Baltimore's New Food Truck Zones Include College Campuses, Station North

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Food trucks offer a moveable feast, and now they'll be moving into more of Baltimore.

Alex DeMetrick reports, it's an expansion away from the city's downtown.

For people who make their living dishing up food from trucks, Wednesday was a great day. It came with word that the city is expanding the area in which they can operate.

"It's about time for Baltimore," says Annmarie Langston, of the Gypsy Queen food truck. "It'll expand the food truck scene and I think it will be great for everyone. Good thing for the city."

Mayor Catherine Pugh broke the news at the food truck zone near City Hall.

"We've been losing sports and right now we're going to gain some," said Andrew Chitkov, of Kommie Pig. "It's fantastic for everyone."

Among the new zones are the campuses of Loyola, Coppin, The University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland, the Sinai Hospital campus and Penn Station and Station North.

"I think it'll help," says Paul Burgess of Pan Canteen. "I mean we'll be able to basically branch out. It's gonna be nice."

One place food trucks will not be expanding to is near brick and mortar restaurants.

"We want to make sure they don't interfere with those locations, but at the same time that the people who are in the area where restaurants aren't located, that they have quality food as well," Pugh says.

And that quality covers a wide variety of styles and flavors, rolling food up to doors downtown and now around town.

"It's convenient," says customer Bronwind Turner. "You can just run out from your job, especially if you work close, and just grab something."

So while its good for food truck owners' bottom lines, it may not always be great for customers' waistlines.

A total of 10 new food truck zones have been established, and all trucks must pass inspection by the city's health department.

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