
Quick guide to the 12 hottest Charlotte food trucks, right now.

Shout out to food truck operators Twisted Eats, Rico Acai and Roots, who I did not include in this list since they now have brick and mortar restaurants.
Bleu Barn Bistro
Classic American food with a focus on local farm-fresh ingredients from the Piedmont region
Must-try items: spicy goat grilled cheese ($8), pork belly tacos ($9), chicken salad wrap ($8) and their popular sunny farmhouse burger ($8, but add a sunny side egg for $1 more).
Sides: fire roasted beets ($4), roasted broccoli salad ($4), heirloom cherry tomato salad ($4) and pasta salad ($4).
Owners: Chef Tara Diamante and Chef Brenton Ebersold, who met at Johnson & Wales and launched the truck in 2014
Ratings: 4.9/5 on Facebook and 4.5/5 on Yelp
Find it: Follow on Facebook for schedule

Agenda related story:Bleu Barn Bistro takes food from farm to food truck. via Facebook

Sunny farmhouse burger ($8) – grass fed beef, mixed greens, heirloom tomato, pickled red onion, swiss cheese, whole grain bun, mustard. Add a free-range, sunny side up egg for $1.a via Facebook
Dumpling Lady
Dumplings and noodles made with Szechuan Chinese family recipe
Backstory: Owner and head chef Zhang Qian started The Dumpling Lady to bring Szechuanese home cooking to the people of Charlotte after moving to the U.S. in 2015. She became a vendor at the NoDa Farmers Market and quickly gained a following for her scratch-made dumplings from family recipes.
Dumpling options: pork & chives, sweet pork belly, chicken & mushrooms, crab & chicken, shrimp & chicken and veggie. The food truck also serves noodle and rice dishes.
Rating: 5/5 on Facebook and 4.5/5 on Yelp
Find it: View schedule on Instagram or Facebook. Usual spots include NoDa Company Store on Saturdays, One Wells Fargo for lunch on Fridays and Resident Culture on Friday nights.

Agenda related story: The Dumpling Lady brings locally sourced authentic Chinese cuisine to Charlotte. Photo via site
Papi Queso
Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
Grilled cheese options: Classic grilled ($6, add smoked tomatoes $1 / applewood smoked bacon $2), creamy mac and cheese grilled cheese ($7), pulled pork and onion mac and cheese ($9.5), mushroom and gruyere grilled cheese ($8.50), flank steak, onion and mushroom grilled cheese ($10) and french onion grilled cheese ($8).
Fame: Papi Queso Food Truck was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. “You’re a small food truck, but you’re getting all cheffy on it,” said Guy Fieri.
Famous grilled cheese: Pig Mac ($9.50) with heritage pulled pork, mac n’ cheese, bourbon onions and cheddar served on French Pullman Bread with sea salt & herbs
Find it: Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Agenda related story: 5 over-the-top grilled cheese sandwiches. via Facebook

My favorite grilled cheese from Papi Queso: French Onion ($8) – beefy wine-braised onions, poblanos, American and provolone served on French Pullman Bread with sea salt & herbs
New Wrap Order
Internationally-inspired wraps and bowls
How it works: Choose a wrap or bowl ($8.49-$9.49), meat or mushrooms (marinated chicken, sirloin steak, slow roasted carnitas or roasted portobellos) and choose your international styling — traditional, Mongolian, Southwestern, Dirty South, Mediterranean, West coast or Caribbean.
Fun item: New Wrap Order’s Wonchos (crispy wonton nachos), available in traditional, Dirty South or Asian style ($6-$6.50).
Ratings: 4.8 on Facebook and 4.5 on Yelp
Find it: View schedule on their site, Facebook or Instagram.

via Allie Papajohn as well as cover photo
Queen City Sliders
Sliders served on Martin potato buns
Top sliders:
- American Beauty slider — pickle, onion, ketchup and mustard
- Throwback slider — QC special sauce (homemade 1000 island dressing), pickle and onion
- Jalapeño slider — pickle, onion, ketchup, mustard, fresh jalapeño and cream cheese
Must-order side: Homemade “Waffle Tots,” crisped and pressed
Ratings: 4.9/5 on Facebook and 4.5/5 on Yelp
Find it: View schedule on Facebook or Instagram.

Agenda related story: Best burgers in Charlotte? 2018 definitive ranking of Charlotte’s top 15 burger spots
Lobster Dogs
Seafood served in hot dog buns or in avocados
Menu: Seafood “Dogs” are served in a toasted split-top (hot dog style bun) with a swipe of mayo and your choice of fresh chilled lobster ($15), crab ($13) or shrimp ($11) and then topped with warm lemon butter & special seasonings.
Avocado lovers: You can also get their stuffed avocado ($9) made with a fresh whole avocado topped with zesty black bean and corn salsa and pico de gallo, then drizzled with chimichuri and chipotle ranch
Ratings: 4.9/5 on Facebook and 4.5/5 on Yelp
Find it: View schedule here or follow Lobster Dogs on Facebook or Instagram.

Agenda related story: 14 places to get a lobster roll in Charlotte. via Facebook

via Facebook
TIN Kitchen
Tacos, sliders, quesadillas, nachos and salads
Taco options: Buffalo cauliflower, chana masala, chicken tinga, BBQ beef brisket, cilantro-lime shrimp and pork belly
Quesadilla options: Chipotle chicken, jerk pork, kim chi and three cheese
Number of Tin Kitchen trucks: Three. Truck names are Ferdinand (the bull), Wilbur (the pig) and Bessie (the cow).
Fame: TIN Kitchen is the OG of food trucks in Charlotte and has been featured in Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
Find it: View schedule on their site or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

via Facebook

via Facebook
Cousins Maine Lobster
Fresh lobster food truck franchise
Fame: Yes, this is the same Cousins Maine Lobster you know from Shark Tank
Backstory: After meeting Cousins Maine Lobster founders Sabin and Jim in Los Angeles, Chris and Caroline Papp decided to purchase a franchise. Their Cousins Maine Lobster food truck that hit the streets of Charlotte this past month is the franchise’s 20th.
Lobster options:
- Maine Lobster Roll ($16.95)
- Connecticut Lobster Roll ($16.95)
- Lobster Tacos (3 for $14.50)
- Lobster Tots ($14.50)
- Lobster Quesadilla ($14.50)
- Lobster Grilled Cheese ($14.50)
- Maine Lobster Tail & Tots ($14.95)
- Lobster Bisque ($6/$8)
Find it: Follow on Facebook and website

Caroline and Chris also saw our city’s popular food truck scene and wanted to get into that market. Photo via Facebook

Maine Lobster Roll (chilled with mayo, $16.95), Connecticut Lobster Roll (served warm with butter and lemon, $16.95). Photo via Facebook
Yummi Banh Mi
Vietnamese sandwiches, rice bowls and tacos
Bahn Mi, explained: Vietnamese sandwich on an eight inch baguette served with garlic mayonnaise, cucumbers, pickled carrots & daikon, jalapeños, cilantro, and choice of meat.
Options: BBQ pork ($8), lemongrass beef ($8), lemongrass pork ($8), lemongrass chicken ($7.50), Yummi tofu ($7) and sautéed veggies ($5.50)
Other options: Yummi Bahn Mi also serves Vietnamese rice bowls and tacos.
Ratings: 5/5 on Facebook and 4.5/5 on Yelp

via Facebook

via Facebook
What The Fries
Gourmet loaded fries and burgers
Loaded fries: Steak and shrimp hibachi fries ($13), steak and cheese fries ($12), cheesy fries ($10) and truffle fries ($8)
Dipping sauces: Garlic mayo, sriracha ketchup, house-made yumm yumm sauce (choose one, additional sauce $.25)
Basic fries: Seasoned fries ($5) and house-made tots ($6), you can also get 1/2 and 1/2 if you’re undecided.
Backstory: Founders Jamie Barnes and Gregory Williams were friends, roommates and classmates at Johnson & Wales University and eventually coworkers in a handful of different kitchens throughout Charlotte before launching the food truck.
Find it: Follow on Facebook, Instagram and here’s their schedule on their site.

via Facebook

Loaded cheese steak fries via Facebook
Ace of Spuds
Loaded jacket potatoes and potato skins stuffed with gourmet fillings
Must-try items: Cajun shrimp ($12), cheesesteak ($9) and Southwest avocado skins ($8)
Ratings: 5/5 on Facebook and 3.5/5 on Yelp
Find it: Schedule posted weekly here

Cajun shrimp potato
Passport Dough & Co.
Pizza food truck parked permanently at Unknown Brewing
Backstory: Mark Sung (of Seoul Food Meat Company) has partnered with Unknown Brewing to serve $13 pizzas with unexpected toppings like chorizo, tahini and chicken shawarma served on potato or wheat crusts.
Crust options: Russet potato, sweet potato, original and whole wheat
Pizza options: Italian (capicola, salami, pepperoni, basil), Mexican (chorizo, queso fresco, cilantro, crema, tomatillo, guajillo sauce), French (beef short ribs, carrots, onions, demi glacé, parsley), Thai (marinated chicken, coconut curry, Thai basil, cilantro, sweet chili sauce), Korean (bulgogi, jowl bacon, sauteéd kimchi, scallions), U.K. (rarebit, parsley), Vietnamese (beef pho broth, meatballs, cilantro, bean sprouts, basil, scallions, onion, jalapeños), Lebanese (chicken shawarma, caramelized onions, tahini, harissa, parsley)
Ratings: 5/5 on Facebook and 5/5 on Yelp
Find it: Parked permanently at Unknown Brewing Co.
Header photo of Bleu Barn Bistro by Chad Weeden via Facebook