Food trucks sell-out fast downtown, but for how long?

Photos: Kate Dessa, John Cary

Wednesday, we caught up three food trucks as they swung through downtown to see how business was going on a sunny Indian Summer day in September. From the looks of it, business is robust. Happy Bodega and its proprietor Amanda Cavazos were parked in front of a defunct Mexican restaurant on Lake Street, sporting some eye-catching Entourage promo colors (I half-expected Turtle to pop out and offer me a tequila shot) and attracting a mix of dude who work at home, students on the go and ladies walking chihuahuas.

Across the way, Simple Sandwich—which like Happy Bodega, works out of Kitchen Chicago, was already sold-out of sandwiches by 12:25. David Wojtonik pulled out his sandwich menu to show us everything crossed out, certified gone. He'd set-up about 10:30am and sold about 100 sandwiches before we arrived. He had announced that he was serving prosciutto di Parma via Twitter and watched the hordes descend. But Wojtonik is not resting on his laurels. He told us he'll need to build up his customer base before winter sets in and kills the foot traffic at the intersection.

Nearby, but harder for us to find as it parked on Lower Wacker, the gaztro-wagon came roaring by at the end of our sojourn—looking well depleted. I'll find you one day gaztro-wagon.

You can find Happy Bodega and Simple Sandwich serving lunch on Wednesdays near Michigan and Lake, gaztro-wagon in the vicinity of the Aon Center on Wednesdays, too. Check websites and Twitter for updates and other locations—and show up early.

For more food truck coverage, visit Street Food Now.