There’s a new gang of street food vendors roaming Denver, and they’re ready to rumble! Welcome, Food Truck Warriors! Spearheaded by the efforts of Rich Wong of Street Eats, these vendors have joined forces with Vendor Hippo, a Colorado market and event coordinating company, and they are looking for mouths to feed. Because of that partnership, FTW is able to offer much more than their awesome food. But first, let’s talk about their awesome food! Rich is the guy who on a trip to Mexico or Thailand eats tacos and noodle bowls from roadside stands while his friends, on their way to a fancy restaurant with promises of filtered water, look on in disbelief and horror. Rich’s love of street food is old school and intense, so it’s no surprise then that he’s wrangled together some of Denver’s finest street food vendors to be a part of FTW. Here’s whose on board to start:
- Street Eats
- Crock Spot
- Paseo
- Max Lunch
- Sweet Nothings Chocolate’s Bon Bon Buggy
- Stick It To Me
- Mikes2Kitchen
- Sweet Revenge Cupcakes
- Steuben’s
- Mythos Gourmet Greek Food
The variety available is mindblowing, ranging from the incredibly indulgent to the healthful and hearty. Cupcakes and bonbons; gyros, tacos and meat on sticks; soups, sandwiches, burgers and beans; and, of course, Steuby Snacks! There’s definitely something there for every palette, and every mood. Even better is that FTW is open to the idea of adding more trucks to the roster down the road. Any aspiring vendors with a mind to build an all vegetarian truck take note! FTW is looking for you!
They’re looking at events all over the state, too, not just Denver. They’re already in discussions with groups in Longmont, Breckenridge, Golden and more.
An Eye Toward Giving Back
When I spoke with Rich about FTW, he stressed the group’s dedication to charitable giving. Rich, who moved to Denver from San Francisco 17 years ago, is a guy brimming with pride for this place – it’s tangible in the way he talks about the transformation of LoDo and other parts of town – and he wants to give back to a city that’s served him well. He’s not interested in small change, either. “I’m not talking about writing a check to an organization at the end of an event for fifty, sixty bucks. What’s the point? What I’m talking about is writing a check for five grand, ten grand. That’s what we want to build toward.” Five or ten grand to local charities?! I’ll eat to that.
All That and Bouncy Castles, Too!
Those who know me well know that I plan to celebrate my 40th birthday 6 months early so that I can have a bouncy castle at the event (too damned cold in December!). Imagine my glee when I read on the Vendor Hippo site that if I choose to have a catered affair and hire the FTW, Vendor Hippo can provide me with a bouncy castle! And while that may not be your cup of tea, they’ve got a helluva lot more to offer, too. A partnership with the Colorado Music Business Organization connects event planners to a slew of musicians and more, and they provide assorted merchant services as well.
They’re planning to throw themselves a launch party sometime in April, so stay tuned. We here at Denver Street Food are definitely looking forward to it, and will keep you informed! Food Truck Warriors, For the Win!
Vendor Hippo is happy to be part of the Food Truck Warriors. We are very excited about the 2011 season coming up and hope all of you can come out and share in the fun.
Hippo