Gluten Free [Friendly] Food Trucks?

Food trucks are all the rage right now in Boston. Everywhere I look there seems to be a new food truck popping up. I see them parked on street corners everywhere - Kendall Square, Copley, Cleveland Circle, Sowa Market, etc.

Everyday during my lunch break I pass by at least a half a dozen food trucks offering all different types of cuisine - Mexican, BBQ, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, American, Korean. Everything looks, and smells delicious, but I have been very hesitant about trying anything. You all know how worrisome, scary, stressful, terrifying, anxious it can be to be put in a situation and not know what is safe to eat. Did I capture all the emotions? I for one have definitely felt all of that a few too many times.

No truck is 100% safe; the cooking space is small and cross contamination is inevitable. But there are many gluten free friendly options for those of us lucky enough not to have such a severe allergy or intolerance. With that said, it can still be quite scary ordering from a truck. Do they know what gluten is? Do they know every ingredient in their food? Are they aware of how every single item is prepared and handled? I mean, this list of questions and concerns is endless, no matter where we eat. But don't fear, I have eaten at a few different trucks and have been just fine. I have an intolerance and can eat foods prepared and fried in the same surfaces as gluten. So, PLEASE always use caution and let the servers know you have a gluten allergy. Many of the trucks use the same fryers for everything so keep this in mind too. I was pleasantly surprised how much more knowledgeable the food truck staff is than servers at restaurants.

My favorite truck is Bon Me (check out my review here), which offers gluten free rice noodle bowls and rice bowls, and the truck is always stocked with gluten free soy sauce! 

I have also tried a salad from Clover and I've eaten from The Taco Truck. I really enjoyed the tacos, they were so flavorful, and it was easy to tell all the ingredients were fresh. But, it was a little too spicy for me to be #1 on my list. But I do love their commitment to sustainability; all the meets are hormone and antibiotic-free, and all the to-go packaging is biodegradable and compostable.

BBQ Smith There is gluten in the sauces and rolls. Everything else is safe. They can do any of the food without sauce so meats are safe.

Bon Me Foods Rice noodle salad with Vietnamese vinaigrette dressing, and rice bowls are gluten free.  If you order the rice bowl, make sure you specify gluten free because they typically put a soy drizzle on it.  They have a bottle of soy drizzle made with tamari to use instead.  Of the standard fillings, only the chicken is gluten free (the tofu and pork have soy sauce in the marinades).  Some of the rotating specials including edamame,  three-alarm chicken and cilantro-peppercorn chicken are gluten free. 

Boston Speed Dog hot dogs are gluten free and you are welcome to bring your own bun.

Clover menu changes daily; sometimes there are gluten free options

Go Fish The Caesar Salmon as a salad rather than a wrap without the onion crisps is gluten free. The Catfish Taco is on a corn tortilla and 100% gluten free. They have two fryers but use them interchangeably. 

Kickass Cupcakes Gluten free cupcakes are available on the truck. Always a good idea to tweet first to see what flavor(s) they have (and if any are left!)
 
Lefty’s Silver Cart Base menu is not gluten free. Everything is on Iggy's bread but can offer most of the sandwich fillings on a bed of mixed greens. They also try to make weekly specials gluten free. In the past they’ve had: Watermelon Gazpacho, Corn Cakes with Roasted Corn and Tomato Salsa, Chipotle Maple Syrup, and Vegetarian Chili

Mei Mei Street Kitchen  Menu changes but kale salad, torched corn and peach tomato soup are current gluten free options. Always feel free to tweet ahead to ask!

Momo Goose Fresh rolls and viet pho soup are the only two gluten free options currently. They hope to offer gluten free rice and salad bowls soon. 

Paris Creperie Usually have gluten free buckwheat flour for crepes  

Pennypackers all sandwiches are available as salads or lettuce wraps

Roxy’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese Fries are gluten free, but cooked on same grill as wheat/gluten.

Silk Road BBQ  Grilled meats and salads are gluten-free. All sandwiches we can make as a salad. Homemade sauces are gluten-free. The white bean chili has gluten-free cornmeal in it, and the short rib has corn starch in the gravy.

Staff Meal Taco tortillas are 100% corn. All of the fillings except the Chinese sausage are gluten free. A couple of the crispy garnishes (fried garlic, French's onions and Fritos) contain flour. If you order food from at the truck, make sure to let the staff know that you have an intolerance and they'll let you know all of this and prepare your food accordingly.

The Cupcakory has Gluten free cupcakes available on the truck, but they don't always have them. They use twitter and facebook to post the daily flavors and will let people know if gluten-free is also available. They offer both vegan and gluten-free options upon request for pick-up on the truck, request at least 48 hours in advance.

 The Dining Car The crispy cauliflower is gluten free. The Mediterranean, Honey Truffle Goat Cheese, Grilled Chicken, and Caprese sandwiches can be offered as salads.

The Taco Truck All of tacos except the pescado and aquacate are gluten free. All tacos are 100% corn.


I know my list is not 100% complete, there are over 20 trucks in Boston and I was not able to get responses from the ones not listed - or they do not have anything gluten free to offer and are therefore excluded from this list. If you have any tips or information to add please e-mail me at jessica.dennis2@gmail.com.