Street Eats: Inside Vancouver’s Food Truck Scene

Vancouver’s food trucks are rolling out big flavours in small kitchens. When fresh ingredients meet the city’s diverse population, you’re bound to taste global bites with that distinct Vancouver feeling. Here are the seven food trucks to track down this summer.

Planted Love

Vegan doesn’t have to mean skipping the chicken shawarma. Meet Planted Love, the truck specializing in vegan Middle Eastern cuisine. Go for their Sabich, an underrated eggplant icon, featuring creamy hummus, tangy pickles and carrots, and a green pepper Zhug for an extra kick. It’s a savoury hands-on combo that’ll have you reaching for a handful of napkins and coming back for more.

Planted Love is typically parked on Cambie and West 8th Street, open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Afterwards, head over to Choklit Park. This local neighbourhood gem nestled in Fairview has hillside views of downtown and a bench waiting for you to dig in. You can also find the truck at Creekside Park in Olympic Village, with waterfront sights and Science World just steps away.

Shameless Buns

A converted school bus near Cambie Village is just the eye-catching start of this Filipino food truck, Shameless Buns. Its campy menu serves up sandwiches on fluffy Pandesal bread, loaded with pickled papaya slaw and crispy fried spam. We’re hooked on their adobo cheese fries with a drizzle of garlic aioli. Enough said.

Once you’ve got your feast, make it a picnic. Only a 10-minute drive away, Queen Elizabeth Park combines panoramic city views and grassy hangout spots. Don’t miss the immersive Bloedel Conservatory, an indoor tropical garden to get lost in. For even more blooms, VanDusen Botanical Garden is just a few blocks away, with roses and lavender at their peak right now.

IL Saltimbocca

Ever folded a pizza slice and eaten it like a sandwich? IL Saltimbocca does it for you. This Italian food truck serves saltimbocca sandwiches inspired by Neapolitan pizza, baked in a wood-fired oven built right into the truck.

Each of their sandwiches comes with the iconic char of a Neapolitan pizza and a variety of fresh toppings, including prosciutto, spicy salami, and fresh mozzarella, all packed into a crisp doughy bite. You’ll find them on Burrard and West Pender Street every weekday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., just blocks from the historic Fairmont Hotel, shops on Robson Street, and the city’s beloved Seawall in Coal Harbour.

The Mad Greek

If you’ve got no plans this Friday night, cross over the Lions Gate Bridge and head to the Shipyards Night Market in Lower Lonsdale for a lively summer evening. You’ll find The Mad Greek slinging lamb gyros, with crispy fries and tzatziki tucked into one seriously tasty pita. Family-owned and proudly Greek, the truck serves up authentic Greek favourites like their succulent chicken souvlaki and flaky spinach and feta spanakopita.

Come for the street food and stay for the live music, local vendors, and the waterfront beer garden, all while watching the sun dip over the Burrard Inlet. It’s your little slice of Greece on the West Coast.

Indish

It’s hard to miss Indish’s bright orange truck. But it’s the sweet smells of a samosa chaat and house-made Masala chai that will have you lining up. Try their Paratha wraps, a soft and buttery Indian-style flatbread paired with mouthwatering Chicken Tikka, and cooled with a Kachumber slaw. Take it up a notch by adding the spicy Coconut Korma sauce, trust us on this.

Find Indish regularly at the Riley Park Farmers Market on Saturdays from June 21 through October 25. And while you’re in the area, swing by the Nat Bailey Stadium for a Vancouver Canadians game. Forget peanuts and Cracker Jacks, Indish provides savoury poutine and wraps just outside the stadium with game-changing flavours.

Big City Bannock

Big City Bannock is bursting onto Vancouver’s food truck scene by bringing Indigenous flavours front and center. Their menu is small and full of soul, rooted in family tradition. Start with their First Nation Taco, featuring bannock piled with seasoned elk, shredded lettuce, cheese, and salsa. Round it out with their huckleberry hibiscus lemonade for the ultimate summer combo.

Although their truck schedule isn’t fixed, you’ll have a good chance of finding them at the Downtown Farmers Market, where vendors line the plaza right outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. Snack on some fried bannock, then pop into the Gallery to catch an exhibit. Admission is free for kids, and free for all on the first Fridays of the month from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Bonus: Vin Van

Looking for more than just street food? Vin Van, Vancouver's latest wine bar on wheels, brings European vibes to the sidewalks of Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant. Their pop-ups are always a surprise, pouring a rotating lineup of local wines from a mobile van. Stay up-to-date with their Instagram or visit their website for details on their next wine and disco night.

If Vin Van is pouring in Kitsilano, take a stroll along West 4th Avenue for some window shopping, then to Kits beach for sunset. While in East Vancouver, head to the afters at Mount Pleasant Vintage and Provisions, a Vintage furniture store by day, and a vinyl-fueled bar by night. Wherever you end up, let Vin Van guide you to your next sip.

In Vancouver, some of the city’s best bites are curbside. So bring your appetite this summer, no reservation required.