Want great food on the go? We scoured Lexington for the top food trucks.
Do you love eating local?
Several noteworthy Central Kentucky food trucks and trailers bring together an assortment of the area’s best eats for your dining pleasure — from burgers to tacos to wings to vegan, along with Greek and Japanese-inspired food and much more.
Fortunately, they are having a welcome resurgence after a bit of a bumpy road in 2020. And just in time for National Food Truck Day on June 25 here are some of the best food trucks in Lexington.
The often eye-catching local “truckstaurants,” like their bricks-and-mortar counterparts, were forced to adapt to a vastly changing world due to COVID-19.
According to the website smallbizgenius.com, the average annual food truck industry growth before COVID-19 was 7.5 percent and the market size in 2020 surpassed $1.2 billion. Business was booming.
Then the pandemic arrived on the scene.
Facing a world of government-mandated shutdowns and people cautious of leaving their homes, mobile cuisine entrepreneurs were forced to pause or look for new business opportunities. Crowds disappeared. Large gatherings like sporting events, fairs and festivals ended. Bars and businesses where many food trucks normally set up shut down. Socializing turned into social distancing. People headed indoors indefinitely.
But while many restaurants found themselves in deep financial trouble this past year, kitchens on wheels, by and large, are doing better.
As food trucks operate outdoors, many have managed to rebound much faster than traditional restaurants as outside events have begun to resume and neighborhood associations and churches are beginning to host open-air activities once again.
“I am turning down (events) left and right,” notes Kyle Bateman, owner/operator of Kyle’s Kitchen Food Truck. “I am completely booked for weeks.”
To determine where hungry consumers can still find some of the best curbside bites and street treats here in the Bluegrass, I have compiled a list of food trucks to watch for who are operating in Lexington and some surrounding communities — and it was not an easy task.
What I discovered is that in general, food truck folks are far better at offering tasty meals and culinary innovation than marketing their menus and promoting their upcoming locations.
If you would like a food truck to come to your event, you can reach out to them for availability. Several operators note they are already booked up for the next several weeks to months or are booking up fast.
To help food truck operators and customers connect, I have created a new Facebook page: FoodTruckFinderLex.
The following guide is a cross-section of food trucks and trailers that you can follow via their social media accounts or respective website. Some feature streamlined menus while others offer a larger variety of dining outdoors options.
BELLA’S MINI DONUTS
Featuring “freshly made little bites of heaven,” this food trailer offers fresh warm donuts by the cup, the bag, or the bucket, made on-site by a mini donut machine. There is also Bella’s Grilled Cheese and Soup that is operational fall to early spring, and Bella Shave Ice serving the Lexington area. Bella is the name of the vintage trailer.
Website: bellasminidonuts.com
Social: facebook.com/bellasminidonuts, facebook.com/bellassoupandgrilledcheesetruck, facebook.com/Bella-Shave-Ice-1353203368120020/
BIG POPPIE’S
Big Poppie’s food trailer traces its roots to owner John Bryant’s (AKA “Big Poppie”) pastime of backyard barbecuing. He launched his own BBQ sauce in 2012, later his own beer cheese, and started his current food trailer in March of 2020. Today the barbecue is in heavy demand. His calendar is booked through July.
The menu is simple and often sells out. Choice of a pulled pork or chicken sandwich, or a brisket sandwich — available with sides including BBQ baked beans, cheesy potatoes, cole slaw, pasta salad or Grippo’s potato chips.
One recent comment posted on Big Poppie’s Facebook page described the BBQ has “heaven sent.”
Social: facebook.com/groups/1075080749221149
CHICKEN WINGS EXPRESS
Launched in 2016, Chicken Wings Express is a “chicken joint food truck” featuring bone-in wings (quantity of 12, 18, or 24) or boneless wings (quantity of 8, 12, or 24), both in your choice of seven different standard sauces.
Also on the menu: Fried pickles, a single or double-patty burger and fries, and three chicken strips and a side.
Social: facebook.com/ChicksWingsExpressLLC/
DAUGHTERS’ SOUTHERN
Chris Cain named his “locally-minded, family-inspired” food truck for his four daughters when he launched in March 2020. He began his food service endeavors with a pop-up tent at Lexington’s Night Market in 2016.
Cain comes from a food service background. His father was a chef at Lexington’s former Little Inn Restaurant where Cain’s mother was also a waitress.
The most popular menu item is the buffalo cauliflower. I have never been a fan of cauliflower but found myself eating Cain’s version like candy. Crispy fried cauliflower tossed in a sweet heat buffalo sauce and drizzled with a creamy ranch dressing. Delicious.
Other menu items include The Lord’s Work (cornmeal-dusted whiting fillets on white bread), chicken and waffles, a smoked bologna sandwich, the Fraley Burger topped with smoky BBQ sauce, bacon, bleu cheese, and crispy onion straws, a classic burger, and a white chocolate banana pudding dessert.
At Immanuel Baptist Church’s recent “Celebration Sunday” event where Daughters’ Southern was set-up, Kara Francis of Lexington tried the smoked bologna sandwich which includes homemade pimento cheese, dill pickles and yellow mustard.
“It’s awesome! I never would have thought of putting these items together (on a sandwich), but it tastes really good.”
Website: daughterssouthern.com/
Social: facebook.com/DaughtersSouthern
DOODLE’S
Since 2008, Doodle’s has been a popular New Orleans-inspired downtown dining spot for their locally sourced breakfast and lunch offering. “Comfort food with a conscience.”
The food truck offers a brunch menu including a sausage (pork or soy) breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, steel-cut oatmeal, Cuban pressed sandwich, vegetarian chili and fries, chicken salad bowl, and beignets.
Website: doodleslex.com/
Social: facebook.com/doodleslexky
DRAKE’S
Featuring items popular at Lexington’s Drake’s restaurants, Drake’s Food Truck is available for birthday parties, tailgates, weddings, charitable and other events.
Website: bluegrasshospitality.com/foodtruck/
GO-GO BURGER
With its logo of a prancing cow wearing high heels, Go-Go Burger has been a familiar sight at places like Lexington’s Night Market, Southland Street Fair, and the Woodland Art Fair.
The menu features an assortment of “burgers from scratch and old school,” including a classic hamburger or cheeseburger to a jalapeno cheeseburger, western BBQ burger, Big Bleu burger, California burger, Brazilian burger, mushroom/bacon/Swiss burger, New Mexico green chile cheeseburger, Hawaiian burger, and a beer cheese burger.
Also available are a ribeye steak sandwich, Philly cheesesteak sandwich, grilled chicken filet, fried bologna sandwich, chicken wings, and handmade onion rings.
Social: facebook.com/burgerwingsandmore
HILLBILLY HIBACHI
Since the summer of 2018, the Hillbilly Hibachi food trailer has featured “country boys’ take on Japanese-inspired favorites without all the formalities and fancy moves.”
The menu includes choice of teriyaki chicken, steak, or shrimp dinner (or a combination thereof) and each meal includes fried rice, vegetables, and a homemade yum-yum sauce. There is also a vegetarian option.
Hillbilly Hibachi owners Adam Brown, Derek Hinkle and Travis York have hit on something special. The entire offering sold out in under two hours at a recent Masterson Station “Hangry Hump Days Food Truck Party” event put on by the neighborhood association.
If you love hibachi food, this is the one for you.
Social: www.facebook.com/hillbachi/
HIPPIE TOM’S CONCESSIONS
Tommy Lester operates Hippie Tom’s Concessions out of a brightly colored travel trailer featuring a carnival-like food menu including a bloomin’ onion, a loaded bloomin’ onion, a tornado tater, a loaded tornado tater, catfish sandwich, chicken wings, loaded fries, deep-fried Oreos, and funnel cakes.
Social: facebook.com/Hippie.Tom.Concessions
J. RENDER’S
J. Render’s Southern Table & Bar restaurant specializes in smoked meats and inventive takes on classic sandwiches and southern fare with a full bar and wide range of BBQ and southern dishes.
Their “Big Red” food truck menu features a hickory smoked brisket sandwich, the “Oh No You Didn’t” grilled cheese, a pulled pork sandwich, and BBQ pork or chicken nachos.
Website: jrendersbbq.com/menus/food-truck-menu/
Social: facebook.com/JRendersBBQ/
JASMINE RICE
Operated by Nipaporn “Kukie” Ruadrew and a regular at the Crave Food & Music Festival, Woodland Art Fair, and Thursday Night Live events, Jasmine Rice’s popular food trailer offers Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisine.
Website: jasminerice.us
Social: facebook.com/JasmineRiceThaiRestaurant
KYLE’S KITCHEN
Kyle Bateman operated “Kyle’s Kitchen” inside Lexington’s Spearmint Rhino Gentlemen’s Club before launching his hard-to-miss food truck of the same name three years ago. A former Lextran Wheel’s bus, the colorful truck was painted by a local artist and includes a large caricature of Bateman’s face on one side.
For Kyle, the food service profession is self-taught.
“I’ve been around kitchens pretty much my entire life. I grew up in kitchens.”
On a good day, he estimates that he averages $250 an hour in food sales and can pull in as much as $1,200.
He sets up frequently at The Garage on Leestown Road and the menu includes a half-pound burger, a Philly cheesesteak, chicken quesadilla, chicken tacos, buffalo chicken fries, a grilled cheese sandwich, and the “Chicken Bomb” (chicken, cheese, green peppers, onions, jalapenos, and sour cream.)
Social: Facebook.com/kyleskitchenky
MAD SCOOPS
Kerry Bickett originally operated two bricks-and-mortar ice creams shops (one in Richmond and later a location in Lexington), before scaling back the business to only the current food truck.
Bickett is a full-time banker and operates the Mad Scoops trailer as a part-time seasonal business which fits his schedule much better, and he says business is good.
“We did much better as a result of COVID-19. It has positively impacted us.”
The business is doing so well, he is working on expanding and offering a second trailer to be able to cover more events.
The menu includes one or two scoop waffle cones, cakes cones, sugar cones, or ice cream in a cup. There is also root beer and Coke floats and some of the available flavors of ice cream include Mint Madness, Black Raspberry Chocolate Truffle, Cookies N’ Cream, Cookie Monster, Cotton Candy, Mad Hurricane, and Orange Sherbet.
Social: facebook.com/madscoops
MAMA D’S EATS & TREATS
If homecooked meals and low carb/Keto options are on your radar, Mama D’s has what you want — including her homemade “Peanut Butter Bombs.”
The menu includes a tenderloin sandwich, a BLT, burgers, hot dogs, a “Crack Chicken Sandwich,” loaded burritos, nachos, crack fries/wedges, and rice/tortilla bowl. Keto/low carb items include an egg roll in a bowl, chicken bowl, taco salad and loaded salad.
Social: facebook.com/Mama-Ds-Eats-And-Treats-109234057103303
MOODY MIKE’S
Billed as Lexington’s first vegan food truck, Moody Mike’s is minority-owned and currently utilizes the incubator kitchen located inside the Pasta Garage at 962 Delaware Ave. According to the owner/operator Michael Harris, the food truck should be up and going in the next few weeks.
The menu includes a vegan BLT, totchos (tator tots smothered in seasoned impossible meat with lettuce, house-made pico/salsa, cheese sauce and jalapenos), shrimp ceviche, Slaw Your Roll egg rolls, whiskey baked beans, a variety of chicken wings, shrimp po boy, beer batter burger, baja shrimp burger, and The Verax (chicken sandwich dipped in hot honey, with slaw and pickles), and more.
Website: clover.com/online-ordering/moody-mikes-lexington
Social: facebook.com/moodymikesveganfood
MR. GYROS
Since 2007, Mr. Gyros Food Truck has been serving up delicious Greek and Mediterranean food including Gyros, Greek salad, steak or chicken shawarma sandwiches, falafel sandwiches, steak or chicken Philly sandwiches, and baklava. One bite and you will be shouting “Opa!”
There is also a cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger on the menu.
Mr. Gyros is a time-honored food truck in the community. They were featured on The Food Channel in 2015 on ‘Food Truckers TV’ during the Breeders’ Cup.
Social: facebook.com/mrgyros
NATHAN’S TAQUERIA
Lexington is home to several great food trucks offering tasty Mexican food, however Nathan’s Taqueria stands out for their active social media presence and large following on Facebook.
The menu features many traditional Mexican food favorites and vegan options, including street tacos, burritos, quesadillas, queso, loaded nachos, and one of my personal favorites, elote (Mexican street corn on the cob, slathered with mayonnaise, seasoned with chili powder, and sprinkled with Cotija cheese).
Social: facebook.com/nathanstaqueria
PASTA GARAGE
The Pasta Garage was created by college friends Lesme Romero and Reinaldo Gonzalez to combine their shared love of Italian street food and the freshest of ingredients.
Featuring a special “truck”—a renovated 1972 VW Bus—Pasta Garage’s catering and private event operation offers a mouth-watering menu designed for public events or large premium experience private events.
Options include caprese-stuffed gnocchi, bruschetta, chicken alfredo, rigatoni marina with meatballs, rotini arrabiata (vegetarian), rosette primavera, chicken piccata, penne carbonara, lasagna, chicken parmigiana, tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, and more.
Website: pastagaragecatering.com/
Social: facebook.com/PastaGarageLexington/
RED STATE BBQ
Founded in 2010, Red State BBQ has received numerous awards for their offering and features “Barbecue the way you want it to be…Good.”
Their food truck menu includes a pulled pork or chicken sandwich, sliced brisket sandwich, half or full slab of ribs, a brisket Philly sandwich, a brisket melt with Swiss on sourdough, chicken quesadilla, andouille sausage, a spicy brat po’ boy, a BBQ parfait, and a Grand Slam pork sandwich.
Website: redstatebbq.com/Food-Truck
Social: facebook.com/redstatebbq
ROLLIN’ KOLD SNO SHACK
Billed as the “World’s Ultimate Shaved Ice,” Rollin’ Kold offers numerous fun and tasty flavors of shaved ice including banana, pink bubblegum, cotton candy, French vanilla, mango, margarita, nectarine, pina colada, pineapple, red raspberry, and more.
Social: facebook.com/Rollin-Kold-Sno-Shack-1284168068458327
ROLLING OVEN MOBILE PIZZERIA
As seen as numerous area events, Rolling Oven’s mobile pizzeria features wood-fired, brick oven pizzas and Italian sandwiches.
Website: rollingoven.com/the-truck
Social: facebook.com/rollingoven
TEPPAN てっぱん
This recently launched food truck features Japanese-Asian fusion and “Japanese street food! Straight from Japan.”
Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine and is derived from the words “teppan” (iron plate) and “yaki” (grilled, boiled, or pan-fried). So, it literally means “grilling on an iron plate.” Stay tuned!
Social: facebook.com/TEPPAN.LEX/
TOASTIES GOURMET
One of the newest food trucks in Lexington, Toasties Gourmet serves a variety of sweet and savory “creative toast” from your basic avocado toast and caprese toast (hemp-basil pesto topped with heirloom tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic drizzle), to an acai smoothie bowl, and protein shakes, “to keep your busy days fueled.”
There is also a Goud Grilled Cheese (brie and gouda cheese and fuji apple slices on sourdough), a Basic Gurl (apple butter on sourdough topped with strawberries and drizzled with chocolate almond butter) and a Vegan Grilled Cheddar Cheese and more on the menu.
Website: toastiesgourmet.com/
Social: facebook.com/toastiesgourmet/
Rob Bolson is a local foodie who prides himself on eating local. Often. You can follow him on Instagram at @robbiebolson.
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