What’s better than dining from a food truck? A collection of food trucks gathered together, expanding your dining options and ways to support small, local businesses. In Good Taste Denver contributor, and Fort Collins resident, Ron Stern visited the FOCO Food Truck Rally and reports on what you can expect when you go.
From humble beginnings, the FOCO Food Truck Rally has expanded into one the largest event of its kind in Northern Colorado. Now in its tenth year, as many as 40 rotating “food truckers” turn City Park in Fort Collins into a fun, festive event. Live music adds to the ambiance, while the aroma and taste of the many gastronomic sensations actively engage the taste buds of flavor seekers.
Conceived by Sarah Ladley in 2015, she knows how much hard work it takes to be successful in this type of business. A food trucker herself, she is the owner of Ba-Nom-A-Nom, which turns all-natural frozen fruit into a naturally sweet, soft-serve dessert. This refreshing treat was the hit of the show with long lines of eager patrons waiting for their turn.
Calling it “nature’s ice cream,” her product is fat-free, vegan, and contains no added sugar. Flavors rotate weekly and include classic banana, strawberry-banana and mango-pineapple. I enjoyed a cup of Blackberry-Banana coated with chocolate chips. The consistency was light and fluffy with just the proper amount of sweetness. My only regret was that I didn’t order the largest size!
After recruiting a few of her colleagues, they started offering their culinary creations to the public. Watching it grow over the years has been tremendously satisfying for Ladley, and the rally now attracts visitors from all over the Front Range. There is no admission fee and the event is open from May through September every Tuesday from 5:30pm to sunset.
A long row of colorful trucks set up a corridor of deliciousness amongst City Parks’ shady trees and manicured lawns. Aficionados start queuing up just before start time for the exceptional food, musical entertainment and family-friendly atmosphere. You can find everything from corn dogs to sushi. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten/dairy-free options are also available.
Vendors are selected based on the quality of their food as well as their ability to serve meals quickly and efficiently. You can find the complete list of participating businesses on their website.
Here’s a sampling of some of the other tasty temptations you’ll find at the FOCO Food Truck Rally:
A-Maize’n Kettle Corn (Mobile)
Some say kettle corn goes well with any outdoor event. Daniel Peer and his family operate A-Maize’n Kettle Corn, turning out bags of sweet confections such as Traditional, Cheese, Cherry-Caramel and Cheddar-Caramel, just to name a few. I watched in amazement as visitors bought his wares almost as fast as he could prepare them. Naturally, we had to bring some home for the perfect late-night snack.
Backyard Bird Chicken and Donuts (Mobile and Restaurant-Timnath)
Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Matt Smith is the creative force behind Backyard Bird Chicken and Donuts. Together with his wife Nicole, they opened the first “non-fast food chain” in the city of Timnath. They also started a food trailer in 2017 offering “natural, cage-free, antibiotic/steroid/hormone free chicken.” Employing his acquired culinary skills, Smith lemon-brines each piece, marinates it in yogurt, then tosses it twice in a blend of organic flour and spices. One of their most requested items is their BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese prepared with a house-made kimchi BBQ sauce. The cake-raised and filled donuts are made from scratch and covered with a variety of house-made toppings.
Bigs Meat Wagon (Mobile)
Vowing barbeque that will “make you lick your plate clean,” Owner Joe McQuain starts early, loading up his portable smoker with pecan wood and large cuts of meat. Menu options run the gambit with brisket, pulled pork, sausage, ribs, and more. It took McQuain five years to perfect his made-from-scratch sauces using fruits such as peaches for natural sweetness. In addition, he has a generous line of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches like his four-cheese blend, chopped brisket masterpiece!
Brazi Eats (Mobile)
This is one of the only places in Colorado where you can find authentic Brazilian street food. I loved the vibrant, intense flavors served by their attentive staff. My suggestion is to start with their number one seller: Picanha, a traditional meal prepared with Angus Picanha Steak, white rice, beans, yuca four, and peppers in vinaigrette, all topped with a fried egg. Add one of their creamy chicken croquettes and a side of crispy yuca fries with garlic sauce for an unforgettable meal. For dessert, go with the Romeo and Juliet, a macaroon filled with guava and parmesan—delicioso!
Bright Side Coffee Co. (Mobile)
Working out of a blue, vintage, 1963 Forester Trailer, Bright Side Coffee Co. has a variety of coffees, teas, expressos, and specialty drinks. I had their Summer Tango smoothie with coconut milk and passion fruit which was the perfect cool accompaniment to a hot day at the park.
Corndoggies (Mobile)
Disregard everything you previously believed about hot dogs on a stick, aka “corndogs.” Corndoggies reckons to alter your perception. To begin with, they source handmade sausages from small-scale farms all the way from Wisconsin. Next, they use various proprietary recipes and blend the batter and seasonings to produce just the right taste and texture. The result is a loyal following of customers who have rediscovered this nostalgic snack. I tried their 6″ Chicken Sausage with jalapeño and gouda paired with raspberry sauce and it was fabulous! Other options include Mac and Cheese, Jerk Chicken, and Nashville Long Hog. Vegan and gluten-free dogs are equally available.
Fat Tomato Food Truck and Catering (Mobile)
Having been featured on WGN’s Chicago’s Best Food Trucks, Fat Tomato was also voted as FOCO’s 2023 Top 3 Food Trucks. Serving tacos, nachos, and well, a bit of everything, I indulged in their huge (enough for two) California Burrito. This tidy meal is jam-packed with large chunks of carne asada, shredded jack cheese, fries, guacamole, salsa roja, and crema. If you’re really hungry, start here.
Mary’s Mountain Cookies (Mobile and Multiple Locations)
A staple in Northern Colorado and elsewhere, Mary’s Mountain Cookies come in three forms: traditional, gourmet, and ice-cream-filled. Mike Neal and his sister Colleen Fine operate a mobile version, complete with a long “cookie slide” to swoosh the cookies quickly down to their customers. They, in turn, have to catch them before they launch off into the air. The gourmet cookies are nearly one-quarter pound with options ranging from Chocolate Chip to Snickerdoodle to Fudge Fantasy.
Shell on Wheels Food Truck (Mobile)
You don’t need to travel to the East Coast for great seafood. Shell on Wheels has “authentic” Maryland Blue Crab Cakes right here in Colorado. Making the rounds at various locations (available on their website), their most popular sea-faring sandwich is their “Original Crab Cake Sandwich.” They combine four ounces of lump blue crab with some lettuce, tomato, and remoulade sauce. They serve it up on a brioche bun with chips and Old Bay coleslaw. This one will make you yearn for the ocean!
Smokin’ Bros Barbecue™ (Mobile and restaurant-Eaton)
Inspired by their mother’s entrepreneurial spirit, three brothers started a Kansas City-style southern barbeque in an old UPS vehicle. Using premium cuts of meat, they are slowly smoked utilizing a combination of charcoal, applewood and hickory. The over-the-top reviews on social media attest to their lip-smackingly excellent brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, turkey and sausage. Their restaurant location in Eaton is always hopping with hungry fans.
Sunny Sky Pies (Mobile and Restaurant-Ft. Collins)
In case you are still hungry (and even if you’re not), you simply can’t leave without trying Sunny Sky Pies. Their converted 1967 dairy truck is painted in fun colors and serves up some of the choicest fruit and cream pies I have ever had. Forget about the thin, wimpy versions you might have tried, these are large, dense, and luscious desserts made with the finest local ingredients. Owner Erin Margenou loves to bake and comes up with bold flavors such as Peanut Butter Dream loaded with natural peanut butter, cream cheese filling, Oreos and topped with peanut butter cups. Her Strawberry-Rhubarb is oh-so sweet and tangy with the rhubarb sourced from her garden. I had to go to her Ft. Collins store the day after so as not to go into withdrawals.
The Waffle Lab (Mobile and restaurant – Ft. Collins)
If you’ve never sampled a Liège (pronounced “lee-ayjh”) waffle from Belgium, now is your chance. The Waffle Lab uses a yeast-leavened dough to produce some taste-tempting dishes. How about their Chicken and Waffles covered with homemade rosemary-sage gravy and topped with Vermont maple syrup? Follow that up (as I did) with their colorful “European” with Nutella, bananas, strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Wild Brats (Mobile)
Elevating the concept of an ordinary bratwurst to a whole new level, Wild Brats represents the gourmet wild version of traditional sausages. Their Blue ‘Shroom Mountain Man, for example, is prepared with a unique blend of elk, venison, wild boar, antelope and bison, together with blue cheese and mushrooms. The Peppered Boar ingredients include wild boar, blueberry, merlot, grilled peppers and onions. Try one of their exotic meat brats but come early to avoid lengthy queues.
The FOCO Food Truck Rally does get pretty busy as the day progresses and my advice is to come in advance and find a good parking spot. I would also bring a blanket, some shaded hats and some lightweight seats. People stay for the live music and non-food vendors, all of which add up to a picture-perfect, culinary event in “The Choice City.”
For more details about the FOCO Food Truck Rally, visit their website, here.
-Story and photos by Ron Stern
Please note: As is common practice in our industry, we were hosted for this visit but that never influences our opinions which remain our own, honest and true.
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