Tiny Kitchens with Massive Flavor
Get a Taste of the Grants Pass Food Truck Scene
By Cate Battles
Whether you’re looking for food on-the-go or a a place to enjoy outdoor dining, food trucks are a great option, especially as we enter the spring and summer seasons. Although food trucks have grown in popularity just in the past decade or two, they have been a Grants Pass tradition for over 100 years. Whether it was Blind George’s historic popcorn cart that opened in the 1920s or Dutch Bros humble pushcart beginnings, these mobile vendors reflect the spirit of the Grants Pass culinary scene—which has been attracting foodies from across the region! Today, you can find a multitude of food trucks and carts offering delicious meals on wheels parked next to businesses or grouped in “pods” in designated locations.
From street tacos and sushi to BBQ and pizza by the slice, hit the pavement and follow your nose to these 10 Food Trucks Around Grants Pass.
1. Burgers at Valentinos
For mouth-watering burgers, look no further than Valentino’s Food Truck, which is permanently parked at Weekend Beer Company, just north of downtown Grants Pass. Since 2013, Bryan and Laurie Callahan been carrying on the family tradition, serving both American staples and Northern Italian inspired fare. They strive to use local organic ingredients, and fresh and never frozen meat from Medford’s Cherry Street Meats. Whether your heart if set on a hot pastrami sandwich or a blue cheese bacon burger- you won’t leave hungry. With large portions, including their legendary home-cut asiago fries and onion rings, there’s plenty of food to share with family and friends. Find them alongside other food trucks, including Wheelhouse Coffee, Tacomania, and Catalyst Pizza Company. While enjoying a burger, pair it with a delicious brew by Weekend Beer Company. Find them Weds-Sunday 12-close
2. Tacos at Tacos Don Goya
Who doesn’t love tacos? You’d be hard pressed to find more authentic street tacos than at Tacos Don Goya in Grants Pass. Here, you’ll find traditional street taco options like tripa, lengua, birria, alambres, chorizo, along with the usual al pastor, pollo asado, and carne asada. In addition to their tacos, they offer quesabirrias, tortas, burritos, nachos, quesadillas and combo plates. Drop by their food truck at the corner of 6th and K street for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday 10am-7pm.
3. Sushi at Rogue Sushi
Don’t let the fact that a sushi restaurant is located in a foodtruck——this is some of the best and freshest seafood around! After working at several sushi restaurants, Chef Kernel is a seasoned sushi artist. His beautifully presented sushi rolls are a sight to behold and certainly lives up to the flavor. While there, try their specialty rolls, BBQ kalibi beef ribs, poke bowls, and teriyaki. For adventurous foodies, order “omakase”—
or chef’s choice. While not located at a set address, you can find them rotating between Grants Pass, Merlin, and Cave Junction Monday-Friday.
4. Pizza at Catalyst Pizza Company
Experience a slice of heaven at Catalyst Pizza Company, home of some of the best New York style pizza in Southern Oregon. These guys are a true success story. After the Paradise fire destroyed their home and business, owner Zach Thomas and his family relocated to Grants Pass and opened up their food truck in 2019. Since then, they’ve gone through a few name changes, but have found a permanent home for their food truck at Weekend Beer Company. Not only that, but they’ve expanded by adding an additional food truck called Catalyst Public House (next to Rogue Valley Brewing Supply) serving Detroit style pies and cheesesteaks. Recently they announced they will be opening a brick and mortar establishment on H St serving their popular dishes as well as some new and exciting items. While visiting their Weekend Beer Company
location, order a 12” or 16” pie, pizza by the slice, calzone, stromboli, or one of their many shared plate appetizers.
5. Bowls at Smittys
For a dose of healthy and happy, Smitty’s colorful farm-to-fork cuisine will leave you smitten. Using only the freshest ingredience, Smitty’s locally and sustainably sourced organic produce comes from Fort Vannoy Farms here in Grants Pass. While there, discover items like “Yum Bowls” made with an assortment of fresh veggies and protein over rice, as well as wraps, tacos, and daily specials infused with their signature
sauces. Don’t forget to ask them about their “secret menu”! Dine with them lunch and dinner at Pints n Wine Pourhouse, Bikekraft, and various spots around Grants Pass Thursdays-Tuesdays.
6. BBQ at Papa Terrells
Cure your roaming hunger and plan a lunch at Papa Terrell’s food truck. This BBQ will have you convinced you teleported to the deep South. Enjoy favorites like their melt in your mouth pulled pork, chicken, or smoked tritip and pair it with their house-made coleslaw, macaroni salad, BBQ beans, and potato salad. Try their baked potato topped with meat and all the fixins’ along with their famous BBQ sauce! Find them weekdays around Grants Pass from 11am-2pm and visit their facebook page to learn about daily locations and specials.
7. Coffee at Wheelhouse
When it comes to delicious coffee, there’s plenty of great things brewing inside this mobile espresso bar. Get your caffeine fix at Wheelhouse, one of the four food trucks parked at Weekend Beer Company. With seasonal drinks like “rosemary lavender latte”, “iced vanilla rose matcha” and “pistachio latte”, this husband and wife team offer some of the best coffee drinks around! After converting their sprinter van into a cafe on wheels- they found their home at Weekend where they serve drinks, bagels, pop tarts, and other pastries Monday-Saturday 7am-6pm. During the cold months, they are located under heated tents and during the warm months, customers can claim one of the dozens of picnic tables spread throughout the property. Need wifi? No problem. Set up your mobile office and use Weekend’s complimentary internet to work.
8. Sammies at Pinky’s Eats and Treats
April showers bring may flowers, but it also leaves you craving a grilled cheese and hot home-made soup. One of Grants Pass’s latest food trucks to enter the scene is Pinky’s, often found parked at Pints and Wine Pourhouse. Here, you’ll discover plenty of cheesy goodness, including artisan grilled cheese sandwiches like their Hawaiian, Philly, and Monte Cristo, all of which have a gluten free option. Pair it with their tomato
soup or ask about their soup of the day. While grubbing down on lunch or dinner, drop into Pints and Wine Pourhouse, the former location of Frank-N-Steins on 6th street where they have one of the largest selections of craft beer, cider, and hard seltzer’s in Grants Pass.
9. Boba Tea and Drinks at Bobablastic
Since 2016, Bobablastic is one of the first companies in the Pacific Northwest to sell bubble tea, after it was first invented in Taiwan during the 1980s. But what exactly makes this trendy Asian drink so special and what is Boba anyways? Boba, also known as tapioca pearls are edible translucent balls produced from the starch of cassava root. What makes it stand apart from tea, coffee, or juice is the consistency adds a little “extra” to the already sweet flavor. With dozens of varieties of teas, juice, milk, and lemonade, coupled with their extensive toppings list, Bobablastic can create up to 6,000 different combinations. Find them 7/days a week at the top of 7th street next to I-5.
10. Wild Card at Fat Kid Food Company
This is a food truck that lives up to its name. If you follow them on social media, you’ve probably seen outrageous “smashups” made with wild combinations where no chef has gone before. Despite its unusual take on favorite classics, this heart-attack inducing menu will make you an instant fan—to the point you’ll find yourself tracking them down even on days they are setup in another town. Co-owner Chaz McKenna
has his fair share of restaurant credentials and for the past few years, they’ve gained a viral following on social media for their crazy rotating menu, pairing ingredients you’d never expect found together in a single dish. While you’re likely to find their tried and true “Cherry Street Smash” and “Street Noods” on the menu, you’ll often be compelled to try one of their rarer over-the-top specials like their Crabby Patty, a smash burger topped with fresh veggie slaw, crunchies, secret sauce, and a huge soft shell crab. Even crazier is their “Sunday Funday Hangover Smash”, a burger with a bevy of toppings stuffed between two sprinkled doughnuts. Find them Wednesday at Pints and Wine Pourhouse from 12-7 (or till they sell out)
Due to the nature of the business, the best way to learn about locations and times is to call ahead or check the food truck’s social media accounts. View more of the Grants Pass food scene here.
