Food Trucks Redefine the City’s Dining Scene

Over the past few years, Pittsburgh has experienced a noticeable increase in the variety of food trucks that are rolling through the city. For many operators, food trucks are preferable to working in a restaurant, as the limited menus and the mobile aspect of the trucks offer a level of flexibility and freedom that is not sustainable in a busy restaurant environment.

Gary Marshall, owner of Gari Shoyu Sando

If a sandwich on homemade milk bread is your thing, then follow Gari Shoyu Sando around town. Owner Gary Marshall started his business in a portable fryer in his car, but a year ago, he was able to get a food truck up and running. “I worked under some real professionals cooking traditional Japanese izakaya-style food for years before I wanted to branch out on my own. I’ve studied Japanese food for about half of my career and saw an opening in the city: no one was doing sandos exclusively, so I went with it,” he said.

Marshall explained that a sando is “…a sandwich through a Japanese lens. Milk bread is called ‘shokupan,’ which is served regularly with sandwiches and toast in cafes; it is their go-to bread.”

At Gari Shoyu Sando, the menu is changed out seasonally. Currently, in the warm season, these items include Tonkatsu (panko-breaded pork cutlet with kewpie, katsu sauce and koji-cabbage); Ebikatsu (crispy shrimp patty with pickled mustard greens, tarutaru sauce and koji-cabbage); and Tamago (Japanese-style egg salad with Dijon, kewpie and nitamago). All are served on homemade milk bread, which he makes daily.

On weekends, he can usually be found at a brewery, primarily in the East End. He is also often hired for events: look for him this month at the Pittsburgh Grand Prix. To see where you can find Gari Shoyu Sando, visit www.garishoyupgh.com.

PGH Crepes drives all over Pittsburgh.

Ilmir Akhmetzyanov started by selling crepes out of a small cart in the Strip District. About a dozen or so years ago, he decided that a mobile crepe truck would be the way to go, and PGH Crepes was born. Today, he runs two bright yellow trucks and a stationary trailer in Oakland and is booked most every day. “Down the road, we will open up a restaurant,” he said.

PGH Crepes offers both sweet and savory crepes, from banana Nutella to the ever-popular strawberry banana to the turkey cheese crepe to the crowd-favorite gyro crepe, and more. Akhmetzyanov even offers ‘traditional’ sides like fries and chicken tenders.

Akhmetzyanov grew up watching his grandmother make crepes. For him, part of the joy is the process. “We like to make everything fun for people. We cook in front of them with two griddles. People like to watch how we make it, and we talk with them as we’re cooking,” he said. Some of the relationships he’s formed with customers over the years have turned into friendships, and he usually remembers his regular customers’ favorite menu items.

In addition to festivals and night markets, PGH Crepes is also available for events. Visit      pghcrepes.com for more information.

North Indian food is not a common cuisine for a mobile food truck, which is why Amarjit Singh decided to open Billu’s Indian Grill a decade ago. Singh, whose nickname is Billu, learned to cook as an apprentice in Indian restaurants. He enjoys the freedom that comes from being his own boss and having autonomy over the menu and where the truck goes. Often, his truck can be found at various area breweries around Pittsburgh, including Allegheny City Brewing on the North Side and Big Sewickley Creek Brewery in Sewickley.

Billu’s North Indian food style is specific to Punjab, India, and is quite different from South Indian food. Basically, a homemade onion gravy is the base for many of his curry dishes and includes both vegetarian and nonvegetarian options. If you’re a newbie to this type of food, Singh suggested starting with chicken tikka masala, which is a boneless chicken cooked in a creamy tomato sauce. Another popular menu item is his fried catfish, made with Punjabi flair by frying it with a special mixture of spices. There are options for the more adventurous, though. “If someone is looking for something more unique and extremely spicy, I’d recommend my lamb vindaloo, which is lamb and potatoes in a very spicy, homemade sauce,” Singh said.

For where to locate the bright blue truck that is Billu’s Indian Grill, visit www.mobilenom.com or Billu’s Indian Grill on Facebook and Instagram.

Nectar offers a variety of Swedish candy. Photo credit: Alexa Frankovitch.

If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy candies like Swedish Fish, it is imperative you seek out Nectar, co-owned by Natalie LaRosa and her husband, Rocky. A fan of Swedish candy, the two wanted to find a way to bring these delectable delicacies to Pittsburgh. “We played around with the brick-and-mortar idea, but something wasn’t sitting with us. Last fall, we thought of the concept of reinventing the candy pick-and-mix structure,” she said.

If you’re going to bring Swedish candy across an ocean, you might as well be sure that the candy is appropriately displayed. That is why the couple bought a Piaggio Ape (translation: Little Bee), a three-wheeled European cart that is a common street cart in Italy but hard to come by in the States.

Although they’ve only launched this past Valentine’s Day with several pop-ups, they already have amassed a following. “We hit the pavement every weekend in collaboration with other small businesses around the city. We also do private event bookings in addition to pop-ups and collabs. We are just blown away with the support and turnout we’re receiving every weekend,” said LaRosa.

And lest you think that Swedish candy is limited to red, chewy fish, there is much more to it. LaRosa explained that Swedish candy has unique textures, such as ‘foam,’ which she said is a cult favorite in Sweden. She describes it as “…a marshmallow that doesn’t give up. We also have gummy candy. Texture is a big distinction. We import from Europe, and the ingredients are cleaner. There are a lot of fun flavor profiles, too, things like black currant and lemon rhubarb.”

Visit needmynectar.com to see where they pop up next.

Jordan Robarge, owner of Revival Chili

Along with serving heaping bowls of classic beef chili, chicken chili, beef and pork chili (all beanless), as well as vegan chili, Jordan Robarge, owner of Revival Chili, has a mission: to create job opportunities for disadvantaged individuals, especially those who have had a hard time securing employment due to previous legal troubles.

Robarge learned his chili recipes from his days in his college fraternity, but he adapted the recipe to make it healthier. He said that his most popular menu item is the classic beef, which is light on the spice, and even people who like beans like the beanless chili. “My favorite is mixing the classic beef with spicy chicken. You get a little spice and a more in-depth flavor. I like it over rice and cornbread with all the toppings; that is my recommendation,” said Robarge. This year, he started offering chili fries for the first time.

Enjoy a bowl (or two) of chili from Revival Chili.

Soon after he started the food truck, he purchased a restaurant in Wilkinsburg called Nancy’s East End Diner, which is now renamed Nancy’s Revival. “I bought it pretty soon after I started the food truck because I wanted to expand the number of employees and our offerings. I kept the menu and staff and slowly made changes and improvements over time. Only just this year did I add a chili section on the menu,” he said.

Revival Chili does not have a set schedule, but they work with different organizations, breweries, large and small events, and nonprofits. To see where the truck will be at any given time, log on to revivalchili.com.