Top 10 San Diego Food Trucks

It's no secret that I'm a legitimately crazy person- just most notably when food trucks are involved. If I could eat at a food truck for every meal every day, I would without hesitation. I'm not quite sure what my fascination with the mobile revolution is, but maybe I'm just enthusiastic about any major trend in American dining and I happen to live in a place where it's nice outside constantly. Maybe.

Anyhoo, this list has been a long time coming for me personally. I'm sure that many, many people would disagree my list below or want to throw me off a cliff for not mentioning their absolute favorite San Diego food truck, but no matter. I've done the research (a.k.a. stuffing my face) as much as I can, and with my (limited) knowledge and (unlimited) enthusiasm, I've come up with what I think are the best San Diego food trucks around.

My somewhat loose criteria are things like a mix of menu options (creativity, number of dishes, rotation, etc.), locations (more mobility is a good thing), cost (over the top gourmet food trucks really might just be missing the point), taste (duh, but also very arbitrary), friendliness (you can tell the legit people who are stoked on what they're doing vs. those cashing in on a trend who carry the shit kitchen attitude to the streets), and marketing (some have got it and some don't. Not a dealbreaker, but everyone likes a fun truck gimmick). I didn't make an actual grading scale or anything. I just know what I like and have no qualms about telling you what you SHOULD like.

I'll also note that I personally tend to gravitate towards the more gratuitous trucks (sorry MIHO - I tend to dig cheeseburgers more than beet salads) and more savory than sweet, so even though there are some BOMB dessert trucks on there, I'm gonna lean towards the lunch/dinner ones and leave the dessert trucks to another post. Last disclaimer: I haven't eaten at EVERY SINGLE food truck in San Diego. If there's one that I absolutely MUST TRY and I really should kill myself for writing this without trying them, then let me know (minus the death threats, please). There's always time for Round 2!

Without further ado... the top 10 San Diego food trucks.  

10. Asian Persuasion
This truck is solid. Their pork sliders are seriously amazing, their sauces are great, and even their complimentary won ton chips with sweet and sour dipping sauce aren't your run of the mill stale chip shards so often served at shitty Chinese restaurants. There's certainly a time and place for cheap Chinese food (you know the kind- the farty, bloat-inducing, MSG-laden limp beef with soggy broccoli that you really shouldn't enjoy as much as you do), but Asian Persuasion hits it right every time. They really could work on changing up their menu a bit, and I've heard a few horror stories about working with them to arrange an event, but overall, top notch stuff. Definitely the best Asian food truck in San Diego.  

9. Mangia Mangia
Italian staple of San Diego. They're at every food truck gathering and their staff always has big smiles on their faces. There's no real surprises (ever) on the menu, but what you get it always stationary-restaurant quality fresh ingredients from friendly people. Two thumbs up.  

8. MIHO Gastrotruck
O.G. S.D. food truck. Everyone knows 'em, everyone loves 'em. As far as I'm concerned, MIHO speared the food truck revolution in San Diego. They are to San Diego what Kogi is to LA. They're all over the place, they give a crap about sustainability and local sourcing, and they are creative as hell on their ever-changing menu. A little pricier than run-of-the-mill trucks, and this isn't the place for gluttons (woe is me), but their marketing hits it spot on. Not to be missed.  

7. Operacaffe
Their meatball sandwich made me want to cry. Placing them over MIHO will be sacrilege for some (despite their excellent cuisine), but what can I say. I'm a sucker for them. I also tend to run into them more than other trucks, which makes me pretty brand loyal. Seriously. Get the meatball sandwich.  

6. New York on Rye
Most legit Jewish deli style sandwiches in San Diego since the German deli on 30th in North Park closed. They don't toast their bread (legit!), they have big ass pickles (legit!), and they pile their thinly sliced meat to the sky. LEGIT. Pastrami on rye and Ruebens are NOT to be passed up. Dammit. I'm salivating.  

5. Devilicious
Another San Diego fave! They're nationally known and adored, plus babes man the truck. My only qualm with them is they steer a little too far over into the crass gratuitousness with their signature butter poached lobster grilled cheese sandwich, but I mean, seriously? What's not to like? I'm SUPER bummed that their kimchi dog didn't stay long on the menu because OMIGOD, but you will never, ever, EVER be disappointed with ANYTHING you get off this truck. Plus, their logo of a baby devil eating a sandwich is rad.  

4. Mariscos on Texas
Yup. I gave a "roach coach" the #4 spot. Wanna know why? EVERYTHING HERE IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU'VE EVER EATEN. What they lack in marketing or even menu rotation is 100% made up with their food, plain and simple. Do yourself a favor. Drop what you're doing and drive to the liquor store on Texas and Meade. Park. Get ceviche. Also everything else on the menu. Do not trust the white man with your ceviche. Only trust Mariscos with your ceviche. Eat it. Order more. You'll thank me.  

3. Super Q
BBQ fans from the South, rejoice! Your time has come to SoCal on 4 wheels with Southern hospitality to boot. Best BBQ truck in San Diego. Everything is slow cooked and an extra bonus is they don't take forever to make it for you. It's not fussy and it's not rocket science. It's just damn fine eatin'.  

2. Hoangies
Banh mi sandwiches are maaaaaaaaaaaaybe my favorite food ever, so I'm perhaps a little biased on Hoangies. Nah, it's just that good. The menu is straightforward, and even though I have to admit that it's not the most unbelievably authentic banh mi in the entire universe, it does the trick and then some. It's family owned, they roll all over town, and it legitimately makes me weep when I see them. I'm ALL about Hoangies. I want everyone and their mom to patronize it. The people rock and are always super appreciative, plus they remember you! I may or may not have freaked out with ecstasy in front of them more than once (which tends to make an impression), but I think I bankroll them pretty hard so whatever. Fun fact: I almost wrecked my car when I drove by them one time, started screaming, pulled an illegal U-Turn, and then hopped my way across the street in glee. I. Fucking. Love. Hoangies. They ALMOST made it to my #1 absolute favorite food truck in San Diego spot, but there's only one other place that is higher in my heart.  

1. Tabe BBQ
Korean BBQ. Are there any sweeter words in the English culinary language? I'm honestly having a hard time not jumping in front of a car because I don't have a plate of sweet pork in front of me. Tabe's marketing sucks, they're hard to find, and their menu never changes. WHO CARES. It's absolutely, unequivocally, the best truck in San Diego, I'd wager it would give any truck in the country a run for its money. It gets overlooked because their branding is garbage and it honestly could pass for a roach coach, but it's so, so, so much more than that. I honestly pity you if you've never experienced the glory of Tabe. I VIVIDLY remember eating it for the first time and after my first bite I had a revelation. I've eaten some damn fine food in my life, but there are very few things that come close to Tabe. Tabe, I love you.

PLEASE feel free to recommend your favorite food trucks and dishes to me! I can always use a good excuse to check out a new place.

Eleven

Image from San Diego Beer Blog

If you're searching for a bar that really takes that extra push over the cliff, Eleven at 3519 El Cajon Blvd is the place you'll find it. The location has been home to more than a few bars in its day, but it seems that happy patrons have found a permanent home with Eleven's gritty feel and pleasantly surprising beer list, many nights with live music as well.

In my ripe old age of 26, I consider my self a bit beyond the dive-bar-excursion-for-dive-bars-sake, but Eleven is a bright anomaly in the dive bar beer business. I'm a huge fan of their 25 oz. Eleven Lager Big Beer Mug for $4 during Happy Hour ($5 regularly)- it's a standard lager brewed nearby and for the amount of suds you get it's by far the best deal in the place. Not to say that their beer list is anything but appropriately priced- for the selection it's well within range of really-cheap-to-still-pretty-cheap for anything available.

The thing that really gets my blood boiling (merrily) is their food truck parked outside. It's not so much of a food truck as just a mobile kitchen that I've never actually seen anywhere but outside the bar (I could be wrong, just my observation), but for the late-nite patron who craves something more than just the regular fried bar fare, in this foodie's humble opinion, the Eleven Food Truck boasts a small but solid menu. You can choose from two cheesesteaks or three burgers, and either regular or sweet potato fries (that's it), but once you've had the Fuego you'll realize you don't need anything else.

The Fuego is a stomach churning conglomeration of jalapenos, serranos, and Anaheim chiles on a slimy mess of steak (or chicken if you fly that way) topped with a heaping amount of pepperjack cheese and chipotle aioli crowned with toasted jalapeno bread and served with a side of their surprisingly tasty shoestring fries. I understand that the mere minion might not be able to handle this gut-wrenching, brain-puckering sandwich of ballsy greatness, but if you fancy yourself a crazed spice addict then this is most certainly the sandwich for you. Wash it down with one of the Eleven lagers and I fail to see how you are headed for anything but bliss (and maybe the shitter).

For $9.50, this sandwich easily feeds two late-nite munchers or one hungry daredevil, but my advice to you is don't forget the beer for a tsunami of relief. Eleven has a cheap and abundant selection, so when your eyes start to tear and your nose drips with sweat from the fiery goodness that is Fuego, point to the nearest tap and enjoy the ride.

Stout, San Diego

I've gotta hand it to San Diego- for a food lover, there's no place quite like it. For someone equally enthusiastic about spirits, it's unbeatable. Before this I thought myself an expert on culinary variety, and I'm sure there are places even more rampant with speakeasies, pubs, saloons as well as hole in the wall joints and white collar silver settings, but until I go to that place I'm content staying right here. Stout is a fantastic pub in the Downtown district that's large enough to accommodate a party of any size, and still dark enough to make you feel a little bit dirty and ready for a beer. Seemingly filled with hockey fanatics, they offer a wide span of sports offerings across countless HD TV's, but this doesn't strike me as a typical sports bar. Stout remains first and foremost an Irish pub, and one of the most popular across-the-pond experiences for San Diegans.



Typical Irish fare is served, along with some bar requisites like burgers and buffalo wings. However, how can you waste a pub opportunity by not getting a Reuben? With a Smithwick's in one hand, my eye on the Penguins, and a mouth filled with sauerkraut, there are few places I find myself as happy, or as full. Recommended for meatheads, hooligans, and drunks alike!

Stout Public House
1125 6th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-7933

Broken Yolk Cafe- Pacific Beach

As breakfast/brunch enthusiasts, we had yet to experience the oft-recommended Broken Yolk Cafe, which is known throughout San Diego as a great place to grab a diner-style breakfast anytime with an emphasis on quick, cheap comfort food. Quick, cheap, and comfortable- now that's speaking my language! As hunger tore through our insides one fine day in Pacific Beach, we realized our close vicinity to the fabled eatery, and decided to make a long-overdue stop there. The menu offers all breakfast staples, plus some hispanic flair scrambles and omelets, along with burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads. Nothing out of the ordinary for this place, and I hoped to find some good homestyle cookin' without all the unnecessary trappings.

What I found is pretty much what I should have expected. Nothing extraordinary, basic ingredients and assemblage, and my Rueben was exactly satisfactory. I WAS pleased with the inclusion of a side pepperocini with my sandwich! However, the omelets seemed to be the pride of the establishment, fully loaded with ingredients and toppings to create a mountainous effect of spilling off the plate. Ashton's Rancher Omelet (bacon, home fried potatoes, bell peppers, tomato, green onion, and topped with sour cream) was an experience in delicious, with perfectly beaten eggs, a generous amount of sour cream, and filled to the brim with fresh ingredients, crisp bacon, and some damn good potatoes.

All things considered, not a bad place to snag some breakfast. With 4 locations, they're doing something right, and based on what I saw I'd say it's attracting tourists who want to eat something they can get at home. Their slogan is "We've got Huevos", and it shows. I'd recommend sticking to the egg dishes, and skipping the sandwich/salad options. A perfectly average experience with the potential of being somewhat tasty with quick service.



Rueben Sandwich

Rancher Omelet


Broken Yolk Cafe
Pacific Beach
1851 Garnet Ave. Pacific Beach, Ca. 92109
858-270-YOLK (9655)

Eastlake
*884 Eastlake Pkwy. Chula Vista, Ca 91914
619-216-1144 (Village Walk Mall)

La Costa
7670 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, Ca 92009
760-943-8182

Gaslamp
355 6th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101
619-338-YOLK (9655)

Bread & Cie

It seems like Bread & Cie of Hillcrest is the San Diego equivalent of Billy Bread in Richmond. Warm bread, crisp outside, fluffy inside, with a wide variety and carried in many local restaurants as their bread of choice. We've had Bread & Cie products in a few places around here, and often buy a loaf of either the Rosemary and Olive Oil bread of Goat Cheese and Garlic at the Hillcrest Farmer's Market to get us through the week. I craved a delicious sandwich yesterday, so we finally made the trek over to the mother lode on University to get to the good stuff. It was insanely crowded, which means it must be good, and the menu looked spectacular. Ashton opted for the Imported Mozzarella: focaccia bread with roasted red peppers, olive tapenade, red onions & mixed greens, and I got the California Panini (provolone, salami, kalamata tapenade, fresh tomatoes, and a side of cucumbers). We snagged a spot outside on the sidewalk and drooled over the other customer's selections until it was finally our turn to munch.





Of course I didn't bring my good camera, but I'd wager these pictures are still drool-inducing in their own right. Unfortunately, the menu link above is woefully incomplete, but this just means to get even more delicious options you'll have to go in there and check it out directly. Besides just providing bread to local restaurants and markets and running the small cafe inside, they also offer catering and lunch box options for the busy businessperson who craves something other than the vending machine. Maybe one day I will work closer to home and will be able to enjoy these treats mid-week! Until then, I am envious of everyone who gets to enjoy this bread daily.

lunch today

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the most happy bagel sandwich in all the land.