Keep On Shuckin: Food Truck Culture Comes To Narragansett Beach
My friend Carolyn was just saying the other night how Haven Bros (a fav of my father's from back in the day...He would stop there for 'a dog' on the way home on Friday or Saturday nights.) was the forerunner of food truck culture here in RI. 2015, however, will go down as the year that food truck culture really came into its own, with outposts in Kennedy Plaza Downtown PVD, Roger Williams (Park), and now, Narragansett Beach, which, if you haven't been, is a must visit before Labor Day.
When you're the only person on the beach wearing red lipstick and a statement necklace #Awkward
It was also Carolyn btw who clued me in about the food trucks at 'Gansett Town Beach on Monday and Wednesday nights at 6pm. That's how we ended up motoring out there last night to scope things out; I could not believe what a scene it was. The lady in front of us - who was guiding a group of 5 or 6 of her grandchildren - had driven over specifically for the trucks. The beach was completely secondary to her and her group of kiddies. And she wasn't alone. There were people of all ages, some with babies or dogs, some with both, and others with lawn chairs for sitting tailgate style in the middle of the lot, not to mention one girl dressed in a very style blogger-ish ensemble of a poufy striped skirt, ladylike blouse, espadrilles and straw hat. (I don't have a pic, but I bet dollars to donuts that she has a local fashion blog.)
Now, back to the food trucks...The lineup that brought everyone to that parking lot at the Town Beach last night included:
- Pizza By Fire (Theirs is a food truck tricked out with a wood burning pizza oven.)
- The Shuckin Truck (FYI: They have a mobile raw bar!)
- Eddie's BBQ (Plenty to offer, including something for the vegetarian in your life. Uh, yay.)
- Buddy's Hot Dogs (Classic dogs with a hot rod sensibility AND New York System Wieners)
- Lady Copacabana (Perfect way to one up the food snob in your life by trying a little Brazilian food before they do. You'll be glad and they'll be....MAD.)
- Like No Udder (Non diary soft serve and vegan treats...I sampled their chocolate soft serve which I was pleasantly surprised to discover tasted a lot like the traditional stuff.)
*Lola's Blue Farm, the bright blue VW bus offering gluten free classically New England comfort food like clam chowder and fish and chips has also been spotted at NTB in the not-too-distant past.
Tips For Having A Mother (Food) Truckin Good Time
- Do watch The Chef, a movie written, directed, and starring Jon Favreau about a top chef at a popular LA restaurant who leaves it all behind and starts a new life by opening his own food truck, before you go.
- The trucks start setting up around 4:30-5pm, but don't try to get your hands on any food before 6pm. ("They" are pretty strict about this rule actually. I learned this when I tried to order some soft serve a little too early. My bad.)
- Do bring cash. (It's just easier for everyone involved, ya know?)
- Do bring the kids. (The prices were all reasonable enough to feed a good size group and it was a definitely a family-centric atmosphere last night.)
- Do bring your appetite. (Kicking myself for eating a huge dish of calamari a few hours before, which prevented me from sampling as much as I wanted to.)
Ciao for Now,
Patty J
Photo Credits: All photos, except the first one of the pizza truck and the hot dog sign, are courtesy of Ashley Farney.