Rushing around New York City, getting from show to show, CMJ can be a mad house. You need to fuel yourself. Fortunately for you, New York has plenty to choose from. Food trucks have driven on to the scene in a big way in the last few years. Here are some of the best food trucks, and how to find them.
1) Wafels & Dinges
Life is short, eat dessert first. Real belgian style wafels, you order these by their city of origin. Their daily challenges for free dinges (toppings) make this truck a sweet find. They sometimes have savory wafels with pulled pork or chili con corne (sic.) Keep an eye out for those if you want something a little more filling. Find the trucks via their twitter feed: @waffeltruck
Nearby CMJ Venues: Lit Lounge, The Studio, Bowery Electric Map Room, Chez Andre, SBD Gallery, NYU Kimmel Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Judson Memorial Church, Sullivan Hall, Wicked Willy's, The Bitter End, Westway
2) Sweet Chili
Only open Monday through Friday until 3pm. So eat here before your go out to shows. Thai style food, very fresh, these guys deliver a lot of flavor in a tidy package. They follow rule #1 with food trucks: If they have pork belly, order it. Follow them, and look for special appearances during CMJ on twitter: @sweetchilinyc
Nearby CMJ Venues: Wicked Willy's, The Bitter End, Le Poisson Rouge, Westway, Judson Memorial Church, Lit Lounge, The Studio, Bowery Electric Map Room, Chez Andre, SBD Gallery, NYU Kimmel Center
3) Mission Chinese Food
This is a restaurant that evolved from food trucks. The second venture by chef Danny Bowien. His first taco truck was so successful he wanted to try an experimental take on chinese food. That’s what you get to enjoy here. Go for the braised lamb dan dan noodles, catfish stew a la sichuan, or the kung pao pastrami for something a little more familiar. Check them tweets @missionstfood
Nearby CMJ Venues: Mercury Lounge, Fat Baby, Pianos, Ella, Alphabet Lounge, Rockwood Music Hall Stage, Arlene's Grocery, Living Room, Cake Shop, Googie's Lounge, Parkside Lounge, Slipper Room
4) Xinjiang BBQ Kebabs
OK, this one’s less a truck, and more a traditional cart. It doesn’t have it’s own twitter feed and it’s tough to find. All that aside, we’re talking about meat on a stick, grilled over charcoal. Definitely worth the work to find it. At the corner of Forsyth St and Division St, they’re located in Chinatown on the Lower East Side. No twitter feed :(
Nearby CMJ Venues: The Delancy, Left Field, Bowery Ballroom, Tammany Hall, Santos Party House
5) The Jalapeno Truck
Classic tacos from a truck. It doesn’t get better than this. The meat options vary sometimes, but the carnitas and barbacoa are solid choices. Also, their vegetarian options are fresh and tasty. For locations, check dem Tweets: @TheJalapenoNYC
Nearby CMJ Venues: NYU Kimmel Center, Chez Andre, SBD Gallery, Lit Lounge, The Studio, Bowery Electric Map Room, Judson Memorial Church, Sullivan Hall, Wicked WIlly's, West Way, The Bitter End
6) Pizza Moto
It’s not a trip to New York without having some pizza. While every local can tell you authoritatively where you get the best pie, this list is all about the trucks. Pizza Moto’s wood-fired mobile pizza ovens do not disappoint. Lil’ Flea and The Big Oven are their two appropriately named ovens. No hide and seek needed, find them @pizzamotobklyn
Nearby CMJ Venues: Pete's Candy Store, Union Pool, Muchmore's, Knitting Factory, Brooklyn Bowl, Matchless, Spike Hill
7) El Diablo Tacos
Open until 3:30am, 7 days a week, this is your reliable post-concert spot. Find them at 484 Union Ave in Brooklyn. No matter what you order, get it with a side of grilled corn. Smothered with cheese and lime juice, this is a traditional mexican classic. This is perfect for preventing/treating your impending hangover. They're only in one spot, so you can always find them. But for good measure, here's their twitter handle: @ElDiabloTacos
Nearby CMJ Venues: Trash Bar, Glasslands Gallery, Cameo Gallery, The Flat
8) Schnitzel & Things
Delicious schnitzel from a truck. Notable because it’s not asian, tacos, or dessert. If you want a little more variety in your food truck diet, this is the one to hit. The classic pork and chicken schnitzels are always good choices. Vegetarians hit up the eggplant schnitzel for sure. If you're not feeling so adventurous, just go for the Schnitz burger for something a little more familiar. Watch their twitter feed because locations change daily: @Schnitznthings
Nearby CMJ Venues: None really, but make the trek anyway
9) Bian Dang
Cheap snacks that don’t skimp on flavor. One of the few places you can get a good tea cooked egg (solo, or over rice with pickles, yum.) They also have plenty of dumplings and buns for snacks, and some vegetarian options too. They’re usually closed on weekends, but keep an eye on their twitter feed for CMJ happenings here: @biandangnyc
Nearby CMJ Venues: Surprises await your happiness
