By Melissa Woodley
Saturday at Penn Treaty Park, over a dozen of the most popular food trucks in the Philly area circled up and dished out the best they have to offer, and it was glorious. There was a lot of delicious food, but I’ve done some intense soul searching and narrowed down my favorites below.
Savory:
3. Spam Musubi and Tofu Poke from Poi Dog Philly
I dislike Spam, but I have to say this was the best Spam I’ve ever had. The sushi-esque bites are ubiquitous in Hawaii and it’s easy to see why—the simple snack hits all the right notes. Riffing on tuna poke, the Poi Dog gang turns oft-derided tofu into a flavorful and nutritious dish.
2. The Tot Cart
The Tot Cart puts the tater tot, once relegated to a side dish, front and center with endless flavor variations. At the Vendy’s, garlic parm tots and “New Bay” tots doused in a creamy spicy Old Bay sauce. They definitely make you quote “Napoleon Dynamite,” Hey! Gimme some of your tots!
1. Chewy’s
The bright orange Chewy’s truck always dishes out delicious fare, and Saturday was no exception. The mini chicken and waffles dish was a sticky sweet mess but oh so worth it, and the pulled pork slider with slaw one of my favorite BBQ sandwiches in recent memory. In my opinion, the Tide Messy but Tasty award should have gone home with Chewy’s.
People’s Choice Savory Pick:
The People’s Choice Savory award went home with The Cow and The Curd, and rightfully so. For months I’ve been stalking this truck, waiting for an opportunity to pounce, as I knew the deep-fried cheese curds and homemade dipping sauces were my holy grail. It’s hard to choose a favorite between the chipotle ranch, homemade smoked ketchup and sriracha mayo, but I’d have to go with the ranch—a perfect match for the oozing curds.
My default go-to lunch spot was the Judges’ choice, taking home the Vendy’s Cup. King of Falafel (and Queen), Nabil and Hined Akkeh, have been frying up the city’s best falafel on the corner of 16th and JFK for over 20 years. Not only is it the best falafel AND hummus AND baba ganoush around, it’s also the best deal in the city. No one deserves an award more than them.
Sweet:
Despite the three cupcake trucks at the Vendy’s, the People’s Choice went to an icy treat instead, for the second year in a row. Regardless, there were some impressive cupcakes.
3. Pistachio Chai from Cupcake Carnivale, 2. Spicy Hot Chocolate from Sweet BoxCupcakes, and 1. Strawberry Margarita (with salty lime cream cheese frosting) from Cupcake Carnivale.
Cupcakes are delicious, but give me a French macaron any day. Sugar Philly’s are my absolute favorite, and Saturday they had a lineup inspired by cocktails from Philly watering holes. My pick? The tequila/citrus/cherry version of Distrito’s Hemingway. Sugar, won’t you please roll into Center City more often?!
People’s Choice Sweet Pick:
The People’s Choice winner was once again Lil’ Pop Shop, and by the time I got to their truck, they were nearly cleaned out. But my green tea mochi pop made me believe that the people made a wise choice. I am looking forward to seeing what else they have to offer.
Learn more about the Annual Vendy Awards by visiting streetvendor.org/vendys.
- Photography: Helena Tubis
- Photography: Melissa Woodley
