The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer is owned and operated by Gus and Susan Sheker.

The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer is owned and operated by Gus and Susan Sheker.

There’s nothing more appetizing than delicious food, except for maybe delicious food on wheels!

It’s always great when you’re attending an event, whether it be a concert or the farmer’s market, and your worked-up hunger is able to be satisfied by awesome, traveling food. Over the last couple years, there have been more and more food truck businesses popping up and making their home in Grand Rapids, and I think I can speak for most residents in saying that “we love it!”

When people often think of food trucks, many can only picture them in bigger cities with larger populations. Yet, the amazing food trucks in Grand Rapids are here to prove that meals on wheels don’t have to entirely exist in a metropolis, and that Greater Minnesota deserves the chance at trying homemade authentic truck food as well.

Whether you’re feeling up for a savory snack or a sweet treat, the food trucks here in Grand Rapids got your cravings covered. Some of the food trucks that are continuing to grow in popularity in the area are The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer, Borealis Creamery, Bobcat’s Lunchbox LLC, and Chad’s Meat Wagon.

The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer, after 18 months of exciting planning, opened in 2019. The taco truck takes great inspiration from Anthony Bourdain, who saw food as a universal language, and a way of breaking through culture barriers.

“A passion for good, fresh food along with the joy of cooking really motivates our business,” said owners Gus and Susan Sheker. “Other inspiration comes from the gratitude of our customers who eat our food.”

The Shekers recall a particular customer purchase that brought smiles to their faces: a mother who ordered her young son a steak taco with grilled sweet peppers and onions smothered with queso.

“I guessed him to be 5 to 6 years old, and not one who would eat grilled peppers and onions,” said Gus Sheker. “A little later they came by to deposit their trash, and the young boy looked up and said to me ‘That taco made me want to dance!’”

“I’ll never forget that kid and his smile. I feel we are doing the work we are meant to do.”

The Shekers love being in the food truck business here in Grand Rapids, and find it to be very rewarding as both a Grand Rapids local and tourist food attraction.

“We love Grand Rapids,” Shekers said, “It’s a small enough town to hold our great Midwestern hospitality, but because the area attracts tourists and vacationers, it’s a very lively place to do business.”

The Shekers and The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer also hold great value in having flexible food for those with intolerances and allergies.

“Our menu is small and flexible and can change with our mood,” said Shekers. “Along with vegetarian and gluten free options, we serve top sirloin beef, marinated chicken and our own chorizo (seasoned pork & beef marinated in red wine) all cooked on our two flat top grills, per order.”

On top of having food flexibility, the Shekers always want to make sure the food they provide is as fresh as can be.

“Our menu is not vast but everything we serve is made in house and fresh. We do not ‘buy-n-fry’ frozen commercial products - ever,” they said. “We are members and serve at the Grand Rapids Farmers Market which gives us access to fresh and organic produce.”

Like many food trucks, The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer has some notable specialties.

“We are known for our original salsas like the wild blueberry habanero and our newest sauce we call ‘the chihuahua sauce,’ which is a slightly sweet chili cream sauce that goes well on most anything,” said the Shekers. “Our charro or cowboy beans are a three-bean combo cooked from the ‘hard state’ and seasoned with spices and our chorizo. These beans make a great side compliment to our tacos.”

To say that the Shekers and The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer are taking on a whole new idea of tacos is an understatement, and they’re doing a fantastic job at it.

“We feel that a tortilla is simply a shell or a delivery method for whatever is inside,” they said.

“We do not claim our food to be from south of the border or south of anywhere. In fact our vegetarian taco is an East Indian chickpea recipe.”

The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer has both a regular menu, as well as an often changing daily special to keep things exciting.

The Shekers and The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer can sometimes be found serving large local and special events, but most of the time you can find this delicious food truck parked at the Grand Rapids Farmers Market, which is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After diners finish up at the Farmers Market, they then park right across the street at Klockow Brewery from 2-7 p.m. More location and event details, as well as daily special information, are posted on The Singing Chihuahua Taco Trailer Instagram and Facebook.

To crave your sweet tooth, Borealis Creamery is the ice cream truck that has become well-known in Grand Rapids. Unlike other food trucks in the area, Borealis Creamery is brand new, and its grand opening was on the Thursday and Friday of Fishing Opener weekend in May of 2022.

“We’ve been making ice cream for family and friends for years and everyone kept saying it was the best ice cream they’d ever had,” said owner Kate Hanke. “We toyed with the idea for a while but it never seemed like the right time. There wasn’t a hand-crafted ice cream shop in Grand Rapids and a few things happened in the same time frame that made it seem like it was finally the right time.”

Not only was opening this ice cream shop on wheels an amazing experience in itself, but opening it in the community of Grand Rapids has only added to the positive opportunity.

“The Grand Rapids community has given us such a great response to our ice cream,” said

Hanke. “We love seeing familiar faces coming back for newly released flavors to try them.

We’ve also gotten great support and mentoring from local business owners and other food truck operators.”

Hanke and Borealis Creamery love being a part of the food truck industry here in Grand Rapids, as it’s friendly and welcoming.

“At the core, we want to be collaborative – complementing each other, not competing - and have really appreciated so many others with that same mindset.”

One thing Borealis Creamery prides itself on is just how homemade their ice cream is.

“We make all the ice cream and most of the mix-ins from scratch,” said Hanke. “Some examples are the dark chocolate hot fudge in Tin Roof Sundae, the caramel in Salted Caramel, the marshmallow whip in S’mores and Rocky Road, the cookies in Snickerdoodle and cookie dough in Cookie Dough, the cake in Celebration Cake and the puree and jam in Twisted Strawberry. A lot of love goes into every scoop!”

Borealis Creamery loves being the sole provider of hand-crafted ice cream and sorbet in Grand Rapids, especially on wheels!.“Having a food truck allows us to move around, therefore scooping for different areas, which makes us more accessible to different areas of Grand Rapids and the surrounding towns,” said Hanke.

“Plus, being at events is so fun!”

If you’re looking to get a look into the world of Borealis Creamery here in Grand Rapids, you should look into following their Instagram page.

“We love all the posts and stories on social media and permission to re-share,” said Hanke. “We could not have asked for a better following. Favorite thing is to see customers that come back often and share their feedback on flavors they’ve tried and suggestions for new flavors.”

Another food truck on the rise in Grand Rapids is Bobcat’s Lunchbox LLC. A year ago, the Bobcat’s food truck was purchased by owner Kevin Paul, and then refurbished over the rest of the year. It officially opened for business this spring of 2022.

Paul was a truck  river for many years, and was looking to spend more time home in Grand Rapids when the opportunity of Bobcat’s Lunchbox came along.

“I was a long haul truck driver for eighteen years and wanted to be home more when Bobcat’s came along,” said Paul. “Both my children have graduated school and we’re building new relationships and starting families. That’s where Bobcats Lunchbox LLC comes in. I just didn’t want to be gone all the time anymore.”

Bobcat’s Lunchbox started with, surprisingly, a phone call about some cheeseburgers.

“I was driving a long haul semi truck across Missouri when a friend of mine named Bob called me with an offer... cheeseburgers, Smash Burger style,” said Paul. “I had been looking for a business opportunity and by July, we had purchased Lynni’s Mini Food Court, a local mobile food trailer that had served gyros a couple of years prior. The rest of 2021 was spent finding lawyers, accountants, a banker and such while updating the ‘wagon’ to serve cheeseburgers.”

While at first Bobcat’s Lunchbox started as a partnership, life happened and things changed for the food truck.

“In February of this year we held a soft opening in the parking lot of Broking’s Transport,” said Paul. “Once our updates and conversions were tested and successful, Bob decided to step away and pursue more opportunities while I began running the business with my daughters, Emily and Abbie, with the intention to buy his shares. And I love it!”

Paul’s life, both personal and work, had changed for the better because of Bobcat’s Lunchbox, and he hopes to reflect that in his food.

“Instead of being alone most of the day, most of the week, I’m reconnecting with the community,” he said. “Interacting with all the local businesses, from printers and copiers, to lawyers and accountants. It’s a whole new world. I still work long days sometimes and some days I eat supper at midnight. I am operating a business that, a few months ago, I knew absolutely nothing about.”

And the food truck Bobcat’s Lunchbox has come so far in the last couple months, especially with the support from the Grand Rapids community and all that are a part of it.

“With some internet research, tons of help and advice from a good friend with a mobile BBQ trailer, and lots of persistence, we are trying to make this successful,” said Paul. “I love our customers who come back over and over. Customers who are becoming recognizable. I love hearing how much they love my burgers. It’s a great feeling when a mom comes back to tell us about how they have the finickiest kids in the world and the kids love Bobcat’s!”

Paul’s favorite part about his food truck Bobcat’s Lunchbox, is how close he gets to work with his family. Each member of his family attributes to the business in their own way, and he loves it.

“Watching the things that Emily, my oldest, can do with her accounting and computer skills is amazing to me,” he said. “My wonderful wife, Pam, has taken a second job to help support this endeavor while also helping with Bobcat’s.”

“But honestly, watching my youngest, Abbie, work in the kitchen with me is the best part of this whole huge experience.”

Paul’s daughter Abbie has struggled with severe allergies all through her childhood, to the point where she would have to receive injections weekly. She continues to struggle with eczema, and now alopecia.

“Watching this young lady practically burst from her shell, grab the reins and take charge of this mobile kitchen is what I truly love the most about owning Bobcat’s Lunchbox.”

Paul is a proud owner of Bobcat’s Lunchbox, which serves all the traditional American foods, from cheeseburgers to sloppy joes. You can find them serving at a variety of local events taking place in Grand Rapids this summer. For daily updates on where you can find the location of Bobcat’s Lunchbox, visit their Facebook page.

While most of these food trucks are quite new to Grand Rapids, there are also a few that have been around for a while and are considered classics. One of these food trucks is none other than Chad’s Meat Wagon.

Chad’s Meat Wagon started up in 2017, when owner Chad Yost finally decided to share his delicious smoked food with the public.

“I bought a small smoker and started cooking for family and friends,” said Yost. “My friend’s Aunt told me that people would pay for my food because it was so good. I finally listened.”

Yost’s favorite part of the food truck business is the face to face interaction with his customers as a cook.

“My favorite part is serving our food. I love the face to face interactions we get to experience in the trailer,” said Yost. “It never gets old seeing their reactions when they open up our containers.

Many cooks never get to meet their customers, but I do.”

One thing that stands out about Chad’s Meat Wagon is the portions. If you’re a “go big or go home” kind of person, Chad’s Meat Wagon is the food truck for you.

“I would put my food up against anyone,” said Yost. “Our portions reflect our cost. We get told all the time how big our portions are. We offer choices you can’t get anywhere else in town.”

“My favorite thing to see from our customers is how they love the food. Seeing a line out the window lets me know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. The best thing, though, is seeing them return.”

Another aspect that Yost holds great value in his food is the consistency.

“What makes us stand out is our food and our service,” he said. “Our wait time is minimal and that makes a big difference. Our food is delicious, unique, and plentiful. The consistency of our food is very important. If you stop 10 times, the food will taste the same each and every time.”

Like many of the other food trucks, Yost and Chad’s Meat Wagon have been blown out of the water by the overwhelming support from the Grand Rapids community through the years.

“Our amazing community has embraced all of the food trucks with great support,” he said.

“Those of us who do this, are all doing well. This community offers many opportunities for us to succeed.”

“What makes this industry different is we get to bring our food to our customers. We can bring our full menu anywhere we go. We have the ability to reach other communities and keep our prices affordable.”

Most of all, like the rest of the food trucks as well, Yost and Chad’s Meat Wagon hold an immense appreciation for the customers.

“We work hard and strive to earn our customers trust,” said Yost. “We know that our success would never have happened without them. We love what we do and truly believe it comes through in our food.”

Whether you’re a tourist visiting for the weekend, or have been a resident for years, there is so much Grand Rapids, Minnesota, has to offer in history, activities, and eats. Check out all of these food trucks that will be serving in and around Grand Rapids all summer long, you surely will not be disappointed by any.

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