The Wheel Deal of Dining
SWFL food trucks attract patrons of all ages and tastes
Food trucks are a unique intersection of food and wheels. Mobile cuisine has gained respect and become very popular in small and large cities alike, with all kinds of fans. These four-wheeled food outlets offer signature dishes from around the world. What was once mostly associated with ethnic street food now provides every type of cuisine conceivable, from grilled cheese to crepes to gourmet lunchboxes. Food trucks are not only integrated into major events, festivals and fundraisers as a way to attract attendees and cater to every taste bud, they are popular everyday dining options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Food trucks often have great “back stories.” The Southwest Florida food truck known as Nonnie’s Pizza and Spudz has a special tale of how and why it began: Mina Larocca Strobel has been battling ovarian cancer since 2013 and her husband, Ray Strobel, was working a lot of overtime to pay for her all-natural treatments not covered by insurance. Because her family ran a pizzeria up north for many years, the couple decided to look into starting a food truck as a family business venture—a pizza food truck!
“We use my mom’s recipe and the grandkids call her Nonnie, so we named it after her,” Mina Strobel explains. She adds, “The best part about running a food truck is we do it together!”