Denver's 10 Best Food Trucks for 2026

Chef Penelope Wong's dumpling truck became Denver's most viral food phenomenon, earning a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist nomination—a first for any Colorado food truck. What began as a pandemic pivot after Wong's 20-year career as the first female executive chef at Glenmoor Country Club has evolved into one of Denver's most sought-after dining experiences.

The truck's signature OG chili oil wontons—shrimp and pork dumplings swimming in Szechuan hot chili oil and Chinese black vinegar—launch pre-order frenzies on Instagram, where the account's 48,000 followers compete for limited spots. The extra-large xiao long bao soup dumplings have become legendary, requiring careful consumption to preserve their bursting broth.

Cuisine: Chinese/Thai fusion dumplings

Must-try dishes: OG chili oil wontons, XL xiao long bao, Sichuan eggplant dumplings, khao soi chicken wontons

Where to find them: Novel Strand Brewing, Seedstock Brewery; new brick-and-mortar at 2878 Fairfax St

How to order: Follow @yuanwonton on Instagram for pre-order links—they sell out within minutes

This family-operated truck clinched victory on Food Network's "Food Truck Prize Fight" in 2023, cementing its status as Denver's Korean fusion leader. Owner Julia Rivera runs the operation alongside her children Kayla and James Makowski, serving dishes that blend Korean tradition with creative street food innovation.

The showstopper is their Korean street cheese dog—a deep-fried mozzarella stick rolled in sugar and served with honey mustard and spicy ketchup. It's an Instagram sensation that introduced many Denverites to K-food beyond bibimbap. The truck's Korean-style birria ramen, featuring kalbi jjim with torched cheese, represents the best of fusion cuisine.

Cuisine: Korean fusion street food

Must-try dishes: Korean street cheese dog, bibimbap, Korean birria ramen, curry poutine, wonton nachos

Where to find them: Station 26 Brewing, Trashhawk Tavern, Civic Center EATS

Social media: @mukjafoodtruck (14K followers)

No Denver food truck has accumulated more accolades than Areyto, which has won "Best Food Truck in Colorado" three consecutive years and earned a coveted appearance on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" in 2019. After seven years of operation, this truck remains the definitive source for authentic Puerto Rican cuisine in the Rocky Mountain region.

The signature mofongo relleno—a bowl of fried and mashed plantains filled with your choice of protein in cilantro-onion sofrito sauce—has customers describing it as "the best Puerto Rican food I've found outside of Puerto Rico." Their jibaritos (sandwiches using plantains instead of bread) and crispy empanadillas complete an experience reviewers say is "made with love."

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Yelp rating: 4.4 stars (87 reviews)

Must-try dishes: Mofongo relleno, jibaritos, amarillos, tostones, arroz con gandules

Where to find them: Rotating locations throughout Denver metro

Website: areytopuertoricanfood.com

When Westword named Doublewide its Best New Food Truck of 2024, it validated what burger enthusiasts already knew: chefs Nathan Madson and Kevin Clay had cracked the code on the perfect smashburger. Both previously cooked at acclaimed Mercantile Dining and Provision before launching their truck in June 2023.

Their technique produces crispy, lacy-edged patties with caramelized crusts that rival any burger joint in town. The vegetarian mushroom sandwich demonstrates their ability to elevate simple ingredients into memorable meals. The duo has also started hosting inventive tasting dinners, bringing fine-dining creativity to the street food format.

Cuisine: American smashburgers

Awards: Westword Best New Food Truck 2024

Must-try dishes: Signature smashburger, vegetarian mushroom sandwich, chopped cheese

Where to find them: Various brewery and bar locations

Social media: @doublewide.co

Chef Jarmal "Chef Redd" Smith channels his Louisiana family heritage and Chicago upbringing into dishes that transport customers straight to the bayou. The truck's home base outside Dirty Duck bar in Virginia Village has become a pilgrimage site for Cajun food lovers.

The legendary Swamp Fries define the menu: crispy fries buried under a mountain of crab, crawfish, and shrimp, finished with dill aioli. The "Bad Azz shrimp" with Cajun seasoning and the rich, dark gumbo showcase authentic Southern cooking techniques rarely found this far from New Orleans.

Cuisine: Louisiana Southern/Cajun soul food

Must-try dishes: Swamp Fries, "Bad Azz" Cajun shrimp, gumbo, red beans and rice, po'boys

Where to find them: Dirty Duck bar (Virginia Village), various events

Website: tastebudbullies.com

Ben and Jodi Polson, both Johnson & Wales-trained chefs, created what Westword declared the "Best Fried Chicken Biscuit on Wheels" in 2024. Jodi's nine years as pastry chef at Coperta and Beast + Bottle shows in every flaky, smoked Gouda biscuit that serves as the foundation for their Nashville hot chicken masterpiece.

The signature biscuit holds a lemon-brined chicken thigh, delicately coated and fried, then immersed in Nashville hot oil and finished with Alabama white sauce, pickles, and coleslaw. Their Carolina-style spare ribs with vinegar sauce and fried banana pudding pie round out a menu that earned them a February 2025 brick-and-mortar opening at 3525 E Colfax Ave.

Cuisine: Carolina BBQ and Nashville hot chicken

Awards: Westword Best Fried Chicken Biscuit on Wheels 2024 & 2025

Must-try dishes: Nashville hot chicken biscuit, buttermilk fried chicken biscuit, smoked spare ribs, fried banana pudding pie

Where to find them: New brick-and-mortar at 3525 E Colfax Ave (former Steve's Snappin' Dogs)

Social media: @mamajobiscuits (4K followers)

A refurbished 1958 Shasta camper serves as the unlikely home for some of Denver's best Neapolitan-style pizza. Owners Ashley Knotek and Ryan Grillaert—former brewery employees who bonded over snowboarding and beer—launched Outside Pizza in August 2021, inspired by post-hike pizza cravings.

Their famous pickle pizza (roasted garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, provolone, homemade pickles, and fresh dill) exemplifies their willingness to push boundaries with seasonal, unconventional toppings. The sourdough crust provides the perfect char and chew. Westword named them Best Pizza on Wheels in 2024, and they've since opened a permanent location inside Cerebral Brewing's taproom.

Cuisine: Neapolitan-style sourdough pizza

Awards: Westword Best Pizza on Wheels 2024

Must-try dishes: Pickle pizza, seasonal specialty pies

Where to find them: Cerebral Brewing taproom (3257 Lowell Blvd), catering events

Website: outsidepizza.com

When Maria Rangel cashed out her 401k to leave her career as a Denver paramedic, she bet everything on her grandmother's gordita recipes. That gamble paid off when Westword named Maíz the Best Food Truck of 2023, validating both her culinary vision and her cultural mission.

The deep-fried gorditas—fresh corn masa pockets—come stuffed with options like the best-selling calabasita (her grandmother's corn and squash recipe), chorizo, or vegan green chili. The entirely gluten-free menu celebrates Chicana heritage while welcoming all dietary preferences. The truck has since expanded to a brick-and-mortar at The Assembly (3900 Elati St).

Cuisine: Mexican/Chicana gorditas

Awards: Westword Best Food Truck 2023 (Editorial Pick)

Must-try dishes: Calabasita gordita (grandmother's recipe), vegan green chili gordita

Where to find them: The Assembly Student Living (3900 Elati St), various events

Social media: @maizdenver (3,359 followers)

Chef Brittney Wojtowicz honors her Michigan roots from a bright blue truck that produces some of the most authentic Detroit-style pizza west of the Midwest. Her 6x6 inch single-serving squares feature the essential "frico" crust—crispy cheese baked into the edges of the pan—that defines the Detroit style.

The 48-hour cold-fermented dough creates a pillowy interior with perfect char. Pizzas named after family members dot the menu, with the Broken Oak (pepperoni, banana peppers, feta) standing out as a fan favorite. Since launching in May 2022, Motor City B's has been voted #1 Pizza Food Truck in Denver by Food Truck Connector.

Cuisine: Detroit-style pizza

Awards: #1 Pizza Food Truck (Food Truck Connector)

Must-try dishes: Broken Oak, Little 8 Mile, seasonal specials

Where to find them: Various brewery locations

Social media: @motorcitybspizza (385 followers)

Website: motorcitybspizza.com

Owner Jared Mikkelsen draws on his Danish and Norwegian heritage to serve one of Denver's most distinctive menus. Operating since 2019 (originally in Boulder), Grey Duck brings Scandinavian comfort food to unexpected venues across the metro.

The smørrebrød—traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches—arrive topped with smoked salmon, cream cheese, beets, and red onions on bread from local Moxie Bread Co. The Swedish meatball tacos on lefse flatbread (with sour cream, lingonberries, pickles, crispy onions, and horseradish) represent inspired fusion that somehow works perfectly.

Cuisine: Nordic/Scandinavian

Must-try dishes: Smoked salmon smørrebrød, Swedish meatball tacos on lefse

Where to find them: Various Denver brewery locations

Social media: @greyduckeats (1,235 followers)

Website: greyduckeats.wixsite.com/mysite

The easiest way to experience multiple trucks is through Denver's established gathering spots:

• Civic Center EATS — Wednesdays and Thursdays, May-October, featuring 12+ rotating trucks in Civic Center Park
• City Park Jazz — 24 trucks during summer Sunday concerts (8,000-12,000 attendees)
• La Esquina Del Sabor — 15200 E Colfax Avenue, 35+ trucks on weekends, specializing in regional Mexican and Latin American cuisines

Most trucks also partner with breweries: Station 26 Brewing, Cerebral Brewing, Novel Strand, and Denver Beer Co all maintain regular food truck rotations.

Tracking resources

• Follow trucks on Instagram (most post daily locations)
• StreetFoodFinder and GoTruckster apps for GPS-enabled tracking
• For popular trucks like Yuan Wonton, following social media is essential—their pre-orders sell out within minutes

The brick-and-mortar trend

Six of these ten trucks have either opened brick-and-mortar locations or are in the process of transitioning, signaling that Denver's best mobile operators are building lasting culinary institutions. For food lovers willing to follow Instagram accounts and show up early, Denver's streets still offer some of the city's most exciting—and delicious—dining experiences.