Hungry? Food trucks getting ready for Whitehorse summer

Food truck vendors in Whitehorse are preparing for the summer season and it looks like there will be at least a couple of new options this year for fans of downtown "street eats". 

The city has seven spots downtown for food trucks, in a few locations. So far, five vendors have been given spots. Two spots are still unclaimed.

"A little bit of a turnover this year," said Ben Campbell, a planner with the city. 

Some familiar options from last summer will be back. Others have not applied to return, such as vendors selling Indian and Thai food, as well as a grilled cheese truck.

But there are two new options in the works. 

The operators of Ski Bum Pizza are converting an old 1984 mail van they bought off Craigslist in Vancouver into a wood-fired pizza truck. They plan to have it parked downtown at 3rd and Steele.

"Right now we're just learning all about electricity and water pumps and how to how to maintain," said Ski Bum Pizza's Tara Paczkowski. 

As a newcomer, she expects the food truck business to be challenging, especially with Yukon's short summer season. But she's optimistic about starting her new venture.

"We'll be up and running in mid-May. We're just getting our permits through right now," she said. 

'Eclectic fare'

Katie Thom is also excited about starting a new business. It will be her first summer operating Lulu's Lunchtruck.

"My intention is to give it three seasons and see and see how it goes," she said.

Thom plans to start with lunches Wednesday to Friday in May and weekend brunch, then eventually open 7 days a week in July. 

"It's going to be an eclectic fare, there'll be five or six things. There will almost always be something that is gluten-friendly, vegan-friendly, vegetarian-friendly," she said.

Several popular food trucks are also returning this summer, including Garlic A Gogo, Sourdough Sadies, and Mark and Paddy's Funky Fine Foods. 

The city is still accepting applications for the two remaining vendor spots.