Meals on Wheels: Food Trucks Thrive on Our Shores

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Move over, old-fashioned ice cream truck and hot dog stand. Three Big Lake communities have embraced the next generation of takeout in a big way: the gourmet food truck.

Often run by highly trained chefs, these mobile restaurants serve lunch at a regular rotation of spots around their towns and at festivals. Check their websites or Facebook pages for schedules.

Thunder Bay

Barbecupid offers barbecue sandwiches inspired by the tastes of Memphis, Texas, Kansas City, the Carolinas and even Cuba. Along with staples like pulled pork, chef Mike Belisle whips up occasional specials with a local bent: The Burnt End Poutine brings together Texas barbecue and a Canadian delicacy, featuring Thunder Oak cheese curds. 807-621-9698, Facebook page

Portuguese restaurant Churrasqueira Galo serves a selection of favorites out of their truck. Try the piri-piri chicken, bifana (a pork sandwich) or a sole fillet sandwich, then top it off with pastéis de natas (traditional Portuguese custard tarts). 807-767-3030, galofoods.com

Local Motion describes its cuisine as Northern fusion. Chef Nikos Mantis uses as many local ingredients as possible in the tacos, burgers, spring rolls and other delights, from locally raised beef and pork to Thunder Oak gouda cheese. The pickerel taco gets rave reviews from customers online. 807-621-4330, Facebook page, pinetreecatering.com/LM/

The Little Black Box, whose truck stays parked at 16 S. Cumberland Street, is best known for its poutine and burgers. Along with weekday afternoons, it’s open 1-3 a.m. on weekends for the late-night downtown bar crowd. Facebook page

Going Dutch serves “a little bit of Holland.” Specialties include poffertjes (miniature pancakes), croquettes (a deep-fried roll with minced beef) and rookworst (Dutch smoked sausage). 807-632-1301, Facebook page

Marquette

Since opening in 2013, Día de los Tacos has become a Marquette fixture with beloved creations like The Carmen (pulled pork with herb garnish and queso fresco) and The Colleen (chicken in a mild chili/ tomato sauce with Chihuahua cheese and jicama slaw). This year it won Food Truck Taco of the Year from Mobile Cuisine. 906-361-3740, Facebook page

Señors Food Truck serves tacos, tostadas, quesadillas and other Mexican dishes. The truck rotates between Marquette, Negaunee and Ishpeming on weekdays. 906-458-9226, Facebook page

After serving lunch around town, the Wild Blue BBQ truck often spends the evening at Ore Dock Brewing Company or Blackrocks Brewery, where you can grab a beer to wash down your barbecue. Owner Scott Stanley spent a dozen years competing in barbecue competitions across the Midwest before settling in Marquette. You can’t go wrong with the brisket or pulled pork, either on a sandwich or atop nachos. New on the menu is the BBQ Parfait – a scoop each of beans, meat and coleslaw, topped with barbecue sauce. 913-226-7965, Facebook page

New on the scene, Superior Mobile Koney makes hot dogs, grilled cheese, BLTs, reubens and more. 906-251-0628, Facebook page

Duluth

Now four years old, Chow Haul Mobile Restaurant has become a familiar sight at downtown events like Homegrown Music Festival, serving such concoctions as Frito brats and a wonton of the day. 218-341-8021, Facebook page

The KBQ Ribs truck features Korean barbecue to go. Try the short ribs and bulgogi (thinly sliced beef, marinated and grilled), and don’t leave without some kimchi. 218-481-3312, Facebook page, www.kbqribsduluth.com

The Rambler is best known for its sandwiches – teriyaki pulled pork, Cuban and braised short rib among them – and chicken curry tacos. 218-213-1713, Facebook page, www.theramblermn.com

El Oasis del Norte serves authentic Mexican fare like tacos and tortas with a variety of meats: steak, pork, chicken and even lengua (beef tongue). 303-918-6170, Facebook page