Foodies are feeding their cravings on the streets— the rise of food trucks is skyrocketing in North America. Food on the go isn’t a new concept, but locals and tourists alike are loving the concept of food on wheels.
Map of permitted-parking areas in London for food trucks
The origin of food trucks can be traced back to 1872 when a man named Walter Scott in Rode Island started selling sandwiches to locals out of his vehicle.
With our nation’s recent food truck craze, many different types and cultures of food are wheeling into our cities– including London Ontario. Business manager at City Hall Catherine DeForest says trucks allowed to serve on the streets are classified as category 7 food trucks. She says category 7 trucks, once permitted, are allowed to do business on designated truck-friendly streets.
Ivanopoblano here in London, which just came this year, is the first organic food truck in all of Canada.
Owner Ivan Santana Diaz  says his cuisine is best described as “Mexican fusion”, though many cultures influence his food, like French and Greek food from past cooking jobs.
Diaz’ speciality is his quesadillas that he makes with corn, spelt, flour, or kamut tortillas, with different fillings like chicken, beef, or ratatouille.
To be certified completely organic is no easy task. Here’s a list of the specifications your food truck needs to have to be certified organic according to Diaz:
- Locally grown clean vegetables free of pesticides and chemicals
- Locally sourced meat
- All spices and condiments organic certified
- All food prepared and washed with organic distilled water
The food truck owner says his passion for cooking organic came from his Mexican heritage. The chef grew up eating all clean, local food so when he met his husband and moved to Canada he was disappointed with our stale fast-food culture. Diaz believes fresh, organic food should be available to everyone.
The owner parks 
his truck in the parking lot of Lyn-Dys Organic Health Food Store on Oxford Street. He says the owner Linda Phillips offered to share her lot with him as long as he is committed to having a completely organic menu.
Londoners can check out the city hall’s website for a detailed list of the rules and regulations on London food trucks.
