Food trucks in Tampa, Florida

Last updated

Food trucks have become a popular phenomenon in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. [1] Food trucks have a large following in and around downtown Tampa the first rally was At Hyde Park Presbyterian Church created by Tampa Bay Food Trucks. The well attended event with 10 trucks caught the mayor's attention and they have been supported by Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn ever since who organizes a monthly food truck rally downtown. [2] There is also an evening of food trucks and short movies (Flicks and Food Trucks) between downtown and the Channelside District. Food truck rallies drawing thousands of people have taken place in Seminole Heights [3] and South Tampa. [4] A regular food truck event is also held at the farmers' market in Odessa, Florida with live music.

Contents

St. Petersburg followed suit at the end of 2011 with the city council moving to ease restrictions on their operation. [5]

A "Food Truck Square" was established in 2012 at Monstah Lobstah (1901 Platt Street) for food truck offerings 7-days-a-week. [6] On August 31, 2013, Tampa hosted the world's largest food truck rally with 99 food trucks attending. [7] The previous record of 62 trucks was set in Miami, Florida. [8] Tampa broke its own record with 121 food trucks at a rally in March 2014. [9]

Food trucks in downtown Tampa have included Burger Culture, Not Your Ordinary food truck (NYOFoodTruck), Michelle Faedo, Killer Samich, La Creperia Café, Maggie on the Move, Stinky Bunz, O'Macalicious, 3suns Organic, Mobile Munchiez, The Cuppin Cake, Taco Bus, Fat Tortillas, Jerk Hut, Coconut Bo's, Nelly Nel's, Fire Monkey, Gone Bananas and Wicked 'Witches. [2] [10] Food trucks are also a fixture at special events and concerts. Critics point to the competition the trucks create for existing restaurants. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

Pinellas County, Florida County in Florida, United States

Pinellas County is located on the west central coast of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 959,107. The county is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Clearwater is the county seat. St. Petersburg is the largest city as well as the largest city in Florida that is not a county seat.

St. Petersburg, Florida City in Pinellas County, Florida, United States

St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the largest in the state that is not a county seat. Along with Clearwater, these cities are part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area, the second-largest in Florida with a population of around 2.8 million. St. Petersburg is on the Pinellas peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, and is connected to mainland Florida to the north.

Tampa, Florida City in Florida, United States

Tampa is a major city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County. With a population of 384,959 according to the 2020 census, Tampa is the third-most populated city in Florida after Jacksonville and Miami and is the 52nd most populated city in the United States.

Clearwater, Florida City in Florida, United States

Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 107,685. Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County and is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area.

Cuban sandwich Cuban-American ham and cheese sandwich

A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that likely originated in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Tampa or Key West, two early Cuban immigrant communities in Florida centered on the cigar industry. Later on, Cuban exiles and expatriates brought it to Miami, where it is also very popular. The sandwich is made with ham, (mojo) roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. Salami is included in Tampa, where there is a large Italian population, but is not usually included in South Florida.

Amalie Arena Multiuse arena in Tampa, Florida, USA

Amalie Arena is a multipurpose arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, arena football, concerts, and other events. It is mainly used as the home for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League.

Channel District Neighborhood in Florida, United States

Channel District is a residential neighborhood in the City of Tampa that includes an entertainment complex, just east of Downtown Tampa, Florida. It is bordered by Ybor Channel on the east and Garrison Channel on the south. Channelside is a nickname for the entertainment complex Channelside Bay Plaza, within the neighborhood that includes shops, restaurants, and bars. It is located next to the Florida Aquarium, American Victory Museum, Port Tampa Bay and a short stretch on the Tampa Riverwalk to the Tampa Bay History Center. Also located in the district is the Amalie Arena where the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning play their home games. The Arena also hosts concerts and other events. The center of the Bay Plaza has a large open court for live music, with views of the downtown skyline, cruise ships and the Port of Tampa. It also houses a Sony Giant Screen theater. The TECO Streetcar has several stops in the district. Also, NEVs are being utilized by startups to link Tampa's core neighborhoods including Channelside. The Tampa Convention Center is located adjacent to the district to the west.

Food truck Large motorized car or trailer, equipped to cook, prepare, serve, and/or sell food

A food truck is a large motorized vehicle or trailer, equipped to cook, prepare, serve, and/or sell food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food; others have on-board kitchens and prepare food from scratch, or they heat up food that was prepared in a brick and mortar commercial kitchen. Sandwiches, hamburgers, french fries, and other regional fast food fare is common. By the early 2010s, amid the pop-up restaurant phenomenon, food trucks offering gourmet cuisine and a variety of specialties and ethnic menus became particularly popular. Food trucks may also sell cold beverages such as soda pop and water. Food trucks, along with food booths and food carts, are major components of the street food industry that serves an estimated 2.5 billion people every day.

Al Lang Stadium Sports stadium in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida

Al Lang Stadium is a 7,500-seat sports stadium in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, that is the current home field of the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship. It was used almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. However, since the Rowdies moved to the facility in 2011, it has been reconfigured to better host soccer.

Sundial St. Pete Shopping mall in Florida, United States

Sundial St. Pete, formerly known as The Shops at St. Pete, and BayWalk, is a shopping, dining and entertainment complex in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. It opened in May 2014 with a mixture of restaurants, markets, nightlife, and shopping. As of April 2015, businesses include Locale Market, Lululemon, White House Black Market, Tommy Bahama, Chico's, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Sea Salt restaurant and Jackie Z Style Co. The complex also features a 12-screen AMC Theatre which was originally a Muvico. While the outdoor Muvico signs remain intact for the time being, slight changes have been made inside to reflect the recent acquisition of Carmike Cinemas by AMC.

Rays Ballpark was the name used in project documents for a ballpark in the current location of Al Lang Stadium on the Tampa Bay waterfront in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, proposed by the Tampa Bay Rays as a replacement for Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay Rowdies American professional soccer team

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They formerly played in USSF Division 2 and the North American Soccer League (NASL), which were also second-tier leagues. The Rowdies play their home games at Al Lang Stadium on St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront.

Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball franchise in St. Petersburg, Florida

The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home venue has been Tropicana Field.

Sports in the Tampa Bay area Overview of sports opportunities in the Tampa Bay area

The Tampa Bay area is home to many sports teams and has a substantial history of sporting activity. Most of the region's professional sports franchises use the name "Tampa Bay", which is the name of a body of water, not of any city. This is to emphasize that they represent the wider metropolitan area and not a particular municipality and was a tradition started by Tampa's first major sports team, the original Tampa Bay Rowdies, when they were founded in 1975.

Bill Foster (mayor) American politician

David William Foster is an American attorney and former mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida. He was elected in 2009. Before being elected mayor Foster served on the city council and worked as a lawyer.

Taco Bus

Taco Bus restaurants serve Mexican food in the Tampa, Florida area. The restaurants began as a popular food truck on Hillsborough Avenue. A second location followed on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, Florida and a restaurant was added on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa. Taco Bus opened their fourth location near USF on Fletcher Avenue. Rene Valenzuela is chef and owner of the business. A location in Brandon at 311 South Falkenburg is scheduled to open in spring 2013. The USF location was reported to be open 24 hours.

Food truck rally Event with a group of food trucks

A food truck rally is an event where a group of food trucks gather in one location.

Bill Edwards is an American businessman. He owns numerous properties in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida, United States.

References

  1. Laura Reiley Tampa food truck rally features cheap meals on wheels September 1, 2011 Tampa Bay Times
  2. 1 2 3 Jodie Tillman Food trucks roll more variety into downtown Tampa lunch scene Archived 2014-10-24 at the Wayback Machine November 3, 2011 Tampa Bay Times
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2012-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. http://www.tampabay.com/features/food/restaurants/article1188810.ece [ dead link ]
  5. Marissa Lang St. Petersburg poised to do an about-face on food trucks December 21, 2011 Tampa Bay Times
  6. Marissa Lang [A food truck rally every day of the week] February 16, 2012 TBT.com
  7. World's largest food truck rally descends on Tampa August 31, 2013
  8. About Miami Food Trucks
  9. Food Truck Rally sets world record March 31, 2014, Tampa Bay Business Journal
  10. Food truck rally today in downtown Tampa Archived 2014-10-24 at the Wayback Machine TBO.com