Demand and opportunity are the two main drivers (pardon the pun!) for why many lower Hudson Valley food trucks have recently transitioned to brick-and-mortar locations. In the past two and a half years, five have opened in Westchester and Rockland, with another one — Grey’s Donuts, which opened in New Rochelle last June — planning its second permanent spot sometime in March.
“Our truck just blossomed and created this whole doughnut loving community,” said Christina Sanz, who owns Grey’s Donuts with her husband, Jeremy. “Everyone kept asking where is your store and where can we find you when you’re not on the truck and we never had an answer.
“With a brick-and-mortar spot, we can offer more.”
The refrain was similar for Fabian Marquez of Latusion, a Peruvian Latin food truck he started in 2018 and often had parked at Lyon Park in Port Chester. “We wanted to offer more to our loyal customers than we could previously,” he said. “Here, we can add daily specials to our menu. On the food truck, we would sell out, due to the space as there was only so much we could store.”
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He also wanted to offer his eclectic street eats to a different part of Westchester, which is exactly what’s he’s accomplished since opening in December 2022 in Harrison. “Now, I see new faces every day and continue to grow our customers,” he said.
He still has his food truck — as do most of the others — he just now has more ways to serve his customers and expand his base. Nor is it he dependent on weather for how good business may (or may not be) any given day.
What follows is a sampling of those who’ve gone in a new direction, transitioning from food truck model to brick-and-mortar home.
When customers kept ordering waffles with doughnuts from the Sanz’ 10-year-old Waffle Box Truck, the two thought there was potential for a doughnut truck, which they started in 2021, and named after their son, Grey. At first, Christina and Jeremy started with mini doughnuts and fun drizzles but then added regular-sized ones (and more toppings) when they opened a brick-and-mortar in New Rochelle last summer.
Among the popular flavors (there’s always daily specials): S’mores, Samoa, cinnamon sugar, Boston creme, Cookie Monster, strawberry frosted with sprinkles, jelly, glaze and more. The New Rochelle spot, with seating for approximately 15, also serves ice cream, ice cream shakes and a variety of coffee drinks. Come March, the couple plan to open in Bronxville, with a focus on take-out. That means no seating inside (or coffee) but plenty of doughnuts. The truck is still available for private events. 20 Anderson St., New Rochelle, 914-229-3391 and 96 Kraft Ave., Bronxville.
Marquez has taken the vibe of his food truck, complete with a mural of the truck and an ode to Lyon Park where he used to be a permanent fixture, to his current brick-and-mortar location, which is takeout focused. The menu is similar to what you’d find on the truck, albeit with more offerings. Popular entrees include empanadas, fusion wings, and Marquez’ famous Lomo fries, a beef stir fry with onion, tomato and cilantro served over crispy fries and layered with sauces. There are a few stools by the window for eating in.
Marquez still has his truck for private events and plans to return to Port Chester this spring; watch his social media for updates. He’s also looking to hit the road for other venues, including in Rockland County. 223 Harrison Ave., 914-315-6060, latusionfoodtruck.com.
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Moving from a food truck — his Spicy food truck used to be parked at Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights — to a brick-and-mortar was something Chef Lawrence Ofori long wanted to do, as he felt limited working within such a small space. “I wanted a huge kitchen and better equipment,” he said.
Now he has it (though he no longer has the truck). Open since March 2023. Ofori, a Season 35 “Chopped” finalist, is all about bringing together different kinds of cuisines with menu items like Savanna Spice Jerk Chicken, Spicy Spag Jambalaya, oxtail and Curry Panko Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken. Diners will also find wings, salads, pasta, burgers and tacos as well as the Ghanachanga fried burrito that was on his truck and remains one of his best-sellers. 982 Main St., 845-612-2043, oforisrestaurants.com
“People kept asking ‘where can we find you?’ So we figured, let’s open a place,” said Martin Casino of his Poké Motion brick-and-mortar, open since Dec. 9. Casino likes the spot, coincidentally near Latusion, because of the parking space in back where he can leave his truck. (The truck, which he’s had for five years, remains operational and will still be at food festivals and other events.)
Diners can expect the same poke he had on the truck, meaning a variety of bases (i.e. sushi rice, brown rice, noodles or salad greens), different types of protein (raw fish, chicken, shrimp and chickpeas for vegan customers), and an assortment of vegetables and fruit, topped with Casino’s signature sauces. They can be customized or you can order from among their signature creations. You’ll also no doubt see the same faces: Casino runs the spot with his wife Dael, and daughter, Simone. 213 Harrison Ave., Harrison, 914-589-1494, pokemotionfoodtruck.com.
For Rockland native Joe Agnello of The NoCo Kitchen, first there was catering — a business he founded 15 years ago — and then there was his food truck, which he started four years ago. Now there’s his restaurant, which opened in September 2023 out of necessity when there was a massive fire in his last location. “The business needed a new home for all aspects and the large dining room, which serves as an event room for private parties, was the deciding factor as being a caterer first made the most sense to me,” he said. “Now all of our operations are under one roof which really helps to streamline things for us.”
Though he still has his truck, which coincidentally used to be parked across the street, he said winters are a lot easier without having to rely on it, though he does use it during the cold weather months at corporate locations to feed crews for lunch. It’s also become an invaluable tool for catering, serving as a mobile kitchen for large events. 67 Old Tappan Road, 845-445-7332, thenocokitchen.com.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter.
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