It’s food truck season in Wichita. Here’s a list of new trucks, closed trucks, rallies
The last time Wichita’s biggest monthly food truck rally happened — the Food Trucks at the Fountain gathering that always drew a big lineup to the Wichita WaterWalk on the last Sunday of the month — the calendar read 2019.
Not only that, but COVID-19 and winter sent many trucks into hibernation, including Wichita food truck veterans like The Flying Stove and B.S. Sandwich Press.
But as of this month, the city of Wichita has resumed issuing community event licenses, and the rallies are about to start back up. On Friday, the monthly Night at the Fountains rally will return to the WaterWalk, and then on Sunday, May 30, the first Food Trucks at the Fountain rally since October 2019 will happen with a lineup of more than 20 trucks, said organizer Jeff Schauf, who also co-owns The Flying Stove.
Not only that, but several other groups are organizing new food truck events and meetup spots for the summer. Though the ICT Pop Up Urban Park at 121 E. Douglas closed last summer, the Old Town Farm & Art Market has made room for trucks to join its expanded footprint this summer. And Exploration Place is also about to launch a new summertime Food Truck Thursdays series that will include live music, a bar, games and more.
When Wichitans return to food truck dining — an activity that many who aren’t yet comfortable dining indoors will likely appreciate — they’ll find several new trucks to try. Following, you’ll find a list of some of the local trucks that have popped up over the past several months as well as updates on some that have disappeared over the past year.
Also, you’ll find here a list of some of the many food-truck focused events scheduled for the coming months.
New trucks on the scene
TATERS N TOPPINGS (all kinds of potatoes and toppings) His kids are grown, and now Jason Bench is living out his longtime dream of owning a food truck. He and his wife, Pamela, opened the Taters n Toppings truck earlier this year, and it’s already earned fans for its menu of potato-based dishes, including its specialty — pulled pork-topped fries. The menu also includes things like baked potatoes, tater tots and sweet potato fries loaded with various toppings, including pork green chili, sausage gravy, chili con carne, marshmallow cream and more. Bench said his baked potatoes, which come loaded with whatever customers want, have been particularly popular. They’re massive, he said, and each weighs between a pound and a pound and a half.
His eye-catching blue truck was custom built in Colorado, and he takes it all over the area. Over the past several months, he’s set up not only in Wichita but also in Augusta, Derby, Rose Hill and Douglass. People can follow along with the Taters n Toppings schedule on the truck’s Facebook page.
DR TAWOOK (Mediterranean food) AJ Reshwan said he left his job as an executive at Spirit AeroSystems to start his new food truck, which serves Mediterranean street food. He partnered with his uncle, Serge Daghfal, and opened DR Tawook three months ago.
Reshwan says his business offers Lebanese food that’s more authentic than what people are used to getting in Wichita. He makes his falafel from scratch, he said, and his specialties are a chicken sandwich called shish tawook as well as a Mediterranean burger, which is served on pita. The truck also serves fries, hummus and slaw.
His truck, which he takes to various spots around town, including local breweries and the Sedgwick County Courthouse, also will set up at festivals, fairs and other special events. One thing that makes it unique, he said, is that his customers can order their food online in advance and won’t have to wait when they come to pick it up. People can place orders via his website, www.drtawook.com, and they can find out where he’ll have the truck each day via Facebook and Instagram.
PRIMOS FOOD TRUCK (Mexican fare) Ana Ramirez and her husband, Armando Morales, own this food truck, which operates out of an extra-long converted camper — so long that it has room for a set of sliding glass doors, a pickup window and a separate single door all on its front side.
Morales, who works in the kitchen at 6S Steakhouse, always wanted to open his own food truck and finally did it about two months ago. It’s set up regularly in the parking lot of the Lowe’s on North Maize Road but also serves at events. The truck’s usual hours at Lowe’s are 5 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. The menu includes things like tacos, burritos, quesadillas and tortas with fillings like al pastor, steak, birria, chicken and tripe. People can follow along with the business and find out exactly where it will be on its Facebook page.
F&N FOODS (barbecue) Nobbie Eddens and his buddy Frank Rivera just opened this barbecue food truck about three weeks ago, and their specialties include Carolina-style pulled pork, hot links, brisket and ribs, which are their best seller.
Their rig is a pull-behind trailer fitted with a mobile kitchen, and they sell food from underneath canopies they set up out front. Their main spot is at 4931 W. Central, where they plan to set up every week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. They don’t plan to serve at local rallies or meetups but will take the trailer to special events like music festivals. To keep up with the truck, follow it on Facebook.
COUSIN HECTOR’S (Mexican food) This food truck is owned by the same people behind Funky Monkey Munchies, one of Wichita’s oldest established food trucks. But their new mobile food business serves “Mexican-American fusion” dishes, says owner Lisa Palacios, who runs both businesses with her husband, Eddi.
Set up in a 1970 Ford Vignette bus that has an eye-catching orange and yellow paint job, Cousin Hector’s has been open for several weeks and has already been appearing all over town. It was one of the trucks at last weekend’s Tacos & Tequila event at the Wichita Waterwalk. It offers a menu of quesadilla burgers, pork belly tortas, shrimp truffle tacos and Chicano fries. You can follow the truck’s schedule on its Facebook page, but one place you’ll be sure to find the truck is at Friday’s Night at the Fountains event, which the owners organize.
THE UNDERDOG (Mexican fare, burgers, barbecue) This food truck isn’t exactly new, but it’s new again to Wichita. Shad and Stephanie Biggs first opened their truck in Wichita in 2019, but at the time, they served out of a converted truck bed. They moved to Garden Plain, and then a year ago, they upgraded to a full food truck and started service in the Garden Plain area. This year, they’re returning to Wichita to set up and have been appearing on food truck calendars all over town.
Stephanie said the truck serves “ a wide variety. We’re not really stuck to one thing.” Though their specialty is Mexican fare, barbecue is one of their best sellers. The Underdog will make its food truck rally debut at the Nights at the Fountain event on Friday and will also be at the May 30 Food Trucks at the Fountain rally, Stephanie said. People can follow along with the truck’s location on its Facebook page.
THE CRITICAL CART (hot dogs and brats) This new bright red food trailer specializes in hot dogs and brats made by Yoder meats with homemade toppings like dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, kraut and pickled red onions.
The trailer, which just opened, can be found operating outside of the Lowe’s at Maple and Ridge, where its usual hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Saturdays.
CRUMBLE & CREAM (deep dish cookies, ice cream) This new mobile food business, which will launch after Memorial Day, started by hobby baker Rachel Marlow, will serve “deep dish” cookies topped with ice cream. These aren’t wimpy cookies — some weigh up to three quarters of a pound — and they come in flavors like White Chocolate Caramel and Snickerdoodle Cinnamon Roll.
Marlow has converted an old horse trailer into a colorful mobile cookie cart, which she’ll take to local food truck rallies, festivals and charity events. She has outdoor seating that she’ll take along to events and set up so people can enjoy their desserts trailer side. She’ll also have ice-cream bikes that will visit neighborhoods and can be booked for special events. People who visit the trailer will be able to get warm and fresh cookies topped with ice cream. The bikes will offer things like cookie ice cream sandwiches. People can see the business’ schedule on the Crumble & Cream Facebook page and at www.crumbleandcream.com.
VELLA’S EXOTIC EGG ROLLS (nontraditional egg rolls with unexpected fillings) This food truck isn’t open quite yet, but owner Chavella Andrade says she should have it up and running by the first of June. It will specialize in egg rolls, but not the kind found in Asian restaurants. Instead, Andrade will fill her egg roll wrappers with ingredients like Caribbean jerk chicken, popcorn chicken and mashed potatoes, roast beef and cheddar, or fajita meat. She’ll also have a birria egg roll and one that’s coated in Hot Cheetos. Fries are also on the menu.
Andrade, who’s opening the truck with her husband, Decarlo Bell, said she’s been planning it for three years. They had a truck custom-made in Virginia, and it’s black with neon purple, green and orange graphics. She says she hopes to have the truck out six days a week this summer, and people can find her location by visiting her Facebook page and her website.
Trucks no longer active
Wadaldi Island Cuisine: This truck which opened in the summer of 2018 serving food from the island of Antigua, is no longer serving, but its owners still do catering.
LoLo’s Crepes: This food truck, which initially opened in 2016, got new owners in 2019. But they just announced that they’ve closed the truck and put the business on the market.
Uno Mas Burgers: Uno Mas owner Abel Rodriguez sold his burger truck to chef Mike Castaneda, who turned it into a new truck called Devour that serves that Wellington area.
Pizza Kwik: Wichita barely got to know this pizza truck, which opened late last year, before its owners relocated themselves and their truck to Jefferson City, Missouri, where their family business originated.
Mo’s Hut: Shawn Gordon closed his Hawaiian restaurant and food truck in November, though he hasn’t ruled out eventually restarting the truck.
LumpiaPaloooza: The owners of this truck, Cynthia Wilson and Craig Bjork, decided to retire late last year and sold the truck to someone who moved it out of town.
Bibimbap N Go: Michelle Raney and her son, Kody, opened their Korean food truck in 2018 but closed it in late 2019.
Espresso Self: This coffee business opened in 2017, but its owner recently decided not to continue with it, and now, the truck is on the market.
Four Star BBQ: This barbecue truck closed last summer.
Ray’s Food Express: The owner of this truck ended his mobile business and opened a restaurant at 1542 E. 61st St. North in Park City earlier this year.
Kind Kravings: Rochelle Collins and Shea West are putting their vegan food truck on hold this year to focus on their production business. They’ve also gotten into the business of building out food trucks and trailers for other entrepreneurs.
Food truck events to attend
Night at the Fountains: This monthly rally returns to the Wichita WaterWalk, 515 S. Main, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and will feature a big lineup of food trucks including Cousin Hector’s, The Underdog, Urban Skillet, B.S. Sandwich Press, Smokin Diner, UHungry, The Bomb BBQ, Noble House Hawaiian Plate, The BreadSled Cafe. Brown Box Bakery, Kona Ice of Greater Wichita. Sunflower Espresso and more.
Food Trucks at the Fountain: The granddaddy of Wichita food truck rallies, organized by the owners of The Flying Stove, happens the last Sunday of every month through October and will return for the first time since 2019 to the Wichita WaterWalk on May 30. The rally will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include live music, yoga and more than 20 trucks, including one serving adult beverages.
Food Truck Thursdays at Exploration Place: The children’s museum at 300 N. McLean has added a new feature for this summer, which runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. every Thursday from June 3 until July 1. It will include a collection of food trucks plus live music, games, a bar and more. A members-only preview happens on May 27. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the gate. It’s free for members.
Southside Food Truck Rally: This gathering happens once a month at the ReBorn Boutique & Marketplace, 6346 S. Broadway, and features a vintage market as well as a gathering of food trucks. The next one is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 5.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 11:58 AM.
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