The long, hot days of summer are gone and leaves are changing. Autumn has arrived in Frederick!
The cooler evenings create the perfect setting for dining alfresco. Food trucks bring a convenient way to enjoy the beautiful colors of fall at a local park with a walking snack or to cozy up with a casual bite near a fire pit.
Frederick is home to an incredible food truck scene that continues to grow larger each year. It has never been easier to find a wide range of unique flavors that offer enough variety for the whole family to savor.
Three local food truck owners share the diverse and creative cuisine that has made their business on wheels a success:
Traditional Authentic Mexican Food
Authentic Mexican flavors come to life with signature dishes like birria tacos, chorizo fried quesadillas and street corn.
The menu at Traditional Authentic Mexican Food is filled with real Mexican flavor, and heat is optional. While none of the food is made spicy, their salsa can add an extra kick for those who enjoy fiery flavor.
On Taco Tuesday each week, the food truck can be found at Attaboy Brewery in Downtown Frederick; but, there is almost always a truck or two around Frederick serving up traditional Mexican cuisine.
“I think Frederick is an amazing place,” Karina Goytia, Traditional Authentic Mexican Food owner, said. “Having been one of the first trucks in Frederick—and growing since then—it's awesome to see the community support local...and I feel that our community is very strong with supporting local.”
The food truck made its debut at The Great Frederick Fair in 2016. Karina shares that she has met many new people around Frederick County since then and has even seen friendships grow among some of her regulars.
“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Karina said. “The flexibility for me to spend time with my family and to be able to bring them along is priceless.”
Grilled Cheese Please!
Picture everything you love about lasagna, but in a sandwich. Melty provolone cheese and family-made meat lasagna become portable on garlicky toasted bread—that’s the Passarelli, the signature grilled cheese sandwich that first inspired the variety of sandwiches on the menu at Grilled Cheese Please!
Grilled Cheese Please owners, Hillarie Hough and Mike Passarelli, serve a variety of unique sandwiches that go beyond cheese. From a classic American cheese on white bread to sliced ham, Swiss cheese and pineapple on Hawaiian bread, they aim to create something for every cheese lover to enjoy.
“With anything you choose, it’s going to offer some familiarity from childhood or a cold day,” Hillarie said.
Hillarie and Mike opened Grilled Cheese Please in September 2020. Since then, they have enjoyed seeing the love for food trucks grow among Frederick County residents over time as the business has grown and found its devoted fans.
“My favorite thing is still working on the truck,” Hillarie said. “It’s just Mike and I and we do everything. But we love going to the events and seeing folks that have known us a long time and been there since the beginning.”
Grilled Cheese Please travels around Frederick County for local events, breweries, farmer’s markets and even local schools on occasion, to provide teachers with a fun change of pace for lunch. Visit the Grilled Cheese Please website and Facebook page to find their weekly schedule.
Pretzel & Pizza Creations
The Pretzel & Pizza Creations food truck serves up a variety of hand-made pizzas, hot dogs, and soft buttery pretzels made from their original family pretzel dough recipe. Plus, additional menu options including fried brussels sprouts and wings provide the perfect crispy balance to compliment the warm, pillowy pretzel recipes.
The signature dish at the food truck is the Angry Bee pretzel pizza — a sweet and spicy combination of pepperoni, ricotta and mozzarella, topped with a drizzle of hot honey fresh from the oven. The pizza became so popular that it made its way onto the menu at the brick-and-mortar Pretzel & Pizza Creations restaurants in Frederick and Hagerstown.
“Nearly the entire menu was inspired by our customers,” Catie Serio, Pretzel & Pizza Creations owner, said. “It’s really unique cuisine. I’ve had other pretzel pizzas, but they’re really not the same as a family recipe.”
Their Downtown Frederick location has been producing comfort food with a pretzel-inspired twist for 32 years. But the business didn’t get wheels until fall 2021, when the food truck appeared at its first event.
“It can be easy to feel competitive as a restaurant owner, but everyone here has been nothing but kind and welcoming. It’s very community-focused,” Catie said. “I feel lucky to work with my husband on the truck and have the flexibility to still manage both restaurants and be there for my family.”
The Pretzel & Pizza Creations often visits neighborhoods around Frederick County in addition to breweries, wineries and more. A live calendar and booking information can be found on the Pretzel & Pizza Creations website.