17 showing · 197 on the list
La Piraña Lechonera
Angel Jimenez — machete in hand — carves whole roast pig from a converted trailer in a Mott Haven lot, weekends only, like he has for decades. The closest thing NYC has to a Puerto Rican lechonera on the island.
Order: Lechon with crispy cuerito (skin), arroz con gandules, and whatever salad Angel insists you try.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026); Sat-Sun only, roughly noon-6pm, cash only, lines form early
E 152nd St & Wales Ave, Mott Haven, Bronx (parking-lot trailer) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Irie Jerk
Flatbush jerk done the right way: chicken smoked outdoors in a 60-gallon steel drum, char-crusted and moist, sold from the sidewalk setup on Nostrand.
Order: Jerk chicken with rice and peas, festival on the side, and a ginger beer that actually burns.
verified open 2026 (Yelp updated Jul 2026, listings updated Feb 2026); drum fires outside, storefront behind it; noon-9pm, later Fri-Sat
1142 Nostrand Ave near Maple St, Flatbush, Brooklyn · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Makina Cafe (truck)
Eden Gebre Egziabher's Eritrean-Ethiopian truck — the city's only one — spooning spiced stews over injera-lined bowls. New Sunnyside storefront, but the truck still roams.
Order: The combo platter with doro wat and misir (red lentils) over injera; ask for extra awaze.
verified operating 2026 (QNS Apr 2026, Resy Mar 2026, Yelp Aug 2026); truck moves — check @makinacafe day-of
Fort Greene Park, Washington Park side, Brooklyn (Mon-Sat; also LIC 30th St and Rockefeller Center) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Tacos El Bronco (truck)
Sunset Park's defining taco truck — al pastor carved to order, tortillas doubled, salsas that mean it. The truck outlasts the night shifts; one unit opens at 2am.
Order: Al pastor and lengua tacos, salsa verde, with a bottled Jarritos from the cooler.
verified operating Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026); trucks on 5th Ave and 9th Ave, late night; cash smart
5th Ave near 44th St, Sunset Park, Brooklyn (restaurant at 4324 4th Ave) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
NY Dosas
Thiru Kumar — the Dosa Man — has run this vegan Sri Lankan dosa cart at Washington Square since 2001 and won a Vendy for it. NYU kids, chess hustlers, and chefs all queue together.
Order: Pondicherry masala dosa with the samosa add-on; take the free soup shot he hands you.
verified open 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026, review May 2026); Mon-Sat ~11am-3pm, sells out — go before 1pm
50 Washington Square South at Sullivan St (SW corner of the park) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Tony Dragon's Grille
Tony Dragonas started with a hot dog cart in 1986 and became the souvlaki plug for Madison Avenue — Hermes shoppers and construction crews in the same line.
Order: Chicken souvlaki on a pita with everything; the lamb gyro platter if you skipped breakfast.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Jul 2026); Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 11am-5pm, closed Sun
E 62nd St & Madison Ave, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Kwik Meal
Muhammed Rahman cooked at the Russian Tea Room before taking his marinated lamb to the street in 2000. One of the only carts serving actual lamb, not mystery gyro cone.
Order: Lamb over rice with the green sauce — it is real leg of lamb, and you can tell.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Jul 2026); daily 10am-4am
100 W 45th St at 6th Ave, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Moshe's Falafel
Kosher falafel cart that has anchored 46th & 6th for decades — green-centered, fried-to-order balls that spawned an Upper West Side brick-and-mortar in 2024. The cart is still the move.
Order: Falafel sandwich, say yes to the fried eggplant, take a free hot pepper.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Jun 2026); Mon-Thu 11am-5pm, Fri 10:30am-3:30pm, closed Sat-Sun (kosher)
94 W 46th St at 6th Ave, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Nuts4Nuts
The honey-roasted-peanut smell of a New York winter, from 100+ pushcarts citywide. A few bucks for a warm paper bag that has perfumed Midtown since 1993.
Order: Honey-roasted cashews, hot off the copper kettle — ask for a fresh batch.
verified operating 2026 (Yelp updates May-Jul 2026, company active; HQ moved to Astoria, carts unchanged); cash friendly, roughly 8am-9pm
42nd St & Vanderbilt Ave (Grand Central) — carts throughout Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
The Halal Guys (original cart)
The cart that launched a thousand chicken-over-rice imitators, still working the same corner since 1990. Three carts now hold the intersection, and the late-night line is part of the ritual.
Order: Combo (chicken + gyro) over rice — white sauce heavy, hot sauce sparingly; it is genuinely fierce.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Jul 2026, official site); daily 10am-4am, to 5am Fri-Sat · editor: Now the flagship of a global franchise with 45-minute tourist lines; fine chicken-over-rice, but locals on this rost
SW corner of W 53rd St & 6th Ave, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Uncle Gussy's
Family-run Greek truck feeding the Park Avenue lunch crowd since the 1970s, with the brothers cooking recipes from their mom. Forty-deep lines on a nice day and worth it.
Order: Pork souvlaki platter with lemon potatoes and tzatziki; the chicken pita is the fast play.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026); weekday lunch only, Mon-Fri 10am-3pm
345 Park Ave at E 51st St, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Wafels & Dinges
The Belgian waffle truck-and-cart fleet that beat Bobby Flay in a throwdown. Real Liege dough — caramelized sugar chunks — off a griddle on the sidewalk.
Order: Liege wafel with spekuloos spread; the 'dinges' (toppings) beyond one are a trap, the dough is the point.
verified operating Aug 2026 (wafels.com locations page, Yelp updated Aug 2026); carts move — check site for the day's posts
Bryant Park, 6th Ave side at W 41st St (also Herald Sq and Rockefeller Center) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Birria-Landia
Jose Moreno's truck set off the whole NYC birria wave from this Roosevelt Avenue corner. Still the standard: crisp-edged tortillas stained red, consomme that needs nothing.
Order: Three birria tacos plus a large consomme for dipping; the mulitas if you want cheese in the fight.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Jul 2026); evenings — Mon-Thu 5pm-1am, weekends from noon to 2am
Roosevelt Ave & 78th St, Jackson Heights, Queens (under the 7 train) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
King of Falafel & Shawarma (truck)
Freddy Zeideia's Vendy-winning Palestinian falafel operation — chickpea-only patties, shaped oblong, fried while you wait. The trucks kept rolling even after the Broadway storefront opened.
Order: Falafel on pita 'Freddy style'; if he offers you a free falafel while you wait, that is standard practice.
verified operating 2026 (truck Yelp updated Jun 2026, restaurant Jul 2026); truck weekday daytime, storefront daily to 10pm
31st St & Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, Queens (storefront at 30-15 Broadway) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
King Souvlaki of Astoria
The blue truck that has held 31st Street since 1979 — Astoria's late-night Greek anchor, grilling pork sticks under the N train until 5am on weekends.
Order: Two pork souvlaki sticks on a buttered pita with tzatziki, onions, and paprika.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026; in the news Jul 2026); daily 10am-midnight, till 5am Fri-Sat
31st St & 31st Ave, Astoria, Queens · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Sammy's Halal
Vendy-winning chicken-over-rice that out-cooks the famous Manhattan carts, parked at the crossroads of Jackson Heights. The rice actually tastes of something.
Order: Chicken over rice with white sauce and the house green chutney — that chutney is the difference.
verified open 2026 (Yelp updated May 2026, active on delivery apps); listed 24 hours
73rd St & Broadway, Jackson Heights, Queens · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Patacon Pisao (truck)
The Inwood truck that started the whole Patacon Pisao mini-empire in 2005: a sandwich where smashed fried plantains stand in for bread. Open absurdly late.
Order: Patacon de carne — shredded beef, fried cheese, and the pink sauce between crisp plantain slabs.
verified open 2026 (Yelp updated May 2026); daily noon-6am — the 3am option uptown
431 W 202nd St at 9th Ave, Inwood, Manhattan · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07