Food Truck Fridays returns in Levittown

In 2016 Wendy Lantigua rolled out her first food truck, The Happy Pig, selling roasted corn, loaded tater tots and vegan fried chicken. She didn’t have a dedicated space to park and sell her eats, so she created her own in the parking lot of a church, inviting a few other trucks in hopes of drawing customers en masse.

Two years later, Food Truck Fridays was trademarked and Lantigua had grown the weekly event into a highly anticipated summer series as well as an event organization service. Meetups take place rain or shine 5 to 9 p.m. every Friday at the VFW Post 9592 in Levittown. A rotating group of food trucks serve everything from sausage and peppers to apple bites.

Drawing 300 to 500 patrons each week, past participating trucks have included the Puerto Rican Bori Bites, serving “empanacos” ($16) — a cross between an empanada and a taco — and jibaritos ($14), or plantain sandwiches, served with arroz con gandules, or rice and peas, barbecued meats and quesadillas from Royal Elite BBQ, wontons filled with specialty stuffing like macaroni and cheese and spinach and artichoke or apple crumb from All American Wonton, and banana, strawberry and birthday pudding from The Pudding Lady, to name a few. The Lemon Life, a fresh-shaken lemonade stand that Lantigua launched in 2023, also participates. 

With “a portion of proceeds going back to the Post to help with their scholarship fund and local veterans in need,” Lantigua estimates they've raised $6,100 for the Post 9592 location. 

This Friday's announced vendors include Angie's Empanadas and Dominick's Chicken Fingers and desserts from The Sweet Love Company, which sells cake pops, cake jars and cupcakes. Tashana Small of Tashana's Kitchen, which makes macaroni and cheese cupcakes in a variety of flavors from pulled pork to Cajun shrimp and crab meat will be in attendance with a booth. “I aspire to one day own a food trailer or food truck,” Small said. “So I am participating in this to get a feel for it because I love the art of cooking. I can't wait to be on the road with my own food truck or food trailer, hoping to make customers smile because of the way I treated them and because they love my food and concept.”

The atmosphere is family-friendly, spread out over a huge lawn, with seating both inside and outside the VFW hall — and indoor bathrooms, too. While they don’t serve alcohol and trucks set their own prices, Lantigua describes it, as “good old-fashioned hanging out with friends.”

Food Truck Fridays, 5-9 p.m. Fridays, 55 Hickory Lane, Levittown, 516-448-5126, foodtruckfridaypeople.com. Weekly truck schedules are posted on social media in the “Food Truck Fridays!” group on Facebook and @foodtruck_friday_people on Instagram.

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.