden Street, Wellesley, 781-235-3737, captainmardens.com
THE CHICKEN & RICE GUYS
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Cuisine New York City-style halal street food
What to get The Combo: lamb and chicken gyro over rice and lettuce with pita and white sauce. Or have a pita platter for 10 delivered to your office.
Cost $6 for the Combo, and if you bring your own container, they’ll thank you for being green with a little extra food for free; $25 for the 10-person platter
How many trucks 2
How to find them thechickenriceguys.com; facebook.com/cnrguys; @cnrg_boston
THE CHUBBY CHICKPEA
Cuisine Not much bigger than its popular 12-seat sister restaurant in Canton, the truck serves up homemade Mediterranean food.
What to get The Chubby Chickpea: falafel and shawarma wrapped in fresh laffa bread
Cost $10 for the Chubby Chickpea and a side of three stuffed grape leaves
How many trucks 1
How to find it thechubbychickpea.com; facebook.com/chubbyfoodtruck; @chubbyfoodtruck
Brick-and-mortar 588 Washington Street, Canton, 781-828-6868
CLOVER FOOD LAB
Cuisine Fast, organic vegetarian made from scratch by the Clover Food Lab folks. Much of the menu changes daily — even hourly.
What to get Right now, try the pimento cheese; it’s made with sharp cheddar, capers, dill, roasted peppers, served in a pita, and topped with pickled celery.
Cost Breakfast is $4 or $5 (with coffee) and lunch about $10 (includes a sandwich, fries, and drink).
How many trucks 7
How to find them cloverfoodlab.com (you’ll find links to the trucks’ Twitter accounts); facebook.com/cloverfastfood
Brick-and-mortar 7 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, @cloverHSQ; 1075 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, @cloverHUB; Burlington and Newbury Street restaurants are set to open in May
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COMPLIMENTS New!
Cuisine Fried pickles, free-range chicken sandwiches, and more new American comfort food
What to get Local grass-fed beef sliders on Clear Flour baguette with Vermont white cheddar
Cost $7 for the sliders, $12 if you add a side of sweet potato fries
How many trucks 1
How to find it complimentsfood.com; facebook.com/complimentsfoodtruck; @complimentsfood
THE COOKIE MONSTAH
Cuisine At least six kinds of homemade cookies daily, and 16 flavors of Richardson’s ice cream
What to get The double chocolate chip cookie with Oreo-studded Green Monster ice cream is a home run.
Cost Mix-and-match cookie-ice cream sandwiches cost $5.
How many trucks 1
How to find it thecookiemonstah.com; facebook.com/thecookiemonstahboston; @monstahtruck
CUPCAKE CITY New!
Cuisine Cupcakes from the Reading bakery, including low-fat and gluten-free options
What to get The Signature Chocolate is chocolate cake with chocolate chips baked in the batter. It’s finished with chocolate buttercream and dark chocolate shavings on top.
Cost From $2.75 to $3.50, with a daily special that runs four for $10.
How many trucks 1
How to find it cupcakecityreading.com; instagram.com/cupcakecityreading; @readingcupcakes
Brick-and-mortar 137 Main Street, Reading, 781-944-0400
THE DINING CAR
Cuisine Gourmet sandwiches served on freshly baked breads along with salads, soups, and sides. Sweet offerings include homemade apple-cider doughnut muffins.
What to get Honey Truffle Goat Cheese Sandwich: house-made goat cheese spread, greens, and toasted walnuts tossed with honey and truffle oil served on crispy French bread
Cost $14 for the goat cheese sandwich, a side of fried cauliflower, and a Sanpellegrino
How many trucks 1
How to find it diningcar.net; facebook.com/thediningcar; @thediningcar
FROZEN HOAGIES
Cuisine Ice cream sandwiches made to order with homemade cookies and small-batch ice cream from Chilly Cow in Arlington
What to get You can’t go wrong with chocolate chip ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies.
Cost Cookies are a buck apiece. “Hoagies” run $4 (2½-inch cookie and two scoops) and $6 (3½-inch cookie and three scoops).
How many trucks 1
How to find it frozenhoagies.com; facebook.com/frozenhoagies; @frozenhoagies
FUGU TRUCK New!
Cuisine Asian street foods prepared by a Chinese-born and Paris-trained (at Taillevent, oh la la) chef
What to get Kimchi bulgogi panini: marinated sliced beef and kimchi stuffed into a sandwich.
Cost The kimchi bulgogi is $8; a steamed or grilled pork belly bun is a steal at $3.
How many trucks 1
How to find it fugutruck.com; facebook.com/fugutruck; @fugutruck
GRILLED CHEESE NATION
Cuisine Serious grilled cheese with not-so-serious names like In Gouda We Trust (smoked gouda with caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms) and Nut Tellin’ Ya (Nutella and Fluff)
What to get Classic Boston Common: aged Vermont cheddar with local tomatoes and bacon on Iggy’s pain de mie bread. Add fresh-made gazpacho (summer) or hot tomato soup (winter), served as a “shot” or by the bowl
Cost Sandwiches cost $4 to $7.
How many trucks 2
How to find them grilledcheesenation.net; facebook.com/grilledcheesenation; @gcnboston
JERUSALEM FALAFEL TRUCK New!
Cuisine This Cambridge staple is coming to Boston in May with 11 kinds of Middle Eastern sandwiches, plus specials, salads, and soups.
What to get Lunch specials include lamb, beef, or chicken kebabs with rice and vegetables.
Cost $4 for a lunch special
How many trucks 1
How to find it dining.mit.edu/venues-menus/jerusalem
KICKASS CUPCAKES
Cuisine Let’s just say these aren’t the cupcakes you brought to school birthday parties.
What to get The signature Lucky cupcake is lemon cake topped with white chocolate butter-cream and candied ginger — it even comes with a fortune.
Cost $3 for regular cupcakes and $4 for the occasional “specialty”
How many trucks 1
How to find it kickasscupcakes.com; facebook.com/kickasscupcakes.fans; @kickasscupcakes
Brick-and-mortar 378 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617-628-2877
LOBSTA LOVE
Cuisine Expect a laser-like focus on the titular crustacean (it’s in everything but the clam chowder). These guys got their claws on the Best Sandwich award at last year’s Boston vs. New York Food Truck Throwdown.
What to get Splurging? Have a jumbo lobster-salad sandwich on an Iggy’s brioche.
Cost It’s $8 for a bowl of lobster mac and cheese but you may decide to drop $2, too, for a shot of lobster bisque.
How many trucks 2
How to find them lobstalovetruck.com; facebook.com/lobstalovetruck; @lobstalovetruck
M&M RIBS
Cuisine Classic barbecue and soul food like beef and pork ribs, fried chicken, and a slew of sides
What to get Ribs, ribs, ribs (there’s pork every day, beef on Friday and Saturday)
Cost A tray of pork ribs with two sides is $11; a pulled pork sandwich costs $5.
How many trucks 1
How to find it mandmribs.com; @theribtruck
MEI MEI STREET KITCHEN
Cuisine A rotating menu of Chinese-American street food made with local ingredients
What to get The Double Awesome
Cost $10 buys a sandwich and a cranberry dulce de leche-filled sweet bun for dessert
How many trucks 1
How to find it meimeistreetkitchen.com; facebook.com/meimeisk; @meimeifoodtruck; instagram.com/meimeistreetkitchen; meimeiboston.tumblr.com
Brick-and-mortar Mei Mei has a lease on a place near Kenmore Square that could be ready by late spring or early summer.
MOMOGOOSE
Cuisine Southeast Asian soups, rice bowls, sandwiches, and salads, with many vegan options
What to get Menu includes four “bases” (rice, ramen, salad, or baguette) with a choice of six proteins. Try the ramen bowl with Korean barbecue tofu.
Cost $10 for a ramen bowl and two crispy rolls
How many trucks 4
How to find them momogoose.com; facebook.com/momogoose; @momogoose
Monogoose.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Monogoose.
Brick-and-mortar Currently operating pop-up cafes at the tea shop Leisure Station in Kendall Square and inside the Davenport office building in Lechmere, the folks behind Momogoose say they’ll open in South Station in April and the Harvard Square T station on May 1.
MOTHER JUICE New!
Cuisine Organic, locally sourced, juices, smoothies, and vegan snacks
What to get The Emerald Queen: kale, green pepper, green apple, orange, cucumber, celery, and ginger
Cost Enjoying an Emerald Queen while strolling the Emerald Necklace will cost you $6 (12 ounces) or $7 (16 ounces).
How many trucks 1
How to find it facebook.com/motherjuice; @mother_juice
PARIS CREPERIE — LA TOUR EIFFEL
Cuisine Sweet and savory classics from the people who run the Coolidge Corner creperie
What to get Rosemary-infused crepe with brie, garlic-sauteed mushrooms and onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken
Cost $7 or $8 for an entree crepe
How many trucks 1
How to find it pariscrepe.com/la-tour-eiffel-food-truck.html; @pariscreperie
Brick-and-mortar 278 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617-232-1770
PASTA POT New!
Cuisine A family-owned truck serving up Italian specialties
What to get Meatball Mac and Cheese is a hit — they usually sell about 50 servings a day.
Cost Make it 51 servings for $8.75.
How many trucks 1
How to find it facebook.com/thepastapot
REDBONES
Cuisine Redbones has long served up fantastic barbecue in Davis Square (and via the Redbones Rib Rider delivery bicycle). Now it’s bringing crowd-pleasers to the streets.
What to get Pulled-pork sandwich
Cost Get a sandwich for $7 and add a side — including dirty rice or candied yams — for $2.
How many trucks 1
How to find it redbones.com; facebook.com/redbones; @redbones
Brick-and-mortar 55 Chester Street, Somerville, 617-628-2200
ROXY’S GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE
Cuisine Roxy’s came in third in Season Two of the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race with its innovative sandwiches.
What to get The Mighty Rib Melt with braised beef, fontina, and caramelized onions
Cost Melt away for $7.
How many trucks 2
How to find them roxysgrilledcheese.com; @roxysgrilledchz; instagram.com/roxysgrilledcheese
SAVORY FOOD TRUCK
Cuisine Chinese-style fast food, like roast duck and salt and pepper fish
What to get Shanghai pork with black mushrooms and bamboo shoots
Cost Entrees are $5 or $6.50, but join the frequent eater program and your ninth is free.
How many trucks 5
How to find them savoryfoodtruck.com; facebook.com/savory-food-truck; @savoryfoodtruck
SWEET TOMATOES New!
Cuisine This local chain has been serving Neapolitan-style slices since 1998 in Newton. Expect the same creative pizzas — along with salads — in the mobile version.
What to get The truck will offer cheese, pepperoni, and the perennial favorite Pesto Splash (garlic, basil pesto, mozzarella, Asiago, and diced tomatoes), as well as specials.
Cost $3 for a cheese slice, $4 for a specialty slice
How many trucks 1
How to find it sweettomatoespizzatruck.com; facebook.com/sweettomatoespizzatruck; @swttomatotruck
Brick-and-mortar 47 Langley Road, Newton Centre, 617-558-0222, and other locations,
TACO PARTY New!
Cuisine Traditional taco-truck fare plus vegetarian options.
What to get No one cries when they order the Tempeh Tantrum Taco, filled with marinated tempeh, avocado, cabbage, and green-onion salsa.
Cost Get two tacos and a side of brown rice and smoky black beans for $7. Add cheese (vegan or dairy) for 50 cents.
How many trucks 1
How to find it tacopartytruck.com; facebook.com/tacopartytruck; @tacopartytruck
THE TACO TRUCK
Cuisine Authentic Mexican street food
What to get Pescado taco: crispy catfish, red cabbage, pico de gallo, Mexican tartar sauce, and chipotle salsa on a flour tortilla
Cost $6.50 or $7 for a taco and a seasonal agua fresca
How many trucks 1
How to find it thetacotruck.com; facebook.com/thetacotruck; @thetacotruck; instagram.com/thetacotruck
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ROLLING ROUNDUPS
Boston typically sets aside space for just one to four trucks at its designated parking areas. Here’s where to go for more.
Greenway Open Market
Most days of the week there are single trucks at sites along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. But on Saturdays during the Open Market there’s a cluster near the Rings Fountain at Milk Street. Saturdays from May 25 through October 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (until 6 in July and August); greenwayopenmarket.com
SoWa Open Market
A fleet of trucks joins local artisans and farmers at this weekly market in the South End. Check the SoWa Open Market Facebook page on Saturdays for the next day’s lineup. Sundays from May through October, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; sowaopenmarket.com; facebook.com/sowaopenmarket
Food Truck Throwdown
On May 4, 18 trucks representing Boston and New York will battle for bragging rights (Boston won last year) on the Greenway between State and India streets. From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; free admission; foodtruckthrowdown.com
Food Truck Festivals of New England
Throughout the summer and into fall, Food Truck Festivals of New England hosts gatherings of varying sizes; check the website for costs, times, and exact locations. June 8, Cambridge; June 22, Worcester; September 8, Natick; September 21, Brighton; October 5, Falmouth; October 26, Newport, Rhode Island; foodtruckfestivalsofne.com
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FIND THAT TRUCK
>Most trucks post their locations, menus, and even daily specials and coupons on Facebook and Twitter (a few also use Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr), so friend and follow ones you like.
>Street Food App (streetfoodapp.com/boston) has a free website and free apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android showing the locations of trucks all over the Boston area. So does Roaming Hunger (roaminghunger.com/bos) for iPhone.
>The city of Boston maintains a website (cityofboston.gov/business/mobile/schedule-tabs.asp) with a schedule showing which vendors are in which parking spots.
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TAILING A TREND
Comparing numbers of licensed food trucks in US cities
Boston
54
Dallas
91
New York City
500
SOURCES: City of Boston, City of Dallas, New York City (500 is an estimate)
Stephanie Tyburski is a freelance writer in Arlington. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.