The Scoop on L.A. Food Trucks
Before he kept the Traveler office on task, staffer Kevin Kunitake earned his chops on a Los Angeles, California, food truck. Here, he gives pro advice for these meals on wheels.
They’re Cleaner Than You Think: Food trucks might be more sanitary than your favorite restaurant. Trucks head to a commissary every night, as required by law, where they are cleaned and prepped to look brand-new each morning.
Enjoy a Side of Culture: The best lunch spot is outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Fill up on artwork, order from the line of trucks on Wilshire Boulevard, and then sit on the grass next to parts of the Berlin Wall.
Ignore the Hype: From bacon cupcakes to gourmet dog treats, many trucks cater to novelty over taste. Bypass the kitsch offerings and stick to the long-lived classics, like taco vendors that only appear after 11 p.m.
Social Butterflies: Food trucks and social media are married. It’s their primary form of marketing and self-promotion, so if you’re looking for a vehicle’s daily locations, check Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Permanently Parked: Established trucks, like the architecture-inspired ice-cream spot Coolhaus, have used their success to build brick-and-mortar shops. If you like what they do on the go, check out what they can do with a full kitchen.
Roy Choi Is King: The Korean-American chef and his now-famous Kogi Truck are credited with the reincarnation of the current food-truck craze and its focus on fusion street food. Be sure to sample what this Los Angeles icon can do.
- Nat Geo Expeditions
This piece, written by Kevin Kunitake, first appeared in the June/July 2015 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.
