Above: Heather Williams of Pippy's Hotdog Truck greets customers in Palenville. Photo by Clancy Nolan.
The geographic spread of the Catskills region creates often-daunting distances between would-be diners and their dinner plates. One solution to that problem: mobile meals. The food truck scene is growing exponentially here, both in numbers and in variety of cuisine. Artisanal hot dogs, all-sliders-all-the time, Alsatian flammkuchen—there’s a food truck specializing in each of those things, traveling the hills feeding hungry customers. During warm months, they gather for a monthly rodeo in Saugerties called the Hudson Valley Food Trucks Festival; during the winter, many of them operate as catering kitchens that come right to your work or home for parties and events.
Specializing in roasting whole pigs to serve hungry throngs at weddings and parties in Delaware County and beyond, Catskill Mtn. BBQ is a mobile unit (formerly parked in Gilboa), now open in a permanent spot in Grand Gorge also. Pork, brisket, chicken and ribs are marinated and slow-smoked for 14 to 24 hours. Grand Gorge • catskillmtbbqteam.com
Black-Eyed Suzie’s is a travelling food stand and caterer with a local, seasonal menu that changes weekly, celebrating the seasons and using fresh, beautiful local ingredients from neighboring farms. Woodstock • blackeyedsuziesupstate.com @BESupstate
Pippy’s Hotdog Truck serves gourmet hot dogs and much more. All toppings and sides are homemade, using local artisans and farmers as much as possible. It serves funky, innovative cuisine ranging from the American Chili Cheese Dog to the Vietnamese Banh Mi Dog. Available for private parties and catering. Palenville • pippyshotdogtruck.com @pippyshotdogs
Yum Yum on Wheels serves Asian-style street food all over the Hudson Valley using fresh ingredients, locally sourced when possible, and antibiotic-free and hormone-free meats. Delicacies include steamed buns, satays and fresh salads. It is available for catering parties and events, large and small. Woodstock • yumyumnoodlebar.com @YumYumonwheels
Slidin’ Dirty can be seen slidin’ around the Catskills, the Capital Region and at private catering events featuring a menu of gourmet sliders and appetizers. In 2013, Slidin’ Dirty was featured on Live with Kelly and Michael as a Top 10 finalist in the national Truckin’ Amazing Cook-Off. Albany • slidindirty.com • @slidin_dirty
Big Kev’s BBQ is a roadside barbecue joint offering pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken and ribs. Pork, brisket and ribs are dry-rubbed, chickens are brined, and it’s all cooked low and slow over a wood fire. On-site and off-site catering are available. White Lake • bigkevsbbq.com
Black Forest Flammkuchen serves a unique interpretation of wood-fired flatbreads from the border region of France and Germany, using as many locally sourced organic ingredients as possible. The truck can be found at festivals, markets and events across the region and is available for private catering. Pleasant Valley • blackforestflammkuchen.com • @Flammkuchens
Ate.O.Ate offers a flavorful twist on traditional foods. It strives to use locally sourced ingredients and serve in compostable disposables. From Reuben fritters to marinated lamb “lollipops” to pork-cheek sliders, Ate.O.Ate has a roster of spectacular homemade food sure to soothe your culinary soul. Roxbury • ateoatecatering.com
The ’Cue BBQ Truck is a full-service mobile kitchen that travels to any location. Everything is made from scratch. Meats are smoked in-house. Favorites include pulled pork, smoky chicken, BBQ ribs and brisket. It serves homemade sauces, classic sides and Mason jar desserts. Saugerties • cueshack.com
Wandering Dago Catering Co. & Food Truck is a group of culinary and hospitality professionals specializing in off-premise catering and events management. They provice fresh, locally sourced, made-from-scratch cuisine for all types of special occasions, including wedding receptions, corporate events, birthday and holiday celebrations. • wanderingdago.com
A verdsion of this article originally appeared in the print version of the 2014 Catskills Food Guide, our annual publication covering local farms, restaurants and food purveyors. Find a copy near you here. Find a farm, market, restaurant or other food-related business in our searchable, sortable online database here.
