The Great Los Angeles Food Truck Census: Counting Carts and Avoiding Confusion
Ah, Los Angeles. The land of dreams, movie stars, and...a truly astounding number of food trucks. We're talking enough tacos to fuel a mariachi band marathon, enough kimchi to ferment a whole city block, and enough gourmet grilled cheese to, well, make you very happy. But just how many food trucks are there, darting between palm trees and dispensing deliciousness?
This, my friends, is a question that has baffled philosophers (probably while waiting in line for a life-changing bánh mì). Fear not, for we shall delve into the delightful chaos that is the Los Angeles food truck scene.
Taco Trucks: A League of Their Own
Let's start with the undisputed kings of the LA food truck kingdom: the taco trucks. Over 4,000 strong, according to Wikipedia (although some nights it feels like there's one on every corner), these culinary titans offer up al pastor that would make angels weep and carne asada that could power a Tesla. Warning: attempting to count them all might lead to temporary blindness from deliciousness-induced euphoria.
Beyond the Taco: A smorgasbord on wheels
But LA's food truck scene is far more than just tacos (though don't get us wrong, we love those). We're talking gourmet Korean BBQ, wood-fired pizzas that would rival fancy restaurants, and enough vegan options to make kale blush. There's literally a food truck for every craving, from your deepest doughnut desires to your most specific sushi fantasies.
Finding an exact number for this glorious food truck menagerie is tricky. Roaming Hunger, a website that partners with many LA food trucks, lists over 1,100 vendors. But that doesn't include the independent heroes, the late-night legends, and the ones hiding out in secret taco havens. So, the real answer is... it's a lot. Like, a metric ton of "a lot".
So, How Many Food Trucks Are There?
The truth is, it's probably best not to get hung up on a precise number. The beauty of the LA food truck scene is its delicious anarchy. Just grab your phone (to find the nearest truck, not to take pictures of your food – that's rookie move territory), follow your nose (or your stomach's insistent grumbling), and prepare to embark on a culinary adventure.
Because in the end, the only number that truly matters is the number of happy taste buds in Los Angeles. And that, my friends, is a statistic that's always on the rise.