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Food trucks are the ultimate dining choice for a place like LA. The City of Angels is a vast, sprawling metropolis, where the car is king and late-night entertainment is the order of the day. So finding a spot to grab a snack or a bite to eat once the sun goes down is absolutely essential, and it is here that food trucks shine.
From burgers and fried chicken to sushi burritos and Korean BBQ, you can find almost anything you desire from LA’s amazing array of street food purveyors.
So if you are cruising from California this summer and planning on spending a little time in Los Angeles, don’t miss out on discovering some of the best food that Angelino chefs have to offer. We’ve put together a list of our favorite trucks, stalls, and trailers so you can enjoy the best that LA has to offer. Just remember to pack your comfiest pants, as the food on offer is so delicious you’ll never be able to stop at just one bite!
Los Dorados
In a city with a huge Mexican community, describing anything as ‘the best tacos’ is likely to cause controversy. But Los Dorados certainly deserves to be in the conversation – its flautas (rolled tacos) are mind-blowing, rolled up by hand and fried right there in front of you, served bathed in glorious (and fiery) salsas, and covered in cotija cheese. You can usually find Los Dorados parked up along Figueroa in Highland Park.
Free Range
Free Range is definitely one of the best food trucks in the city, and quite possibly one of the best eateries full stop! Their Original Free Range LA Chicken Sandwich put them on the map – tempura-fried buttermilk chicken served in soft, fluffy Portuguese buns – but the entire menu at this stunning spot is worth a deep dive. One of the best things about Free Range is that they stick to a few specific spots (Melrose Place Farmers Market on Sundays, for example) so you don’t have to scour the city to get your fix!
Merci Clement
People usually associate food trucks with comfort food – burgers, tacos, BBQ, or pizza. But ice-cream trucks have a long history that goes back long before the modern craze for on-the-go eats, and Merci Clement is a wonderful contemporary twist on this classic style. Serving up an incredible range of delicious artisanal popsicles, this is the ultimate spot for refreshment on a hot summer’s day.
Steamy Buns
Japanese bao are little fluffy clouds of decadent deliciousness, and Steamy Buns takes this concept and runs with it. Going way beyond the classic pork belly, they stuff their bao with everything from chicken katsu and hoisin-infused Angus beef to Footine fries covered in Sriracha! True trailblazers, this truck is unmissable.
Kogi
Kogi is one of the OG Los Angeles food trucks and has been around from the very beginning. Roy Choi is arguably the godfather of the modern street food movement (or at the very least the LA chapter), and has been slinging his unique fusion of Korean cuisine and Mexican taco culture for over a decade. The Korean short rib taco with kimchi is as good now as it was then.
Yeastie Boys
Even on the West Coast, a bagel with a schmear is a thing of beauty, and this is exactly what the Yeastie Boys deliver. LA’s original bagel truck boasts loads of attitude and a stunning variety of bagel fillings, with everything from classic smoked salmon with cream cheese to scrambled eggs, bacon, and jalapeno schmear on offer. They’ve expanded over the years and now have four trucks at various locations, advertised on their Instagram.