When many people think of food trucks, they think of the “roach coaches” that frequent blue-collar worksites around lunch hour, but a new gourmet craze is pulling into downtown Phoenix.
Every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., seven food trucks appear at Phoenix Public Market on the corner of Central Avenue and Pierce Street.
These events, dubbed “Food Truck Fridays,” are the brainchild of Brad Moore, the owner of Short Leash Hot Dogs and president of the Phoenix Street Food Coalition, a group of mobile food vendors.
“(Food truck owners) were struggling to find venues so we started conversations with Phoenix Public Market and the city,” Moore said. The first Food Truck Friday took place at the Phoenix Public Market in November 2010.
Market line cook Philip Thorneycroft said before then the food trucks would park on the outskirts of the farmers markets hosted by the Phoenix Public Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Thorneycroft’s boss, Cindy Gentry participated in talks with Moore to set aside a time solely for the food trucks.
“The Phoenix Public Market is popular around here because we sell lots of local products, and it’s a place people can sit and hang out,” Thorneycroft said.
The market is located less than two blocks from ASU’s Downtown campus.
Journalism freshman Will Argeros took advantage of last Friday’s food truck event.
“There was a good variety of choices, it was reasonably priced and everyone was really friendly,” Argeros said. “I would definitely go again.”
Journalism junior Anne Stegen went to a Food Truck Friday this summer.
“It was really encouraging to see people gathered for a cause that is local,” Stegen said.
Moore is optimistic for the coalition’s future with the addition of a new truck, Beet StrEAT, which will begin carrying vegetarian options in late September.
Another truck may be added at the end of October to the current lineup at Food Truck Friday, which consists of seven trucks — Sunshine and Spice, Riteway Catering, Torched Goodness, Sweet Republic, Short Leash Hot Dogs, Paradise Melts and Jamburritos.
Members of the Phoenix Street Food Coalition are looking to expand events to other locations in Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix this fall.
Sustainability freshman Jenny Strickland attends the Tempe campus, but she grew up in north Phoenix and has frequented the Phoenix Public Market for four years.
She first began attending Food Truck Fridays this summer and now goes on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday to eat food from the Short Leash Hot Dogs truck.
“They have everything there,” Strickland said. “You can have mango chutney, grilled peaches, pinto beans, everything.”
Correction: Because of a reporting error, an earlier version of this story misspelled new truck Beet StrEAT's name.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter
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