Following dreams to be their own boss and create truly personal menus, an ever-changing cast populates the Des Moinesmetro's food truck scene.
The past year has seen familiar names like Big Acai Bowls, Taza Mediterranean Grill and The Hole Shabang transition to brick-and-mortar locations, while popular vendors like The Big Red Food Truck have pivoted exclusively to catering assignments.
But new vendorshave emerged to take their place, and other stalwarts soldier on. This list of long-term road warriors and ambitious new concepts emphasizesfull-time mobile trucks, not caterers and event specialists, and owners who make it relatively easy for customers to find their next destination. So, be adventurous, skip the chain restaurants and place your order at the window. Tips are always appreciated.
515 Pi
Discover “pizza is happiness” at this admired veteran of the food truck scene. Owner Brad Bormann places an emphasis on quality ingredients and unique topping combinations for his evolving personal pan pizza menu. Each pizza is cooked to order. Specials have included a bacon-and-bleu cheese pie with Alfredo sauce and the popular "Popeye" made with chicken and, of course, a helping of spinach.
(515) 975-2206; 515pi.com; facebook.com/515Pi
Bearded Jackal
Only a few months old, the Bearded Jackal reaches around the globe to find inspiration for its imaginative menu. Joining wraps, sandwiches and soups, recent menu selections have included skirt steak with chimichurri skewers, Thai curry basil chicken burritos andYucatan pulled pork and bulgogi with a spicy sesame sauce.
Chicken Heat
There are few dining crazes with more current buzz than Nashville hot chicken and Chicken Heat regularly sells out its inventory of butter-toasted brioche sandwiches and tenders. Spice up your meal with heat levels ranging from an easy-going mild to the bracing XXX level.
(515) 318-3715; chickenheat.com;facebook.com/flameonheat
Chamo
Weekends are the best time to find this jet-black truck, serving a Venezuelan-inspired menu specializing in traditional arepas, black beans and plantains,plustequeños, Chamo’s spin on a fried cheese stick.
Dough Crazy
“Follow the camper” on Dough Crazy’s website for all its truck's latest travelsas the edible cookie dough experts with a downtown store maintain a steady schedule serving on the road. Get in line for scoops of safe-to-eat dough, ice creamand push pops, with new flavors added monthly.
(515) 661-9287; doughcrazydsm.com; facebook.com/doughcrazydsm
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Flame New American Cuisine
A fusion menu with plenty of sizzle, Flame’s take on familiar classics has recently included a Mexican grain bowl, chicken street tacos, Asian steak wraps, roasted corn salsa,a pico de gallo southwest salad and the “smokey, spicy, and cheesy” Flame burger.
(515) 205-6912; flamethefoodtruck.square.site;facebook.com/flamethefoodtruck
More:Metro Des Moines food trucks adapt to changing conditions as they ride out the pandemic
Ferinheit Wood Oven Pizza
Watch your individual 8-inch pizzas rise inside Ferinheit’s genuine wood oven. Based in Norwalk, the family-owned pizza-packing trailer has been on the road since 2015, cooking standard pies and a roster of gourmet creations, including the Iowan,upgraded with smoked pork loin and bacon, and the showstopper popper, stacked with jalapenos, cream cheese and crispy won tons.
(515) 339-3420;ferinheit.com;facebook.com/ferinheitwop
Gorditas Rosi
Habit might leadyou to reach for tacos, burritos, tortas, or quesadillas, but it’s the namesake, handmade, stuffed specialty at Gorditas Rosi that should be part of your first-time order. With a name derived from the Spanish term for“chubby,”gorditas can be orderedfilled with fried pork rinds, potatoes, shredded beef and chicken. And don’t overlook the classic lengua (tongue) in salsa verde.
(515) 537-0205; facebook.com/GORDITASROSI
Grandpa’s Waffles
This mobile dessert shop begins each order with sweet dough Liege waffles, served with or without cinnamon sugar, then goes wild with the toppings. Load up with whipped cream made fresh every day and add syrupy strawberries, peanut butter and grape jelly, apple slices and hot fudge, or savor the Birthday Cake,frosted with cream cheese and lots of sprinkles.
facebook.com/grandpaswafflesfoodtruck
Grumpy J’s
Look beyond Grumpy J’s humorously testy mascot and eat your way to dining happiness“two sliders at a time.” Pair mini burgers with baked beans and the house special grumpy fries and choose from a menu of crabby meat, tortilla encrusted tilapia, steak burger, Fireball BBQ pulled pork, Drunken Chickenandplant-based veggie sliders.
(515) 778-7236; grumpyjs.com; facebook.com/Grumpy-Js-Gourmet-Sliders
Heisenberg Mediterranean Food
Gaining a loyal following for its menu of Mediterranean favorites, the Heisenberg truck serves chicken and beef shawarma, falafel wraps, hummus, baba ghanoush, egg rolls, baklava and its own version of a butter burger. Check on Facebook to confirm the popular truck is at its usual Clive home base.
(515) 525-7119; heisenberg-shawarma-grill.business.site; facebook.com/heisenberg.FoodTruck
Hot Off The Presses
Cheese fans rejoice. Fresh to the scene, Hot Off The Presses serves a compact collection of grilled cheese and panini sandwiches. Named after famous newspapers, the paninis include an Italian-inspired eggplant, provolone and sun-dried tomato pesto productionand the sourdough Le Parisien, made with ham, brie, apples and red wine caramel. Plus, gooey in a good way, there are grilled meat and cheese sandwich creations.
(515) 491-9982;facebook.com/HotOffThePressesDSM
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Hotsy Totsy
Proudly dubbing itself, the tastiest "tot" truck in the metro, Hotsy Totsy elevates a humble side dish to the next level, loading up its potatoes with ingredients including smoked beef brisket, Parmesan cheese and truffle oil, Maytag blue cheese, and buffalo chicken. The menu keeps evolving and alsohas offered sandwiches, burgers and quesadillas.
thehotsytotsy.com; facebook.com/Hotsy-Totsy-Food-Truck
Jose's Tacos
Usually found at 1525 E. Grand Ave.,Jose’s Taco has amenu that highlights burritos, huaraches and quesadillas, plus its crave-able tortas, sandwiches filled with ham, marinated pork, breaded steak and chicken. Other hearty options include loaded potatoes, and among Jose'sburger recipes is the Pancho Villa,prepared with chorizo, cheese and chile poblano.
(515) 868-7448; sites.google.com/view/josestacos/home; facebook.com/JosesTacos75
Karam's Grill
For years, Hamid Karam has been serving the customers who wait patiently in line outside his lime-green truck. His Mediterranean and Moroccan-inspired dishes include the vegetarian falafel quesadilla, lamb and beef gyros, and a chicken shawarma wrap. He also offers mini-meals for kids and handmade baklava for dessert.
(515) 525-3888;karamsgrill.com;facebook.com/chinoadamo
Kona Ice of Ames & Ankeny
It’s a national franchise, but the Kona Ice truck zips around the region like a local. Customers are handed a cup of shaved ice and then choose their own flavors fromdispensers on the side of the truck. Taste medleys have included blue coconut, pink bubble gum, cheesecake and buttered beer.
Contact: (515) 835-3080; kona-ice.com;facebook.com/KonaIceofCentralIowa
La Rancherita
Usuallyfound at 4502 S.E. 14th St.next to a handful of convenient parking spaces, La Rancherita’s orange truck has earned a loyal customer following for lunch and dinner. Take your pick of tacos, tortas, burritos, tamales, quesadillas, gorditas, enchiladas and flautas, and choose from ingredients including steak, chicken, spicy pork and chorizo.
(515) 554-9979; larancheritadms.com; facebook.com/La-Rancherita-food-truck
Magoo's Pizza DSM
Dubuque-born, Magoo's Pizza operates a dedicated Des Moines food truck, pulling made-to-order, thin crust pizza out of its oven within minutes. Build-your-own pieor sample the house combinations including the feta cheese-topped Greek pizza, plus chicken Alfredo, Hawaiian and barbecue chicken specialties. Pizzas also are available withgluten-free dough and vegan cheese.
(515) 776-7922;magoopizza.com;facebook.com/magoospizzadsm
Mema's Italian Grinders
Decorated with a hard-to-miss painted tribute to owner Chad Cline's grandmother, Helen, Mema's Italian Grinders food truck has won the love of its fans withtoasted sandwiches served on a 6-inch Italian white roll. The headlining grinder is prepared with loose-meat Italian sausage, ground beef, provolone, red sauce and special seasoning. The expanded menu adds Italian classics,including ravioli and a meatball plate.
(515) 216-0030;memas515.com;facebook.com/memas515
More:Updated: New restaurants and what's changed on the Des Moines dining scene
Midnighters Mobile Charcuterie
As if operating a mobile charcuterie wasn’t unconventional enough, the Five Minutes ' Til Midnight Food Company refuses to comprise on its mission to serve the “greatest cheese dips and spreads” across Iowa. Choose from a curated menu of meats and cheeses, plus pâtés, bratwurst, sausages, deviled eggs, and a Welsh rarebit beer cheese soup.
(515) 505-9593; fiveminutestil.com;facebook.com/FiveMinutesTil
Polish King
Diners craving a no-frills taste of Chicago know to head to the intersection of Ninth Street and Carpenter Avenue. Place an order for Polish sausages, hot links, Italian beef, chicken wings, steak burgers, gyros, and Polish King's version of a Chicago pizza puff, and then take a seat at the shaded picnic tables.
(515) 473-2884; polishkingtogo.com;facebook.com/polish.king.562
Roadside Tacos
Announcing his offerings are more than just “bomb tacos,” owner Grant Montour has steered his Roadside Tacos concept into a repeat destination for Mexican street food. Adding beef, steak, chicken and vegetarian refried beans to flour and corn tacos, the very busy truck also serves up burritos, quesadillas, rice bowls, and loaded nachos.
(515) 943-8385; roadsidetacos.com; facebook.com/roadsidetacos
Street Eats DSM
Check Facebook for the latest location of the gray food truck, frequently found near the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Hosting an evolving menu of sandwiches stuffed with slow- roasted pork, buffalo chicken and brisket, Street Eats also offersCajun tacos, meatball grinders, cheese friesand the Iowa poutine special, prepared with pork, bacon and Wisconsin cheese curds.
(515) 705-3287; streeteatsdsm.com; facebook.com/streeteatsdsm
Sook's Korean Kitchen
Carefully marinated servings of thinly sliced beef, chicken and pork are the backbone of the Korean bulgogi menu prepared in Sook’s zesty-colored truck. Meals are available as sandwichesor platters with rice and kimchi or salad. A vegan rice bowl also is available, plus egg rolls, fried cream cheese puffs and a fried apple dumpling.
(515) 577-4790; facebook.com/Sooks-Korean-Kitchen
Strictly Good Eats
Roaming the region for less than a year, Strictly Good Eats delivers “soul food on wheels” wherever it is parked. Comfort classics have included loaded baked potatoes, catfish filets, chicken wings, shrimp po' boy sandwiches, plus macaroni and cheese among the sides.
(515) 612-2227; facebook.com/strictlygoodeats
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TexMex Kitchen
Promising traditional Mexican food “with a twist,” TexMex Kitchen’s light-blue truck can frequently be found at its 4200 S.E. 14th St. base. Familiar options include mulitas, tortas, burritos, tacos filled with al pastoror chorizo, quesadillas, carne asada fries, plus braised birria dishes.
Top Bun
Energized by the “need to feed,” owner Dave Barry drops aeronautical puns into his very popular Top Bun truck menu. Take flight with Wing Man chicken wings, Basic Trainingdogs, truffle fries and the stars of the show, 1/3 pound burgers that soar with bacon, grilled pineapple and Aloha sauce, or with a vegan Beyond Burger patty.
(515) 240-8487; topbunfoodtruck.com;facebook.com/topbunfoodtruck
Veggie Thumper
At 35 feet long, the Veggie Thumper bus is easier to find than the usual foodtruck andowner Lyssa Wade is on a mission to do things differently. Dedicated to organic and locally sourced vegan cuisine, the animal-free menu has included lentil patty Frisco melts, “tuna” on pumpernickel, jerk and barbecue "chick'n," plus Wade'sversion of a Philly cheesesteak. There's alsoa grilled cheese with root wedges for the kids.
(515) 867-7253; veggiethumper.com; facebook.com/Veggiethumper
Waabs Piggin' Out
Serving up slow-smoked meats to put a smile on your face, Waabs Piggin' Out likes to experiment with its menu. Some favorites have included the truck specialty beef brisket and barbecue porkplus French dip, Philly cheesesteaks, tacos, and the 7-ounce Chubby burgers, prepared with strips of bacon on a kaiser roll.
Wingz On Wheelz
With a name like Wingz On Wheelz, it's natural for this hard-working truck to be home to “Tenderz,” “Gizzardz” and chicken “Wingz.” Thegraffiti-bedecked truck'scomfort food menu includes breaded catfish, fried shrimp, cheese fries and chicken flavored with Cajun and Caribbean spices, or plenty of heat if you are in the mood.
(515) 554-9273; facebook.com/Wingz-On-Wheelz
WTF — What The Fries
New for 2021, WTF's obsession is fried potatoes, even for dessert. Normally parked at 2701 Ingersoll Ave., it offers platters that can be topped with chili cheese, steak, jerk chicken, honey garlic shrimp, pizza sauce and pepperoni, or build-you-own combinations. Funnel cake fries are already a hit dish, adorned with icing and powdered sugar.
