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Header image courtesy of @cafe.hopping (via Instagram)
Perhaps it’s the fleeting, nomadic nature of food trucks—which makes tracking them down feel like a bit like a game of scavenger hunt—or maybe it’s their positive association with carnivals and festivals, stirring up memories of the good ol’ days. Whatever the reason, there is something special about ordering food from a mobile vehicle that seems to elicit a flutter of excitement in adults and children alike.
There is no denying that Hong Kong’s food truck scene has had it rough, especially in the past year as the pandemic has made eating on-the-go more difficult than ever before, resulting in many operators from the Hong Kong Food Truck Pilot Scheme pulling out of the scene. But in spite of the struggles, there are still food trucks out there whipping up all sorts of delicious bites. From local street snacks to casual Thai fare, here’s where to grab the tastiest bites on wheels in Hong Kong!
Slinging a premium range of burgers stacked so high you can hardly get your mouth around it in one go, The Butchers Truck encapsulates the classic food truck experience—fast, casual, and just the right amount of messy. As the roving offshoot of the Michelin-recommended burger joint The Butchers Club, you can expect the burgers coming from this sleek black truck to have the same outstanding quality and taste as its parent restaurant.
The signature classic burger ($120), packed with bacon, cheese, dry-aged beef, veggies, and special sauce, is a solid pick, and even has a vegan version ($120) for the plant-based. But beyond the bun-bound offerings, the food truck also dishes out several exclusive rice dishes that equally impress, such as rice with grilled Angus ribs fingers in BBQ sauce ($85) and rice with pulled pork and kimchi in kewpie mayo ($68). You can catch The Butchers Truck at the West Kowloon Cultural District on select dates.
The Butchers Truck, West Kowloon Cultural District, 18 Museum Drive, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 9088 7935
Drawing on its 80 plus years of sauce-making experience, homegrown sauce producer Pat Chun puts its expertise into practice in its food truck venture, doling out some incredibly flavourful and sauce-slathered Hong Kong street snacks and comfort food at delightfully low prices.
If you are already a fan of the brand‘s signature sweetened vinegar sauce, then you will love their slow-cooked chicken wings ($20), which come drenched in the addictively sweet-sour condiment. For a full meal, pair the snack with a plate of sakura shrimp umami fried rice ($48), served with a sunny-side-up egg and three different sauces on the side for you to mix and match to your own liking, and wash it all down with a refreshing apple vinegar soda ($25). You‘ll find Pat Chun Saucy Truck on select dates at the West Kowloon Cultural District.
Pat Chun Saucy Truck, West Kowloon Cultural District, 18 Museum Drive, Tsim Sha Tsui
Aptly decked out in shocking pink, sunny yellow, and other tropical colours, SawadeeCar brings the bright, bold, and punchy flavours of Thailand to the streets of Hong Kong. Operated by the same team behind Thai Mui Restaurant, the offerings at this food truck run the gamut of classic Thai dishes, ranging from grilled chicken skewers ($20) and green curry vegetables with rice ($48) to chicken feet salad ($48) and Thai bubble tea ($33).
While the menu is less extensive than its brick-and-mortar counterpart, it is also significantly cheaper, so you can justify sampling more than just one dish if you’re so lucky to stumble upon this fun-coloured mobile kitchen in action. Your best chance will be at the West Kowloon Cultural District on select weekends.
SawadeeCar, West Kowloon Cultural District, 18 Museum Drive, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 5115 9999
Although Book Brothers specialises in Chinese-style gua baos (刈包; stewed meat sandwiched between flat steamed bread), you’ll find that the meat filling options dances between Asian and Western, from traditionally Chinese like red braised pork and char siu to distinctively American like spicy grilled chicken and BBQ Angus beef—there‘s definitely something for everyone!
Among the offerings, the Beijing roast duck bun is particularly worth commending, comprising a fluffy, warm steamed bun stuffed with juicy, crispy-skinned roast duck, fresh cucumbers, onions, yellow pickled radish, and hoisin sauce. Striking the perfect contrast between crunchy and soft, sweet and savoury, each bite is satisfying and bursting with flavour. Book Brothers has previously been seen in various locations in Hong Kong Island, but now primarily operates on select dates at Hong Kong Disneyland.
Book Brothers, Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island | (+852) 5177 6996
The mere sound of Mobile Softee’s familiar jingle has the power to stop pedestrians in their tracks and command instant full attention. Having roamed the streets of Hong Kong since the 1970s, the iconic red-white-blue ice cream truck is nearly every local‘s childhood in a box (one with four wheels and plays The Blue Danube on repeat). Over the years, Mobile Softee has stuck to churning out the same four signature offerings—vanilla soft-serve ($12), nutty drumstick ($10), large ice cream cups ($9), and jumbo orange sherbet ($9). Although their frozen treats are not the fancy, artisanal variety, the taste of sweet nostalgia never fails to bring a smile to people’s faces and always keep customers coming back.
There are currently 14 Mobile Softee vans running across the city, most frequently seen in busy tourist areas like the Star Ferry Pier at Tsim Sha Tsui, Gold Bauhinia Square, Lee Garden Road, Sai Kung Pier, etc.
Mobile Softee, locations across Hong Kong | (+852) 2691 1388
Living in an ever-bustling city, grabbing coffee on-the-go has become a staple routine that masses of office workers and commuters look forward to every day—so it comes as exciting news that one of our favourite neighbourhood coffee joint, Winstons Coffee, is serving its fantastic coffees and tasty light bites from a stylish black truck at the Tong Chong Street Market.
Running on weekdays until the end of March, Winstons Coffee has you covered for all your caffeine needs, whether you’re looking for a frothy cappuccino ($40) a chai tea latte ($40), or even a CBD-infused iced tea ($60) to really get you energized and focused! While you’re at it, pair your coffee with an Impossible vegan sausage roll (starting from $55) or a chunky homestyle cookie (starting from $35) courtesy of Cookie DPT.
Winstons Coffee, Tong Chong Street Market, One Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay | (+852) 2559 5078
Another beverage-forward vendor that has parked its wheels at the Tong Chong Street Market this month, The Tea Academics’ tea truck takes its décor almost as seriously as it takes its tea, drawing you in with its beautiful mint green tea façade, twinkling fairy lights, and winding floral vines. Inside, the tea mavens are brewing up an array of artisanal tea-based drinks, including vegan tea lattes, “iced-tea inspired” concoctions, and seasonal cold brews.
Don’t sleep on the baked goods menu either—their freshly baked scones—available in both sweet and savoury varieties—go down exceptionally well with their market-exclusive Phoenix Dancong and Jin Xuan oolong cold brews!
The Tea Academics, Tong Chong Street Market, One Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay | (+852) 3187 7303
A wanderer, chronic overthinker, and baking enthusiast, Beverly spent much of her childhood in the United States before moving to Hong Kong at age 11 and making the sparkling city her home. In her natural habitat, she can be found baking up a storm in her kitchen, journalling at a café, or scrolling through OpenRice deciding on her next meal.
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