Food trucks

DINING

Food trucks roll back into the community

Food truck events are returning after being put on hold due to the pandemic. (Amy Wenk)

BY AMY WENK

Sandy Springs resident Tommy Burda was pumped to pour brews again.

On June 10, the owner of Dunwoodybased Moondog Growlers attended his first event since the pandemic, Dunwoody’s Food Truck Thursdays. Burda may be a familiar face as he’s “that beer guy” who carts his craft beer tap trailer to community events.

Burda was excited to be back to “a little normalcy” and reunited with his neighbors and friends.

“I like to be out with the people,” he said, huddled under his tent as a summer rainstorm briefly stalled the event. But as soon as the sun reappeared, so did the people, eagerly walking up to mobile eateries to order street food such as crab cake sandwiches and jerk chicken tacos.

That’s right, food trucks are rolling back into the community after more than a year of being away. Along with Dunwoody’s Thursday event, Brookhaven just relaunched its Food Truck Nights, held Wednesday evening at Blackburn Park.

“We are so glad to be back in the heart of your community,” Brookhaven organizers said June 16 on Facebook after the first event returned.

There’s also a new food truck park that just opened in the Upper Westside area of Atlanta, located to the west of Buckhead.

Called Upper Westside Yard, the food truck park opened in June at the former site of a barbecue restaurant that burned down years ago.

“I passed by a building that was all boarded up every day,” said food truck park founder Lenise Williams, a resident of the Riverside neighborhood. “I just got frustrated with it and decided to take action. A food truck park seemed like the perfect thing to put there … We don’t have many options for eating in the area.”

Upper Westside Yard can accommodate up to seven trucks and will feature pop-up shops, along with events such as yoga and movie nights. Williams’ hope is it becomes a community gathering space.

“It’s a place where neighbors can become friends,” she said.

Tommy Burda, owner of Dunwoody-based Moondog Growlers, at the Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday event on June 10. (Amy Wenk)

Where to find food trucks

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays

When: Thursdays, 5-8 p.m. Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road

Brookhaven Food Truck Nights

When: Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. Where: Blackburn Park, 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Road

Upper Westside Yard

When: Friday, 3-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 2-9 p.m. Where: 2061 Main Street NW

Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration

When: July 4, food trucks open at 6 p.m. Where: City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market

When: Friday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Where: 1850 Howell Mill Road NW

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