We’ve been following one trend faithfully for a few years—like, literally following it—from the City Market and Fridays After Five to Hydraulic Road and the Ix Art Park. Whether it’s Australian hand pies or smoked pork barbecue, fresh donuts or cupcakes, Charlottesville’s food truck scene brings everything to eat, drink and satisfy your sweet tooth. Here are three of our recent favorites.
South Fork
“The view from our window is always changing,” says Phillip Gerringer. It was the variety that drew
the South Fork owner to the food truck biz—the fact that he could be at a concert one day and a wedding the next. “It would allow me to be constantly evolving and adaptive to wherever I could drive the truck. I knew it wouldn’t be boring.”
That goes for the menu, too. A stop here will leave you stuffed with South Fork’s twists on Southern classics, like the smoked jalapeño meatloaf sandwich with garlic mashed potatoes, or the Cheerwine-braised pork sandwich with arugula, chipotle barbecue, blue cheese and pickled red onions. Or, for that matter, Gerringer’s favorite: “It’s hard to beat the meatloaf, but I’m partial to the grilled pimento cheese sandwich with arugula and a fried green tomato.”
You can find him setting up outside Champion Brewing Company on Thursday evenings, at Fridays After Five and at various events on Saturdays throughout the summer. southforkfoodtruck.com
Gypsy Juice
You’ll often find owner KC Sperry selling her original juices from a booth at the City Market on Saturday mornings, but her rustic wagon, which she constructed from salvaged materials found on the historic farm where she lives, is unmistakable at festivals around the area, too. Sperry brings at least 10 varieties with her, from mint limeade to iced raspberry rose green tea (and grows many of the ingredients herself!), but it’s the sage peach lemonade that’s customers’ favorite. No wonder: Says Sperry, “All of our recipes are developed after many years of customer input!” gypsyjuice.co
The Flat Takeaway Crêperie
In 2005, Lauren McRaven opened The Flat, a 10’x14′ walk-up restaurant behind The Jefferson Theater. Eight successful years (and countless crêpes) later, McRaven launched a Kickstarter campaign to open a mobile version—and take her crêpes and beignets on the road. The successful campaign yielded $10,439 —enough for a trailer. The Flat celebrates a 10th birthday this year. We’re celebrating the only way we know how: banana and Nutella. facebook.com/theflat.downtown
