Buenos Aires’ First Food Trucks Are Up and Running
The selected food trucks are stationed outside Parque Patricios.
Food trucks are everyone’s answer to a quick and easy meal. For starters, the snacks on offer are cheap and of good quality. It is also a far more pleasant experience than eating in a fast-food restaurant; instead of munching on fries while sitting on uncomfortable yellow plastic chairs, you can eat your hamburger out in the fresh air.
Unless you have been napping under a very large rock, you will be aware that these gastro trucks have become a global phenomenon. In fact, in the US alone, the food truck industry is expected to generate an annual revenue of US $1 billion. That’s an increase of over US $100 million from 2015 (!).
However, Argentina has had problems regulating the food truck industry. Food trucks certainly have been “a thing” (like, have you ever eaten a choripándown on the Costanera?) but they are fijos (fixed) to one spot. New iterations of these businesses have until now been restricted to private food events, such as Masticar, for example, or the French Le Marché fair.
The Deputy Chief of the City Government reports that they will be in fact allowed in public places, more specifically outside the parks near the Buenos Aires City government headquarters in Parque Patricios. They announced that as of August 28th, there will be two food trucks stationed in this public space. If this part of town doesn’t ring a bell in your Palermo-centric brain, you can access it by the Subte H line.
In a move to continue evolving the regulatory framework, there are certain rules in place to protect the overall industry, such as the legislation that all trucks have to be at least 200 meters away from restaurants in a bid to reduce competition. The food trucks will also have to obtain certain certifications in order to receive the permit that allows them to operate legally. These include a hygiene and sanitation permit as well as one that grants them the right to sell their food in public spaces.
The two food trucks that are now up and running were drawn earlier this year by raffle through a lottery system and have managed to bag a spot from Monday to Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM. These two winners are BeDePe, which sells stuffed pizza dough balls (yeah, I didn’t know what that is either), and Food Truck Argentina which, has meat, more meat, and meat again on offer (bife de chorizo and steak being the ultimate stars of the menu, of course).
Bepede Pizza (Photo via Facebook/ @bepede)
In October, there will be another prize drawn for three more food trucks which will operate at the intersection of Av. Figueroa Alcorta and Austria next to the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas in Palermo. They’ll be in operation on weekends as of December 2018. This is mere steps away from the Floralis Genérica, and a real hub for tourists and locals alike.
Stay tuned to see what other tasty treats will be on offer!
Photo via GCBA
Link a la nota: http://www.thebubble.com/food-trucks-buenos-aires-2/
