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Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson | Empanada from Nuchas
Photograph: Caroline Voagen Nelson

The best food trucks in NYC for families

Need a bite to eat while on-the-go with the kids? Track down these delicious food trucks NYC families will love

Written by Hannah Doolin
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Busy parents know that some days it's near impossible to make time for a sit-down meal, which is when we're thankful for the stellar food trucks NYC is famous for. Kids love the adventure of tracking down the roving trucks in NYC parks and other locations throughout the city, plus the kid-friendly menu items these days could give some of the best family restaurants in NYC a run for their money. Whether your brood is in the mood for New York pizza or a sweet treat, these restaurants on wheels have something to satisfy everyone's craving.

Food trucks NYC families will love

Pizza Moto

Pizza Moto
Pizza Moto
Photograph: Courtesy Pizza Moto
Dollar-slice joints will always be one of our favorite on-the-go food options, but this truck slings real-deal Neopolitan-style pies that are worth a few extra bucks—plus kids will love the way cool, wood-fired mobile ovens that turn out the blistered beauties. Simple varieties like Margherita and White Pie wow hungry visitors with simple and sublime ingredients, and they've become so popular that Pizza Moto will open a brick-and-mortar location in Red Hook this fall. For now, grab a pie from the stall inside buzzy beer hall, Berg'n, at South Street Seaport Smorgasburg  (Mon–Thu and Sun 11:30am–8pm; Fri and Sat 11:30am–9pm) or feeding hungry SummerStage concertgoers in Central Park this summer. (pizzamoto.com)

Kelvin

Kelvin
Kelvin
Swirl fresh ingredients like strawberry syrup or fresh mint sprigs into all-natural slush concoctions (iced tea, citrus or ginger) at this choose-your-own-adventure frozen-drink truck. Kids will love slurping the frozen treat on a hot day, and the spicy ginger-blueberry variety will make Mom and Dad forget all about those sticky, mouth-staining Big Gulps from their childhood. Spot the sleek blue stand regularly at Smorgasburg (Saturdays 11am–6pm) and Brooklyn Bridge Park (Sundays 11am–6pm), plus various weekend days at Grand Army Plaza's Prospect Park food truck rally. (kelvinslush.com)
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Milk Truck Grilled Cheese

Milk Truck Grilled Cheese
Milk Truck Grilled Cheese
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/marklyon
You'd be hard-pressed to find a kids who doesn't love grilled cheese...or an adult, for that matter. At Milk Truck, the beloved sandwich is their specialty. While kids will probaby stick with the classic (aged gruyere between slices of pullman bread, $5.95), more adventurous eaters can try the Bacon Cheddar Blue with caramelized onions and spicy pickles ($8.75). Crushed Malted Ball milkshakes ($5.25) will blow everyone's mind for dessert. This trucks hawks cheesy goodness at Smorgasburg at the South Street Seaport (daily, 11am–8pm), Williamsburg (Sat, 11am–6pm) and Brooklyn Bridge Park (Sun, 11am–6pm) locations. Keep an eye out at other locations including Wall Street and Midtown and check the weekly schedule online. (milktrucknyc.com)

Coolhaus

Coolhaus
Coolhaus
This fleet of roving ice-cream sandwich trucks gained a cultish following in Los Angeles. The New York operation features most of the same baroque, artisanal flavors—including blueberry-ginger ice cream and red-velvet cookies—and sizing options. Choose from one-story, two-story or skyscraper (five scoops and six cookies) versions. Daring youngsters might want to give wacky flavors like Fried Chicken & Waffles, while parents can test their tastebuds with booze-inspired scoops of Gin & Tonic or White Russian. The daily locations and menu are posted on Twitter and a weekly linup can be found on the website. (eatcoolhaus.com)
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Nuchas

Nuchas
Nuchas
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Larryleenyc
People's Choice winner at the Vendy Awards in 2014, this truck is run by Argentine native Ariel Barbouth, who doles out empanadas stuffed with savory (short rib, portobello) and sweet (apple, cranberry and Nutella) fillings. You can track the delicious, handheld pockets via regular Twitter updates, but the roving truck can often be found parked near the Trader Joes at 14th St and Third Ave, as well as in front of the Apple Store at Broadway and 67th Street during the lunch rush. Youngsters will love chowing down on these chewy pockets stuffed with comforting fillings, even more so because they don't have to use a fork or knife! (nuchas.com)

Wafels & Dinges

Wafels & Dinges
Wafels & Dinges
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Garret Ziegler
You'll smell the sweet, yeasty waffle batter long before you spot these bright yellow trucks. The popular Belgian-waffle peddler makes every kid's dream come true by making waffles a viable meal option, any time of day. The breakfast food is transformed thanks to savory offerings like the BBQ Pulled Pork Wafel ($9) and dessert-like toppings, including spekuloos, Nutella and whipped cream. After gorging yourself on this decadent treat, kids can wash them down with a cup of Belgian hot chocolate. Mom and Dad might need a cold-brew iced coffee to stave off the temptation of naptime. Track down one of the many trucks using the location tool at online or call the "hot wafeline" when hunger strikes. (866-429-7329, wafelsanddinges.com)
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