3. PhoWheels
Since 2012, this recognizable truck scrawled with black-and-white graffiti has been offering a modern spin on Vietnamese cuisine that spans the seasons: steamy pho for colder days; banh mi sandwiches and Vietnamese-style tacos (think pickled radishes and sriracha mayo on flatbread) fit for any weather.
This has played into the brand’s staying power, as has its proclivity for wandering around with must-try menu items (caramelized SPAM bahn mi, anyone?). PhoWheels frequents Clarendon, particularly on Friday nights, and also occasionally trucks out to Chantilly or Vienna. Get there early to avoid lines and sell-outs. Last year, owner Huy Nguyen launched a sister eatery, Balo Kitchen, offering similar Asian comfort foods inside The Block, an Annandale food hall not unlike the District’s Union Market.
Follow the truck on Twitter @PhoWheels
4. Project Milanesa
The first food truck in the region to serve Paraguayan street food is now a mainstay in Rosslyn and Ballston. It’s been serving up lightly breaded cutlets of meat with sides since 2015.
The “Kevin Bacon” sandwich is an American-style entry point to the cuisine, featuring fried chicken milanesa on an Italian roll with—you guessed it—bacon, lettuce and tomato. Or there’s the “Charlie Sheen,” with steak, salami and all the toppings that an Italian sub might have. Rice bowls and meat-and-sides plates are also popular. Sides include papas fritas (potato fries), fried yucca and spicy pickled cabbage.
Follow the truck on Twitter @ProjectMilanesa