Chicago’s street food scene is home to a diverse array of flavors and culinary treats. Join us as we reveal our picks for the best food trucks in the city.
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Roaming locations, including Evanston and UIC at 58th & Ellis / Website
Helmed by husband-and-wife-duo Sam Barron and Sarah Weitz, this truck features creative sandwich offerings, salads and beverages. Be sure to try the truffle BLT with crispy bacon, avocado, arugula, tomato and truffle aioli on challah and the buffalo sauce-tossed crispy chicken tenders, served with blue cheese dressing and a shaved celery salad on brioche.
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Roaming Chicago neighborhoods and festivals; 2296 S. Blue Island Ave. / Website
This truck offers indulgent margaritas and tempting Mexican street food favorites—from appetizers to desserts and everything in between. To start, order the lime-marinated ceviche with tomatoes, red onions, mango and cilantro or the chicken taquitos topped with sour cream and salsa verde. For your main course, choose from options such as the chipotle-seasoned chicken tinga tacos with a generous serving of sour cream, cheese and guacamole or the barbacoa-style chicken tamales with green peanut mole sauce and pumpkin seeds. Finish your meal with sweet treats like churros, chocolate tamales and choco-flan.
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Roaming suburban locations, 15 W. Washington St. / Website
This crustacean-centric chuckwagon features fan favorites like lobster grilled cheese on challah bread, chocolate whoopie pies and the spot’s signature Happy Lobster dish, made with Maine lobster, butter and a dash of mayo on a freshly toasted burger bun.
See also: The Hottest New Restaurants In Chicago
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5116 N. Lincoln Ave., 4753 W. 47th St. / Website
With a restaurant in Logan Square and a food truck on 47th Street, this eatery specializes in quesabirria, tender braised beef with Oaxaca cheese. Swing by to try the steak tacos with onion and cilantro and the Jalisco-style al pastor tacos topped with pineapple, onion and cilantro.
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Multiple Locations / Website
Since 2012, this mobile eatery has brought mouthwatering grilled cheese varieties to Chicagoans with a fleet of three food trucks parked at locations throughout the city—also available for festivals and corporate events. Make sure to get your fix in with offerings like the “Great Dane” with American cheddar and Applewood bacon; the “Scott’s South of The Border” with chipotle chicken, cilantro-avocado aïoli, pepper jack cheese, caramelized poblano peppers and caramelized onions; and the “Michaelangelo” with thin-sliced Italian beef, caramelized poblanos and onions, giardiniera and provolone cheese, drizzled with WildFire Honey.
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Roaming Chicago neighborhoods and festivals; 1924 W. Division St. / Website
From steamed dumplings with pork and Chinese chives to Korean chili chicken “Baowiches,” this food truck roams the city, bringing dumplings, bao and rice balls with it. Indulge in the “Kimcheesy” rice balls with cheddar jack cheese, house kimchi, jalapenos, scallions, cilantro and jalapeno sriracha mayo or try the Thai chicken basil dumplings with chicken breast, Thai basil, ginger, coconut milk, carrots, Thai green curry and vermicelli noodles.
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Various Locations; 3057 N. Rockwell St.; 500 W. Madison St.; 1601 Payne St., Evanston / Website
Owned and operated by chef and pitmaster D’Andre Carter, Soul and Smoke is a staple in Chicago’s buzzing barbecue scene, with a fully outfitted food truck available for event catering. Dig into specialties like the smoked prime brisket with housemade pickles and original barbecue sauce and the chicken gumbo with chicken andouille sausage, rice and chives, paired with chef-made cocktails such as the rum-spiked maple rosemary daiquiri.
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Various Locations / Website
With five local brick-and-mortar spots and a restaurant on wheels that can be hired to cater your next event, 5411 Empanadas offers gourmet, Argentinian-style empanadas and an array of homemade sauces to dip with (like chimichurri and red hot sauce). Be sure to try innovative flavor combinations like the vegetarian mac & cheese empanada with macaroni elbows, smoked gouda, white cheddar, asiago cheese, pimentos and scallions; the bacon, dates and goat cheese empanada with crisp Applewood smoked bacon; and the sweet banana and Nutella empanada.
See also: The 8 Best Mexican Restaurants In Chicago
Photography by: OSCAR WONG/GETTY IMAGES
