While we’ve long been fans of Twitter, one of the biggest digs critics take at it is that it’s full of pointless chatter.
But one of the more interesting and truly useful trends sparked by the microblogging service is the way street-food vendors have flocked to it to relay info to customers. This is particularly helpful with vendors who switch up locations from day to day—or hour to hour. In retrospect, it almost seems like Twitter was made for this purpose. What better way for a roving kitchen to publish crucial intel, from the field, without a dedicated internet connection?
For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of street vendors on Twitter, divided by region. You’ll find it after the jump.
California
Southern California
Kogi BBQ
Twitter: @kogibbq
URL: kogibbq.com
Korean-inspired tacos, burritos, drinks, and more for hungry late-nighters. Based in Los Angeles, but starting to travel more. Read our Q&A with the truck itself.
Don Chow Tacos
Twitter: @donchowtacos
URL: donchowtacos.com
More Mexican-Asian fusion from Los Angeles.
Calbi BBQ
Twitter: @CalbiBBQ
URL: calbibbq.com/blog
And another…
Yuri Truck
Twitter: @YuriTruck
URL: yurijapanesecafe.com
Rolls, bowls, and teas.
Coolhaus
Twitter: @COOLHAUS
URL: eatcoolhaus.com
All-natural ice cream sandwiches designed and imagined by two architects.
Heartschallenger
Twitter: @hrtschallenger
URL: heartschallenger.com
An ice cream truck traveling through Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Or really anywhere, if you want to book them.
Joes on the Nose
Twitter: @joesonthenose
URL: joesonthenose.com/Aloha.html
An organic espresso bar from an orange truck in San Diego.
Green Truck
Twitter: @Green_Truck
URL: greentruckonthego.com
From the packaging to the organic produce to the solar-powered commissary, this truck is all green.
Marked5
Twitter: @Marked5
URL: Marked5.com
“Call it a mix of old school Japanese and new school American” in the Los Angeles area.
Let’s Be Frank
Twitter: @letsbefrank
URL: letsbefrankdogs.com
Grass-fed beef hot dogs from a trailer in both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The Icycle Bicycle
Twitter: @locali
URL: localiyours.com
A custom-built adult tricycle selling vegan ice cream sandwiches, snow cones sweetened with brown rice syrup, and other frozen treats from Locali, the “conscience convenience” store.
Northern California
Creme Brulee Cart
Twitter: @cremebruleecart
Sugar-crusted treats in the Mission, usually at Dolores Park, torching the desserts to order.
Magic Curry Kart
Twitter: @magiccurrykart
Choice of chicken or tofu curry and lots of veggies (broccoli, string beans, and carrots), served with rice. Usually near the Creme Brulee Cart.
Amuse Bouche Cart
Twitter: @AmuseBoucheSF
Muffins and chai for a dollar. The self-proclaimed “home of the original recession buster breakfast.”
Mobile Pho Truck
Twitter: @whatthepho
Fresh noodles and broth all over the Bay Area, including Millbrae, outside AT&T Park, and the piers.
Urban Nectar
Twitter: @urbanectar
URL: urbanectar.com
A juice cart selling fresh-squeezed lemonade, watermelon juice, and strawberry juice, where a portion of earnings go to a local charity.
Spencer on the Go
Twitter: @chezspencergo
URL: spenceronthego.com/home.html
Fine French cuisine (grilled sweetbread with sherry, ratatouille, truffle boeuf bourguignon) sold from a converted taco truck.
Roli Roti
Twitter: @RoliRoti
URL: roliroti.com
Sustainably-farmed meats grilled rotisserie style, served with organic produce.
CookieWagSF
Twitter: @cookiewagsf
A cookie/ice cream sandwich cart.
The Tamale Lady
Twitter: @tamalelady
Her Twitter feed is blank right now, but surely the Tamale Lady will get around to updating (after making her pork with red sauce).
Left Coast Smoke
Twitter: @leftcoastsmoke
A barbecue outfit rotating among several Mission District bars.
Sam’s Chowder Mobile
Twitter: @chowdermobile
URL: samschowdermobile.com
A truck selling East Coast lobster rolls and chowder in the Bay Area.
I Love Street Food
Twitter: @streetfoodsf
Tracks national street food news, but specifically the San Francisco scene.
New York City
Calexico Carne Asada Cart
Twitter: @CalexicoCart
URL: calexicocart.com
Three California brothers making carne asada tacos, chipotle pulled pork, and other Mexican-inspired food. They won the 2008 Vendy Awards, an annual street food contest held in New York.
Cravings Truck
Twitter: @nyccravings
URL: sites.google.com/a/nyccravings.com/cravings/
Taiwanese-style fried chicken over rice with secret pork sauce and handmade steamed dumplings (vegan, pork, or mix).
Dessert Truck
Twitter: @desserttruck
URL: desserttruck.com
Also dessert-themed. They beat Bobby Flay in a chocolate bread pudding Throwdown.
Le Gamin Truck
Twitter: @legamintruck
URL: legaminmobitruck.blogspot.com
Sweet and savory crepes, quiche Lorraine, baguette sandwiches, ratatouille salad, and other European café-type foods. Photos of food here.
Rickshaw Dumplings
Twitter: @RickshawTruck
Dumplings and dipping sauces from a truck covered in funny slogans like “Who’s Your Edamame?”
Treats Truck
Twitter: @TheTreatsTruck
URL: treatstruck.com
Cookies, brownies, bars, crispy treats and more. Tweets the whereabouts of their main truck Sugar and its vehicular little sister Dot.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Twitter: @benwvl
URL: vanleeuwenicecream.com
Scooping up flavors like currants and cream, pistachio, gianduja, espresso, and ginger, all made from hormone-free milk.
Wafels & Dinges
Twitter: @waffletruck
URL: thedinges.blogspot.com
Sweet and savory Brussels and Liege waffles.
Cupcake Stop
Twitter: @CupcakeStop
URL: cupcakestop.com
A mobile cupcake shop starting June 3.
The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck
Twitter: @biggayicecream
URL: biggayicecreamtruck.com
“Serving the queerest dairy treats in NYC!”
Washington, D.C.
Fojol Brothers
Twitter: @fojolbros
URL: fojol.com
Chicken curry and mango lassi popsicles sold from four dudes (two are actually brothers) in fake mustaches and psychedelic turbans.
OnTheFlyDC
Twitter: @OnTheFlyDC
URL: dconthefly.com
D.C.-based foods (like Julia’s Empanadas and Rocklands BBQ) sold from zero-emission, battery-powered vehicles.
Sweetflow Mobile
Twitter: @SweetflowMobile
URL: sweetgreen.com
The small salad chain Sweet Greens will launch a fro-yo truck this summer selling their “Sweet Flow” with toppings.
Pacific Northwest
Brunch Box
Twitter: @BrunchBox
URL: Brunch Box on Facebook
Based in Portland, they specialize in sandwich and burger fare, including YouCanHasCheeseburger, a Fatty Melt knock-off (patty stuck between two grilled cheese sandwiches).
Whiffies Deep-Fried Pie Cart
Twitter: @Whiffies
Sweet and savory deep-fried handpies, like empanadas, usually in Portland, but also spotted around Seattle.
Koi Fusion
Twitter: @koifusionpdx
URL: koifusionpdx.com
“Korean Oregon infusion.” Launching this week in Portland.
Skillet Street Food
Twitter: @skilletstfood
URL: skilletstreetfood.com
A CIA-trained chef making “seasonally relevant, locally sourced” bistro style food (like a fried chicken sandwich with apple/celery root slaw) up and down the West Coast.
Marination Mobile
Twitter: @curb_cuisine
URL: marinationmobile.com
Korean-Hawaiian fusion cuisine served curbside in the Seattle-area.
Savor Soup House
Twitter: @savorsouphouse
URL: savorsouphouse.com
Soup cart in downtown Portland featuring homemade soups, stews, and grilled cheese using local, sustainable products.
Food Carts Portland
Twitter: @PDXfoodcarts
URL: foodcartsportland.com
Tracks the street-food scene in Portland.
New England
Cupcake Truck
Twitter: @cupcaketruck
URL: followthatcupcake.com/welcome.html
An old-fashioned bakery truck with fresh-baked cupcakes scooting around the New Haven, Connecticut area.
Clover Food Truck
Twitter: @cloverfoodtruck
URL: cloverfoodlab.com
An MIT alum who used to love the trucks around campus. The seasonal menu includes fresh-cut french fries, juices, sandwiches, and soup.
El Charrito
Twitter: @elcharrito
Taco truck in Stamford, Connecticut.
Midwest
Chef Shack
Twitter: @chefshack1
URL: chefshack.org
A Minneapolis-based truck operated by two chefs with 20 years of experience in notable fine dining kitchens.
Tamale Tracker
Twitter: @tamaletracker
URL: spotd.me/about.aspx
Since the Chicago tamale vendors can be tough to track down, some friends decided to create a Twitter account to follow them.
Texas
Food Shark
Twitter: @foodshark
URL: foodsharkmarfa.com
Based in Marfa, Texas, this truck sells Mediterranean-by-way-of-West-Texas food. Like “marfalafel,” or falafel served extra spicy (with lettuce and onion) in a flour tortilla rather than pita bread.
South
Only Burger
Twitter: @onlyburger
URL: durhamcatering.com/onlyburger
Burgers and fries in Durham, North Carolina.
Southwest
Sweet Republic
Twitter: @sweetrepublic
URL: sweetrepublic.com/events.html
The artisan ice cream shop also has a 1959 Chevy that drives around to farmers’ markets and other events in Phoenix.
Canada
Japa Dog
Twitter: @japadog
URL: japadog.com/en/
Vancouver-based hot dog stand where the namesake Japa Dog comes in three versions: the Terimayo (with Japanese mayo, nori, teriyaki sauce, and fried onions), the Oroshi (bratwurst with special soy sauce, green onions, and daikon) and the Misomayo (turkey smokie with special miso sauce, Kaiware, and Japanese mayo).
Two Ways to Get Your Truck/Cart Out There
Add Yourself to This List
If you’re a street vendor on Twitter but not on this list, leave a comment below with your truck or cart’s name, your twitter name, and city.
Use ‘#streetvendor’ Hash Tag to Make Yourself Searchable on Twitter
We might also suggest tweeting out a #hashtag tweet that simply says #streetvendor. That way, anyone doing a Twitter search for “#streetvendor” will see you in the results and can start following you. (#streetvendor seems the most logical hashtag to use; as of initial publication of this blog post, no one has yet used it.)
