Summer to us means around-the-clock fun and snacking on the move. So what better way to experience the best of the season than with a food truck? Some of Toronto’s best restaurants offer on-the-go dining from Toronto’s finest food trucks, so you can keep the fun rolling without skimping on flavour.
While a few of Toronto’s top eateries have expanded into the world of food trucks, others have always been slinging their tasty plates from a truck window. Regardless, you are guaranteed a full flavour experience when you order from one of these restaurants on wheels.
Many of our favourite food trucks offer options for late-night eating and plenty of cheap eats, so we recommend making it a personal mission to try as many of these mobile meals as you can this summer. Keep on trucking.
12 of Toronto's top food trucks to hit up this summer
1. Communal Eats
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Named for the multiplicity of cultures and cuisines that come together in Toronto, Communal Eats dishes out a delicious blend of Caribbean and Canadian fare. Find Trini-style barbecue fried chicken alongside pork or jackfruit tacos. They’re also the inventors of the rum cake (black cake) waffle with fried chicken. When we visited, they were so popular, they had run out of almost everything, but the incredibly friendly staff went out of their way to make us the best pulled pork poutine (not on the menu) we’ve ever had.
2. The Food Dudes
In recent years, The Food Dudes may have gained more notoriety for their restaurants — Rasa, Sara and Blondies pizza to name a few — but we’ve been fangirling over them since they were just a humble food truck. Founded in 2007 by chef Adrian Niman and creative director Brent McClenahan, The Food Dudes was one of Toronto’s OG food trucks, and has even been credited with pioneering the city’s food truck scene. All that to say, they know how to feed a crowd and do it well. We'd line up for the crispy mac and cheese balls with San Marzano sauce, basil purée and pecorino cheese any day, and we love their crunchy fish tacos topped with guac, smoked sour cream, pickled red cabbage and scallions.
3. La Palma
What’s better than La Palma’s signature menu? La Palma’s signature menu — on wheels. Their food truck is fuelled up and ready to cater your private events (think weddings, summer parties and festivals) with delectable Italian cuisine full of local, seasonal ingredients. Mix and match your favourite dishes and create a custom offering your guests will love. There’s even a mini version of their famous 100-layer lasagna that’s guaranteed to be a hit. When they're not at private events, keep an eye out for their colourful truck cruising Toronto streets.
4. 6SpiceRack
Three words come to mind when we think of 6SpiceRack: fried chicken fusion. Their epic double-handers feature juicy, crispy fried chicken with a beautiful blend of Korean, Italian and Indian ingredients and flavours. The result is one epic meal that looks so scrumptious, it definitely deserves a spot on the ‘gram. While 6SpiceRack’s sandwiches might get the lion’s share of the attention, their supreme fries and bowls are unique menu options just as worthy of the spotlight.
5. Chaska
Inspired by owner Naveen Seth’s childhood in India, Chaska’s Adelaide brick-and-mortar location serves up drool-worthy Indian street food that boasts big flavours and fresh ingredients. Samosa sliders, pani poori, channa chawal and many more options hit the road with their food truck, ready to satisfy taste buds and appetites wherever the wheels stop (usually across from Nathan Phillips Square).
6. Buster’s Sea Cove
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What started as a humble stall inside St. Lawrence Market in 1992 has morphed into a franchise with a reputation for some of the best seafood in the city. Buster’s Sea Cove regularly draws line-ups at Toronto’s oldest food market, and with its menu of always seasonal catches, we can’t say that we’re surprised. But you can also catch (see what we did there?) halibut, clam chowder, swordfish and more on wheels from Toronto’s first seafood food truck. Look out for Buster’s Sea Cove and its tasty fish tacos at festivals all summer long.
7. Randy’s Roti and Doubles
Randy’s Roti and Doubles bills itself as the first West Indian food truck in Toronto. Founded by Randy Kangal, Randy’s Roti's iconic duo of food trucks dish out roti, doubles, oxtail, jerk chicken and other Caribbean classics across the GTA and Hamilton area. Randy’s Roti also offers halal and vegetarian options. With a brick and mortar location just north of Yonge and Bloor, you don’t have to wait for the next festival or go hunting for the curbside truck to get some of Randy’s West Indian street food.
8. Me.n.u
Pronounced “me and you,” Me.n.u food truck is all about fusion. Steak roti tacos get a sprinkling of pickled daikon; kalbi steak floats atop a mayo-smothered poutine; and raw ahi tuna does a tango with roasted corn and kimchi in a poke bowl. Me.n.u has come a long way since the rice balls it once offered — now, it’s one of the most popular food trucks in the city and offers catering for almost any event, from birthday parties to weddings.
9. The Kathi Roll Express
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“Unzip your tastebuds,” instructs The Kathi Roll Express on their website. We’re not exactly sure how to do that, but we can definitely keep an open mind when it comes to their bold fusion street eats. Mexican and Indian cuisines meet in packed butter chicken burritos, momos are served on cheesy tandoori noodles and baos get stuffed with butter paneer. While Kathi Roll Express’s logo remains a colourful food truck, they now have 15 brick-and-mortar locations scattered throughout the GTA, including one on Queen West. Catch their famous food trucks at festivals, events and pop-ups throughout the city.
10. Mustache Burger
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One of the best Toronto burger spots happens to be out of a food truck. Made from freshly ground beef daily, their gourmet burgers are topped with your favourite picks of bright and flavourful ingredients and sauces. Classic Canadian poutine is another big menu highlight, with Tex Mex, Greek and Inferno variations available for you to chow down on. They’re usually located near the University of Toronto, but if your order is more than $30 you can call them for free delivery.
11. Jacked Up Coffee
There’s a charm to the warm beverages that Jacked Up Coffee serves out of their vintage-style blue food truck parked inside the MetroCentre and Yorkville Village. But their coffee tastes just as good from their brick-and-mortar locations too. Order an espresso drink, hot chocolate or tea before heading into the office. For coffee, expect beans from Brazil, Ethiopia and Peru — and whole bags are available for purchase, if you’d like to brew some at home.
12. Arepa Republic
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When Luis Manuel and Veronica left their home in Venezuela in 2010, they probably didn't dream of becoming one of Toronto's most beloved food truck vendors. But since 2015, Arepa Republic has been doing just that — serving handmade cornmeal sandwiches to the hungry masses around the downtown core. Choose from the many delicious arepas on offer, like the 'Reina Pepiada,' a.k.a. the Polkadot Queen, named after Venezuela’s first Miss World in 1955. To dine-in and enjoy their Venezualan eats, visit their restaurant on Densley Avenue in North York.
