Vancouver’s Cheesiest Food Truck

Expect delicious, piping-hot gooey sandwiches at Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck

Currently, Vancouver has about one hundred licensed food trucks parked around its spic-and-span streets.  Once limited to greasy hotdogs and roasted chestnuts—don’t worry they’re still ubiquitous here—the new Vancouver food truck scene is one of the most amazing in the world, with newly minted star chef’s proffering some of the freshest, tastiest, and most creative hot dishes in town, showcasing the city’s melting pot of cultures.

Located on the Howe Street side of the Vancouver Art Gallery, you find Mom’s Grilled Cheese, open for lunch Monday through Friday as even mom needs her weekends free. The menu selection is straightforward: classic grilled cheese with choice of bread, including gluten-free, and cheese (everything from goat to vegan). Classic is a reasonable $5.50 (cash only please) with a limited choice of condiments ranging from half a buck to a buck fifty including chili, bacon, pickle and onions. Each is brushed with oil, weighted down on the flat top with a grill press, overly toasted but with a chewy crust.

Mom’s specials are The Jackson 3, comprised of three hearty slices of sourdough oozing with oodles of  Gruyere, Boursin and Brie. Talk about a heart attack sandwich! Then there’s Mom’s Meatloaf Grill, home-baked meatloaf that’s well-seasoned with basil and fennel seed, smothered in melted Parmesan and Mozarella, and topped with a zesty marinara sauce. At $8.50, this behemoth sells out regularly so get in line early if you are feeling in the mood for Italian.

Mom doesn’t eschew those with sweet tooth either. My personal fave: the Fat Elvis (mounds of creamy peanut butter slathered over a banana, then dusted with sea salt), which has to be tried to be believed. Those with nut allergies can choose the Sweet Little Vals (which is definitely not petit) a fabulous combination of caramelized apples, candied pecans, and mascarpone cheese, all sprinkled with cinnamon.

I was lucky enough to stroll past the cart during the waning Friday lunch rush, when I heard a shrill cackle with a heavy Canadian twang, shout out, “Wanna try some delicious, hot tomato soup for this bitter cold day?” I moseyed over where a sweet, youngish woman with a beaming smile—Cindy Hamilton, aka “Mom”—graciously handed me a huge sample cup of some of the best soup I’ve ever tasted in the Great North. She even asked me what kind of music I’d like to hear blasting from her trusted iPod list. My girlfriend ordered a classic grill, and except for the fact she scalded the roof of her mouth, said the sandwich was “divine!” She also loved the fresh chips and pickle that accompanied it.

Expect a long queue and a few pushy tourists when you visit Mom’s since, although she’s a newcomer to Vancouver’s amazing food cart scene, her cart is one of the busiest.  Mom also has the gift of gab, so expect her to initiate a fun conversation. And you can enjoy these tasty bites come rain, snow or shine.

Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck
Howe Street at W.Georgia Street, by the Vancouver Art Gallery
(Please note: As with all food trucks, locations may vary over time.)