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Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on September 10, 2024.
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Like any major city in the USA, Pittsburgh is home to an incredible street food scene that is growing larger by the day. Between the dozens of food trucks, mobile carts, and dedicated stands, the one thing that holds true no matter where you go is that it takes quite the effort to find the best in a sea of mostly average establishments.
When it comes finding the best Pittsburgh food trucks we're up for the challenge, and to chronicle our journey this roundup was born.
This list is not a collection of every street food vendor we've tried in the city. Far from it. This list only features what we think are the very best of the ones we've visited to date (we're still working our way through many as well).
By the end we hope that you'll be hopping in your car to try something right away because each business featured deserves no less than your immediate attention and visit.
Burgh Bites
What can you say about a food truck that has the Pittsburgh skyline painted across the back of it? Well, if it is Burgh Bites, the food truck / catering company, you can say a lot. This food truck has a huge offering for its size and the nightly menu often features a selection of sandwiches, loaded hot dogs, and nachos with their homemade tortilla chips- a must try item that is among the best in the city.
Burgh Bites publishes their schedule on their Facebook page and menu page.
Pittsburgh Smokehouse
As a city, Pittsburgh is home to a growing barbecue scene that is significantly under-represented in the media. One outlet for barbecue that has been growing at an astounding pace is the food truck thanks to its ability to go where the people are.
We've sampled many of the new barbecue trucks in Pittsburgh, and most of them unfortunately fall into the common trend of having tough, chewy meats that were not cooked long enough to get the consistency we all know and love.
Thankfully, Pittsburgh Smokehouse is a rare exception to this as they produce melt in your mouth meats and a smoked chicken wing that is among the best in the city. For those who love it hot, be sure to add some of their Blast Furnace hot barbecue sauce on top to truly be lit up!
Pittsburgh Smokehouse often posts their location on their Facebook page.
Blowfish BBQ
Could you ask for anything more than meat coming out of a massive industrial smoker? Â We can't, and at Blowfish BBQ this is exactly what you're going to get. Â
The staples on the menu during our visit included smoked sausages and chicken drumsticks as well as a special item of barbecue ribs made with one of the most delicious dry rubs we've had.Â
A combo plate will run about $10 (the ribs combo was a bit more) and comes with two heaping portions of sides- making this food cart the best value on our list so far.
Blowfish BBQ publishes their weekly schedule on their Facebook page.
RedEye Bar-B-Q
Redeye Bar-B-Q is a Kansas City style barbecue truck that has been making waves with their impressive pulled pork and chicken sandwiches plus loaded mac'n cheese and tot dishes. The key on this one is the meat, and the tender pork with flavorful toppings makes for a powerful duo.
While the Big portions of the sandwiches are indeed just that, most every menu item here can also be served as a Li'l option for those who want a slightly smaller meal. A li'l sandwich and loaded tots? Or Big sandwich with l'il tots? Whatever you prefer, do one of each here!
RedEye Bar-B-Q posts their locations on their Instagram page
Blue Sparrow
Blue Sparrow is a food truck that serves up international food ranging from Vietnamese banh mi to Mexican tacos, kimchi grilled cheese, and even a burger made with a ramen bun! This one likes to put a bit of a twist on every menu item they have, so do not expect a fully authentic meal when you visit.
That being said, the creations of this food truck are quite delicious so do expect to have a tasty entree no matter what you get!
Blue Sparrow publishes their locations on a calendar on their website. Blue Sparrow also has a permanently installed truck at Dancing Gnome serving up artisan pizzas and some of their favorite dishes!
The Thyme Machine
If you're like us and miss Bitter Ends (closed 2022), you're in luck- a lightly affiliated food cart with similar style food, The Thyme Machine, is helping fill the void!
In a way, ordering from this one feels a lot like dining at the restaurant outright. If you go for breakfast, you have options of sandwiches like loaded bacon egg and cheese (one of the best we've ever had anywhere), seasonal specialty sandwiches (broccolini egg and cheese during our visit), unique donut flavors that change regularly (chocolate coconut anyone?), and pastries to name a few (like a riff of a poptart). If you go for dinner, it is loaded hoagies and sides much like we've come to adore as well.
Think all the best things from this farm-to-table restaurant but in a limited scope, outdoors, and on wheels. We'll take as much as we can get!
The Thyme Machine posts their hours and locations on Instagram and in 2022 is reported to take over the former Bitter Ends space for a permanent brick and mortar. It is unclear if the cart will continue to operate.
Revival Chili
What is not to like about Revival Chili? Their cabin-themed truck is adorable, their mission to help those struggling in the community is commendable, and their chili is simply delicious.
The signature bowls here come with chili over rice or cornbread and topped with cheese, sour cream, and other toppings and can come in either a cup or a bowl- with great portion sizes no matter the option you choose!
Revival Chili often posts their location on their Facebook page.
Mission Mahi
Mission Mahi is often described as a fish taco truck, but using that phrase would be doing this graffiti-laden truck a disservice. The more appropriate description for Mission Mahi's creation is a fish burrito, where the prized fish is served up packed within the massive shell.
The original comes with avocado, tomato, and sriracha mayo, and numerous other toppings available including Buffalo style and the “Yinzer” which, naturally, includes french fries.
Our only complaint about Mission Mahi would be that our burrito was significantly over-salted, but we're happy to try their creations again for the generous portion size and ample fish inside.
Mission Mahi keeps a list of their planned stops updated on their Facebook page. They also had a brick and mortar restaurant in Cranberry that has since closed.
PGH Po'Boy
With a truck name like PGH Po'Boy, you would expect to be able to order a po boy wherever they are. Unfortunately, it took us three tries at this particular food truck to get a po boy as the first two times we found them they were limited to gumbos and other non-sandwich products.
As delicious as the gumbos are (seriously, try it), the third time was the charm with this one where we were able to get a massive shrimp po boy for about $12. This sandwich was packed with shrimp and amply topped with Old Bay seasoning, a perfectly made remoulade, lettuce, and tomato.
The sandwich is quite large, messy, and the kind of thing that should be sought after when dining at a food truck as it sets the bar higher for everyone else. But if you wind up at this one and all they have is gumbo, do not fret, it is a worthy alternative as well.
PGH Po'Boy often shares their schedule on their Facebook page.
Taquitos
At its core, Taquitos is a no-frills Mexican food truck that offers options including tacos, tostadas, nachos, and a whole lot more. Pick your style, your meat(s), and your toppings and off you go.
While we think the tacos at this one are on the smaller size for the price, what we really loved here are the tostadas. These flat, crunchy tortillas are loaded up with ample meats and toppings, making them a wonderful value for their price point and the kind of order we'll make again and again and again!
Taquitoes often shares their locations on their Facebook page.
Las Palmas Taco Cart
One of my biggest complaints about Pittsburgh is the lack of good Mexican restaurants. This trend is being challenged with the addition of Las Palmas restaurant and grocery stores located throughout the city.Â
Ignoring the incredible offering inside these stores, Las Palmas also has simple food stalls located right out front of their stores and churn out delicious tacos for $2.50 each (with as many toppings as you'd like). Â
They're not gourmet. They don't come with the bells and whistles. But they are 100% authentic, and that is exactly what we crave in a taco.
Las Palmas has multiple locations throughout the city including in Beechview, Oakland, and Brookline. The above review was from their Beechview location at 1616 Broadway Avenue.
Even More Taco Trucks
Okay, so maybe we're exaggerating a bit when it comes to Pittsburgh's Mexican food scene because if there is one thing we have an abundance of, it is tacos (the rest of Mexico's authentic food… not so much).Â
On the street food side of things some of the best include La Palapa's food truck (an offshoot of the Southside restaurant by the same name), PGH Taco Truck, Vagabond taco truck (for more gourmet takes on tacos), Dos Reyes (loaded tacos with inventive flavor combinations), El Rincon Oaxaqueno (wonderfully seasoned meats here), and Taqueria el Pastorcito (get their Pastor tacos- they're legit and cooked on a gyro rotisserie!).
If you can't make it out to Las Palmas for the most authentic tacos in town, one of these will certainly do right by you depending on what you are looking for.
La Palapa periodically publishes their cart's schedule on their Facebook page.
PGH Taco Truck periodically publishes their schedule on their Twitter account.
Vagabond Taco Truck periodically shares their locations on their Facebook page.
El Rincon Oaxaqueno is often on 21st Street between Penn and Smallman in the Strip and posts their location on Facebook.
Los Gallitos opened in 2022 and serves up an array of tacos and burritos from their taco truck often found at area breweries and events. Find their next spots on Instagram.
Taqueria el Pastorcito is starting to periodically post their location on Instagram but you'll do well watching local breweries for updates as well.
Dos Reyes posts their locations on their website.
Colombino
Colombino checks a lot of boxes for us as a street food vendor in the Strip District. First, they import their own coffee from Colombia and roast locally. Second, they make a killer hot chocolate made from cacao. Finally, their arepas are divine.
In fact, we enjoyed their sweet and savory arepas so much that we returned for a second visit just 36 hours later.
The savory arepa we tried featured fried pork, beans, plantains, and topped with avocado (extra charge) that was literally overflowing from the crispy arepa. The signature, a sweet arepa, was a bit smaller (almost snack size) and was on a soft arepa and had a wonderful balance of sweetness between the plantains and guava jam. A perfect duo!
Colombino is located in front of Reyna's at 2013 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.
PGH Tortas
Tortas are an unusual Mexican dish that is almost best described as what would happen if you put traditional taco fillings on a bun in an effort to turn it into a sandwich. Sometimes this works, other times it doesn't, and it all comes down to the type of fillings and quantities that are shoved into the doughy container.
PGH Tortas is a local Pittsburgh food truck dedicated to this cuisine type, and on our first visit we are happy to report that this one hits it out of the park.
We opted for the Verde with Portabello mushroom, which featured a generous mound of mushrooms topped with a lime slaw, tomatillo sauce, poblano crema, black beans, and cheese. Had these been in a taco the shell would've been absolutely destroyed by the quantity of the filling, and the larger sandwich bun worked perfectly. We cannot wait to try more!
PGH Tortas publishes their schedule on their website.
Bridge City Brinery
Bridge City Brinery started out as a pickle company that made its way into the food truck scene with a huge following from the start. The menu here is sandwich-heavy with virtually all options topped with, you guessed it, pickles!
We were fortunate enough to try this truck not once, but twice in a one week period and we were able to sample The Crosstown (their take on a cheesesteak sandwich with shaved rib eye, provolone, and Giardiniera pickled vegetables), the Seoul of Pittsburgh (Bulgogi rib eye with kimchi mayo, Korean season fries, and Napa slaw), and The General (with 16-hour braised pork belly, TSO sauce, scallions, Kewpie mayo, and pickled onions) and they were all winners.
First, there is the bread. Bridge City makes its own bread in-house and has a delightful texture and flavor profile that screams homemade. Then there are the meats- think massive portions that really help justify the sandwich price tags (The General clocked in at $20 in 2022 but had more pork belly on it than any sandwich we've had around town). Then, there are the flavors. While the pickles aren't necessarily the star of any given sandwich, they certainly help provide a nice contrast to the meat focal points on each bun.
As virtually every sandwich here is so large that we could've split one and been content, we really have no complaints with the prices for the offerings here. But when we buy two, we will almost always plan on taking leftovers home with us!
Brige City Brinery posts their location on their website. Visit their new brick and mortar restaurant, The Brinery in Sharpsburg, for even more great sandwiches and entrees!
Mr. Nick's Fried Chicken
Mr. Nick's Fried Chicken came out onto the scene in 2021 and we tracked the small truck down in early 2022. During our first visit, the menu was what you could call sparse- just one fried chicken sandwich and chicken toddlers (tenders). So ordering here was pretty straightforward with two sandwiches served up in minutes.
The chicken sandwiches here offer a generous piece of fried chicken, an even more generous amount of pickles, and mayo on both sides of the bun. The simple (yet ample) toppings really let the chicken flavors shine and did not soggy up the delightful fry that the truck was able to get.
While we hope this one will have more sandwich options in the future, we have to admit they do this classic sandwich right!
Mr Nick's Fried Chicken posts their location on their Instagram.
The Sandwich Guy
If finely crafted sandwiches are what you seek with a focus on perfectly cooked meats, The Sandwich Guy food truck is for you.
This one prets their meats first by cooking in sous vide and then finishing on the grill. When we found them at a local brewery, they had options like a filet mignon sandwich with Meunster cheese, caramelized onions, avocado, and horseradish sauce and chicken with avocado and jalapeno cream sauce to name a few.
Not only were these sandwiches dripping with some delicious sauces, the texture of the meat was really hard to beat thanks to their sous vide cooking style. Perfect every time!
The Sandwich Guy periodically posts their locations on their Instagram page; however, it does not seem to be regular postings as of our visit.
Yinzer Dogs
On the surface, Yinzer Dogs looks like your everyday hot dog truck with a Pittsburgh specific name. While this one does boast a signature classic hot dog, they have other unique options like a Grilled Kielbasa (served on Italian bread), little pierogis known as Yinzer Bites, fries, and more- complete with a topping bar on the truck to really round out the experience.
We didn't quite know what to expect with the Grilled Kielbasa when ordering this one, if we are honest, but when it came out more like a sandwich with loaded griddled onions and peppers, we were instant converts. All the best parts of a Kielbasa but in an even larger vehicle of Italian bread makes for a perfect duo.
Yinzer Dogs posts their location on their website.
Alberta's Pizza
Note: In 2024, Alberta's opened a permanent restaurant on Western Avenue in the North Side. At this time we are not sure if the truck will be out in addition to the permanent space.
Alberta's Pizza is a mobile brick oven often found at one of the many Pittsburgh breweries. This one offers about five pizzas whenever they're out with an average price of $13.
During our most recent sampling we tried a pie with mozarella, sopresatta, honey, and chili oil which had a nice kick of heat and flavor from the honey. The crust is incredibly thin here, and while it does not get entirely crisp the bottom has a nice char and it all comes together for one really solid pie.
Alberta's Pizza shares their locations on their Facebook page.
Wood Stoked Oven
Speaking of pizza, Wood Stoked Oven is another mobile, wood-fired pizza oven making the rounds at area farmer's markets and breweries.
Much like Alberta's (above), this one offers moderately sized pizzas for an approachable price, and their pies (about five or six on the menu at any given time) include some conventional options like margherita as well as more unusual options including a pie with hot honey, pepperoni, and jalapeno- it really has a spicy kick!
We'll never say no to more wood-fired options in the region, so be on the lookout for this one when you're out as well.
Wood Stoked Oven shares their locations on their Facebook page.
Vitalia Pizza
Vitalia Pizza is another mobile pizza oven that should be on your radar, as this beautiful woodfired pizza truck serves up incredibly delicious pies all over the greater Pittsburgh metro area.
Ample toppings, delicious flavor combinations, and a perfect crust really make this one a hard one to ignore. But before you even get a chance to order, odds are good their beautiful truck will catch your eye before anything else!
Vitalia Pizza posts their locations on their website.
Leon's Caribbean
Leon's Caribbean is a popular restaurant with locations in Aliquippa and Pittsburgh's Allentown neighborhood that serves up some delicious Caribbean fare with some of the finest jerked chicken, escovitch wings, and more.
But did you know this one also has a food truck?
Many of the most popular dishes from Leon's Caribbean can now be enjoyed direct from their cart at area breweries with fixtures like oxtail, curry goat or chicken, fried wings, and more being available.
So if you are unable to make it to one of their physical stores, be sure to look out for the truck at a brewery or event near you!
Leon's Caribbean often posts their food truck location on their Instagram page.
• Traveling to Pittsburgh soon? Find a flight deal.
• In need of a room? Check out hotel and apartment prices.
• Don't overlook picking up a rental car or day tours as well!
The Pittsburgh Pie Guy
Is there anything better than a warm, buttery hand pie? If you answered no here, odds are good you haven't had one from the Pittsburgh Pie Guy- a staple at local farmer's markets.
The handmade pies from Pittsburgh Pie Guy are the kind of products we go back for again and again. Made from scratch with many options from sweet to savory, vegetarian to meat filled, you'll have to visit this one several times over to even begin doing the rotating menu justice.
So do what we do, grab a couple savory pies, a sweet pie, and feast!
The Pittsburgh Pie Guy posts the markets he is visiting on his website
Mr. Bulgogi
If you have ever thought Pittsburgh needed a Korean food truck, you're not alone. Enter Mr. Bulgogi, the truck that will satisfy all your desires for Korean fare.
This one focuses on all things bulgogi, which is thin slices of meat stir-fried with spices and served with rice and dumplings. The sauce offers a great balance of sweet and savory, and the price point is perfect for the amount of food you get as far as food trucks are concerned.
While you get three dumplings with every order, you'll do right by ordering more as the dumplings are fried bites of perfection.
Mr. Bulgogi shares their locations on their Facebook page. Get in early as this one often sells out. In 2022, Mr. Bulgogi also opened a permanent restaurant, K-Town Snack Bar in Oakland.
The Boonseek
The Boonseek came out onto the food truck scene in Pittsburgh in 2020 serving up a mix of Korean fare. Their specialty, Korean corn dogs, is what we originally heard about, but we were pleasantly surprised to find this one serving staples like Korean fried chicken, gimbap (oversized sushi), and mandu (dumplings) when we visited- all favorites from our travels in Korea.
Naturally, we ordered just about everything on the menu.
First, there is the corn dog. We ordered the namesake, the Boonseek, which was filled half hot dog and half cheese and the outside was topped with sugar and condiments. When you bite into this one, it had a savory/sweet balance going on which was a unique take on the corn dog.
Beyond that, the Korean staples were exactly how we remember. Crisp dumplings, generously sized gimbap, and the Korean fried chicken had a pronounced heat (without being too hot) thanks to ample amounts of gochujang that we detected. If there is a dish we'd order time and time again from The Boonseek, it'd definitely be this one- plus a corn dog of course.
The Boonseek shares where they will be at each week on their Instagram.
Gari Shoyu Sando Co.
One thing we love about the pop-up food scene in Pittsburgh is that some producers are getting exceptionally niche in their menu offerings. Gari Shoyu Sando Co. is one such popup that focuses on Japanese fare, particularly scratch made sandwiches using homemade shokupan (Japanese milk bread) and many great fermented items in the mix!
We found this one at a pop-up at Soju in Garfield and the sandwiches took Jeremy back to his time in Japan, particularly the Tokyo Drip (with miso cured beef served with an au jus) and the Yasai Katsu (panko breaded mushroom patties with koji cabbage) for their traditional flavors and subtle twists on classic dishes.
While these sandwiches are indeed quite monstrous, be prepared to devour every bite- these are so good that you'll likely not have leftovers at all!
Gari Shoyu Sando Co. posts pop-up locations on his Instagram.
Manduhandu
Another great Asian pop-up making the rounds at area breweries is Manduhandu featuring vegetarian and gluten-free Korean dishes!
Relative to other pop-ups, the menu from Manduhandu can be somewhat small at times (during our visit three dishes were available, for example) but a regular rotation of classic Korean dishes can be found like japchae, gimbap, tteokbokki, and of course the namesake mandu dumplings.
We found this pop-up at Two Frays brewing one week and were thrilled that the dishes came already prepared so all you had to do was walk up, order, and can be enjoying some delightful Korean food within seconds. The dishes are classically prepared, with the vegetarian and gluten-free twist, and hit all the right notes for those who love Korean cuisine.
We're told that Manduhandu's kimchi is also some of the finest in the city, but it sadly was not available during our pop-up, so we look forward to trying this one again in the future as we are indeed kimchi addicts!
Manduhandu posts popup locations on her Instagram page.
Sak Pase
Sometimes a food truck is so good that we want to go up and immediately order seconds. The Haitian food truck Sak Pase is one such truck.
This one serves up what appears to be a somewhat straightforward menu of Haitian entrees like chicken, pork, wings, and more with sides like rice, beans, plantains, and pikliz (pickled cabbage, carrots, and scotch bonnet peppers for heat) and some more unique creations like plantain nachos.
During our first visit, we opted for an order of the pork entree which came out with huge hunks of meat with a wonderfully firm/crisp exterior and some of the most sublime internal texture you could ask for. Throw on a wonderfully spiced (but not overtly hot) rub on the outside and you have the makings of what is truly a perfect pork dish that holds its own all without needing a sauce. (Others at our table ordered this one and almost wept like we did- it really is that good.)
Beyond this, a large order of plantain nachos is a unique take on the dish where large fried plantains replace chips and are topped with traditional nacho toppings and a protein of your choice (beef or chicken, sadly no pork offered for this one!). While this one was also quite the perfect bar food, we just kept going back to that pork as a dish we will order again, and again, and again. Don't skip this one!
Sak Pase posts their locations each week on their Instagram page. Note that this one is not terribly vegetarian friendly as all entrees contain a meat of some sort, but they are naturally gluten and dairy free.
Just Roll'd Up
If there is one thing better than delicious sushi, it is delicious sushi that comes to you. Just Roll'd Up is the latter and this mobile food truck can be found all over the city servicing breweries and coffee shops throughout the week.
At its core, Just Roll'd Up makes an array of sushi rolls that are hard to beat, but they go beyond just that and offer some more robust meals of poke bowls and even sushi burritos as well (go for the crunchy crab with flamin' hot Doritos if they have it- great flavor and a nice texture pop from the chips). So whether you are wanting a light snack or a seafood feast, well, this one has you covered. Just order extra here and thank us later.
Just Roll'd Up publishes their locations each week on their Instagram.
Mung Bean Pancakes at Sambok Korean Grocery
The outdoor grill at Sambok Korean Grocery in the Strip District is always busy on the weekend, and for those looking for something to eat you will do well trying out their stellar mung bean pancakes. Â
It is hard to describe these delicious treats, but if you follow the theory that something so odd must be good (like we do) then you absolutely must try these while snacking your way through the Strip District.
Sambok Korean Grocery is located at 1735 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.
Lucy Nguyen's Banh Mi
If you have not experienced the joys of Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, you are missing out. This sandwich starts with french bread and comes topped with pate or shredded pork / chicken, a mound of pickled vegetables, a spicy or tangy sauce, and a generous handful of cilantro. Â
If done right it is one of the best sandwiches you'll ever have, and if done wrong you may not want to try them ever again.
Luckily for you Lucy Nguyen does it right at her cart in the Strip District and a large sandwich is pretty cost-effective. If you spot her out and about in the Strip, do yourself a favor and buy one, or three, even if you just had lunch.Â
This one just may be the best street food in the city!
Lucy's banh mi stand has been recently spotted by Bar Marco in the Strip District. As of 2022, Lucy's has expanded to operate year-round plus additional menu items beyond banh mi.
Pub Chip Shop
You may know how much we love Pub Chip Shop, but what are you to do if you can't make it into their location in the South Side for dishes like Scotch Eggs and Boxty Tots? Well, their food truck just may come closer to you!
While the menu at Pub Chip Shop's mobile truck isn't as robust as the restaurant itself, we were pleased to see staples like the aforementioned Scotch Eggs, fried chicken tacos, and more grace the menu (with the fried chicken tacos being a truly exceptional standout- the batter is perfect). You'll hear no complaints from us when this one rolls up to a local brewery- when they go out at least. This truck seems to hit the streets a bit less frequently than others, so be on the lookout for when they are out and about.
Pub Chip Shop often posts the food truck location on their Instagram.
Malaysian Kitchen
Malay dining in Pittsburgh is horribly underrepresented, but the food popup, Malaysian Kitchen, is changing that. This limited pop-up features a rotating selection of Malaysian cuisine at each event they attend.
When we found them at a Novo Asian Market night in the Strip District, the menu featured a mix of savory Nasi Lemak (steamed rice with anchovy sambal, cucumbers, and egg wrapped in banana leaf) that was both savory and spicy thanks to the incredibly flavorful anchovy sambal, plus a spread of flavored desserts and cakes with unique fillings like pandan, cassava, steamed tapioca, and more.
We're told future popups may showcase other Malay dishes like satay, laksa, and more, and we're really excited to see how this concept grows to showcase delicious Malaysian food in Pittsburgh!
Malaysian Kitchen publishes their limited popup locations on their Instagram page.
Sahar's Food Lab
Sahar's Food Lab is an interesting food truck that focuses on sharing international cuisine not just from a single country, but many all over the world. Their frequently rotating menu is regularly updated and has featured dishes with flavors from Nigeria, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Iran, and so much more.
As such, this is one of those food trucks where you really should follow them on social media to see what inventive dishes they're sharing on any given outing.
That said, on our first visit we sampled the Palestinian-inspired Musakhan wrap with seasoned chicken thigh and marinated onions with Middle Eastern 7 spice and sumac and the Black Pepper Chickpea with Sri Lankan curry and absolutely adored how unique spices and seasonings really made the flavors pop.
These are definitely flavors you don't see all too often in the city, and we're excited to see what this truck comes up with next!
Sahar's Food Lab publishes their locations on their Instagram page.
Streets on the Fly
You may know of the international street food restaurant, Streets on Carson, in South Side. But did you know they also operate a food truck aptly named Streets on the Fly?
While this one has many international dishes and flavors on the restaurant menu, the food truck's specialty focuses almost solely on cheesesteaks, wings, Cuban sandwiches, and fries.
During our visit we sampled the Wiz Witt which featured shaven ribeye, caramelized onion, and cheese wiz on an amoroso roll. It was saucy, abundantly flavorful, and is on par with some of the best cheesesteaks we've had in the area. For good measure, we through on some confit chicken wings with a tangy dimsum sauce that were cooked beautifully and coated with a heaping amount of sauce as well. We'd return to this one for the wings alone, but we have to admit, a duo of cheesesteak and wings (plus beer if found at a local brewery) really is hard to beat.
Streets on the Fly posts their schedule on their Instagram.
Cilantro & Ajo
Cilantro & Ajo is a popular Venezuelan restaurant in the South Side that expanded operations with a mobile food truck!
During our first visit to this truck we settled on one of our favorite foods, arepas, and were not disappointed. This single order came packed full of black beans, plantains, and queso fresco, and the sauce on the side really helped bring all the flavors together. A must try!
Cilantro & Ajo periodically publishes location on their Facebook page.
Billu's Indian Grill
Billu's Indian Grill is the kind of place that makes you question why there aren't more Indian food trucks around Pittsburgh.
The menu here contains a nice array of appetizers, vegetarian entrees, curries, and more such that you'll likely need several visits in order to try them all.
On our first visit to Billu's we had a sampling of their spicy fried cauliflower (a must- it is truly amazing) as well as their chicken tikka masala with naan bread. The tikka is a bit heavy on the tomato sauce but is full of flavor, and the fried cauliflower is the kind of dish that will have us coming back for more time and time again.
The only downside is that with a menu so large we are not sure we can be guaranteed it'll be there. But with the quality of the food, we're oddly okay with it.
Billu's Indian Grill publishes their location on their Facebook page.
El Chucho
Guatemalan food is few and far between in Pittsburgh, but that is changing with El Chucho- a Guatemalan street and comfort food truck found visiting area businesses, breweries, and more!
This food truck has an impressively robust menu that will take us many visits to sample our way through. During our visit, we tried the Shucho (a Guatemalan sausage sandwich), the adobo chicken, and a massive tray of yucca fries that serves as an entree on its own right.
The sandwich is one of those comfort foods that will feel instantly familiar even if you've never had Guatemalan food. We started with longaniza for our protein on our first visit (and chorizo on our second, pictured) and it was topped with avocado, mayo, chimichurri, and cabbage with a beautiful balance of flavors that can only be described as addicting. All the best elements of a perfect sandwich can be found in this one, and suffice it to say, it disappeared quickly.
The adobo chicken was a more manageable size but came packed with rich and intense adobo flavors and a flawless cook- so much so that it is one of those rare exceptions where we would say, yes, get the chicken without hesitation.
El Chucho posts their locations on their Instagram.
Uni Ramen Bar
Pittsburgh could always use more ramen, and the popup Uni Ramen Bar is bringing just that!
Although the kind of ramen you're likely to find at this one could vary from pop-up to pop-up, they generally have several options available like spicy miso with pork and a ramen egg to a vegan shoyu option made from mushroom dashi stock.
While we are not vegans in the slightest, the mushroom dashi stock was by far our favorite element here as the broth was incredibly rich and full of all of those great umami flavors we love from mushrooms.
But, because this one is served vegan, we made a few adjustments to it- adding their immensely tender pork belly and a ramen egg on top. All the best elements in a single bowl here. (And, if you are vegan, still delicious without meat, we promise!)
Uni Ramen Bar publishes their locations on their Instagram.
Pure Grub
Pure Grub is another vegan restaurant pop-up that you're most likely to find at area farmer's markets. This one features a rotating menu of vegan entrees and desserts so you'll never know what to expect on any given day.
During our visit to the stall at the North Side Farmer's Market, we were able to order a combo platter of three entrees- an adobo stir fry topped with mango pepper sauce, tandoori stir-fry over brown rice, and Japanese sweet potatoes. Each of these dishes was exceptionally well seasoned and had a richness to them that you would have thought there was meat or other non-vegan ingredients in it (but there are not).
The real winner out of all of the entrees was, in fact, the mango pepper sauce which was an intensely fruity and heat-forward sauce that we simply couldn't get enough of. It is the kind of sauce we'd love to have a gallon of at home and would order any dish we could just to get a squirt of this on top of- it was that good!
Pure Grub publishes their weekly locations on their website.
Taqueria Acosta
Taqueria Acosta is a unique popup that focuses on fusing New Mexican style cuisine with tacos, burritos, tostadas, and more.
It is one thing to rave about this one for the sublimely tender meats and perfect integration of New Mexican chiles, but it is serving these delicious meats and peppers in a taco (and other Mexican styles) that makes Taqueria Acosta shine.
If you are looking for something a bit different than a taco, be on the lookout for when they offer tostadas. The crunchy tortilla and sky-high meats made for what we would consider to be a perfect bite!
Taqueria Acosta's locations are often posted on their Instagram page.
Polska Laska
We are not ones to say no to more pierogi and other delicious Polish fare in Pittsburgh, and at the pop up Polska Laska, you get just that.
During our first visit, we ordered two combo plates to try an array of loaded pierogi (with fillings like potato and cheese, mushroom, and more) and were delighted to also find it came with a full side of haluski, a hefty kielbasa, and more- all for a rather respectable price point.
Not only were the pierogi divine and some of the more delicious dumplings we've had in Pittsburgh (which is saying something due to the stiff competition), the ample sides had us eating leftovers for days. All the things we love in a great popup experience found here!
Polska Laska posts her popup locations on her Instagram page>
Cousins Maine Lobster
You know food trucks have gone mainstream when they start getting franchised and expand coast-to-coast, and one of the largest is Cousins Maine Lobster who made their Pittsburgh debut in 2018.
This one is all about lobster, and brings a number of reasonably priced offerings to the Burgh including two kinds of lobster rolls, lobster tacos, lobster tater tots, and lobster grilled cheese to name a few- all about $14-$16 each.
During our first visit we sampled the Conneticut lobster roll (covered in butter and lemon) as well as the lobster tacos which, while small, were packed with a generous amount of lobster proportionally speaking.
Just be sure to get a side when trying this one to make it into a meal (and if you have an extra $4 to spend, go for double meat)!
Cousins Maine often shares their locations on their website.
Gus & Yia Yia's
Gus & Yia Yia's is a Pittsburgh institution and has been serving shaved ice in the North Side since the 1930s.
But when we mean shaved ice, we really mean it as the small cart houses a giant brick of ice that is shaved by hand, topped with syrup, and served by the cup full for devout fans and first-timers passing by. Simple, sugary, and hits the spot while walking around West Park on a hot summer day.
Gus & Yia Yia's is a seasonal cart that is found on West Ohio street in West Park, often just next to the tennis courts.
Sinkers and Suds
We first tried this coffee and donut food truck at a preview event for the now defunct Pittsburgh Food Truck Park in Millvale (more on that below). We didn't plan on ordering anything from them since we got dinner from a few other trucks, but after eating we couldn't resist finishing our meal with something sweet.
This cute truck offers a variety of types of donuts (“sinkers”) – you can get them with a simple coating of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, a simple frosting, or you can go all out and try their specialties.
These include extravagant options like the s'mores with chocolate and vanilla drizzles with graham cracker crumbles or the cookies ‘n cream with vanilla drizzle and crushed cookies.
These are smaller donuts that come 13 to an order, and the best part is that you can split the order into two different flavors. On our visit we tried the sweet piggy as well as a fall special of pumpkin caramel cheesecake.
The sweet piggy had a maple icing and crumbled bacon, while the special was pumpkin donuts topped with cheesecake and caramel drizzles. The donuts were tender, light, and addicting, and the toppings were just the right amount of sweet.
Sinkers and Suds often publishes their location on their Facebook page.
Do you have a favorite street food vendor in Pittsburgh? Comment below to let everyone know about it! If we haven't been we'll be sure to venture out and try it right away, and if it ranks amongst the best we'll feature it in this article!
For more Pittsburgh articles, check out Food Truck-a-Palooza at the Monroeville Convention Center each January, our 365+ Things to Do in Pittsburgh city guide, or check out our reviews of the best Pittsburgh restaurants!
You overlooked Mission.Mahi, serving one of the best fish tacos this side of the Mississippi and service couldn’t be friendlier or faster. My favorite food truck in town. Check out their FaceBook page for locations for any given day. Just the best!
Edgar’s tacos in the strip!
Pgh Crepes and Pittsburgh Smokehouse…and while we’re at it, we need an app that collects all the truck calendars in one place, so folks don’t have to search individual vendors. Pretty please?
Pittsburgh Smokehouse has been on our list for a while, although we weren’t as impressed with Pgh Crepes.
I am on board with the app idea. If we hit it big with this site we’ll finance one!
There is one, it is called Mobile Nom. It started here in Pittsburgh. Shows the truck locations on it as well.
I’ve been hearing a lot about Mobile Nom recently. I need to download and check it out.
Gyros ‘n ‘at. The best gyros I’ve ever had.
Thank you! You can find us at the Brew Gentlemen Beer Co. In Braddock, every Saturday from noon-10pm!
Congrats youse guys! Gonna try ya out when we get up to da Burgh!! Continued success!!
I’m a Pittsburgher who is now living in Texas…but I still have a ‘taste’ for the ‘burgh!! I’ll be visiting in August and can’t wait to try some of the new-to-me street foods you reviewed . Dreaming of my longtime favorites: the Mung bean pancake and Bahn mi ! Great website!!!thank you
South side BBQ Company! Gotta try the Barba-cone!
I agree! I loved this truck the one time I tried it, have never seen it since! Anyone see it regularly anyplace?
Big Poppa’s Homecookin in Oakland!
The best we have tried recently is Blue Sparrow! We sampled quite a few menu items and they were all top notch!
You need to try Jim’s smokin que BBQ this is hands down the best BBQ in Pittsburgh. They own the Perrytowne Drafthouse and have the BBQ all of the time.
2 updates gor the above list:
– Gyros N’At now has fries on the trailer. You can order them on the side and add them to your gyro or try them on their Breakfast Gyro.
– The Waffler truck is no longer in service.
Thanks for letting us know, will update!
Amazing! Looks delicious. I’ll definitely follow your food recommendations if I go to Pittsburgh.
Please try Las Chicas for Mexican food. Family owned and operated. Really delicious.
Where can I find the food truck that serves the Barba-cone? Had it once and loved it and can’t find it again! Or a restaurant that serves that item?
You really should try pita my schwarma so that you can add it to the list.
Looking for the food truck where i had haluski last year at the jam on walnut coming to the burgh next weekend and wanted more thanks
Pattis Pastries Cupcake Trailer. Jumbo size stuffed cupcakes and Jumbo size Vanilla and Chocolate Lady Locks.
HUMMUS PITTSBURGH FOOD TRUCK!!!!
By far the best food in Pittsburgh! Awesome gyros too!!
Hoshi PGH has the BEST hibachi in town!
Hoshi has the best salmon hibachi!
Missing out on Good To Go food truck.. honestly the best one I e had in 2021.
The Pittsburgh Sandwich Society located in Strange Roots Brewery in Millvale!!!
Rollies Fried Spring Rolls has some really good Authentic Vietnamese Rolls
Udderly Fresh Rolled
Icecream dessert truck best in the tri state !