Dozens of food trucks filled to the brim with the best, most unique grilled cheeses were brought to the city of San Francisco for this year’s National Grilled Cheese Month. The two-day event brought a swarm of people to gather and indulge in the simple snack.
On the warm and sunny days of April 13 and 14, food trucks came together at the SoMa strEat Food Park welcoming everyone to enter the festival grounds for only $5. With the welcoming family environment, the grounds filled up quickly and tickets were sold out.
From the free grilled cheese water tattoos to the All You Can Drink Craft Beer, this event had a fun twist for all ages. A lengthy menu with all the special sandwiches one could imagine incorporated different cultural variations on this popular meal. For those who prefer the original, national grilled cheese winners were there to serve the most basic form of this creation.
With the increasingly hot weather, many were encouraged to grab their meals and head on back to the extra seating in the shaded tables behind the trucks. For the few lucky enough to get to the event early, seating could be found in a redesigned school bus attached to a covered patio.
“They fit so many trucks in here. It’s crazy,” said Julia Galen, an attendant. “I wasn’t expecting such a cute festival but I really love how today turned out. I wish I could try all the grilled cheeses, I’ve loved all the ones I’ve had so far!”
Some of the most creative included those filled with mac-and-cheese, fruit jam, or bacon. With customization stands, even the pickiest of eaters could munch on the treat of the day.
“I love getting to come out here and share the creations I’ve come up with,” said truck owner Greg Meilin. “I can branch out my business so much while getting to try other vendors’ creations. This is such a great community event. I mean, grilled cheese sandwiches are great on their own, but now combine them with a festival and you’ve got yourself a hit.”
In the center of the enclosed area, live music played on the stage throughout the entire event, including the competitive cheese trivia game in which everyone was encouraged to participate.
“The organizers of this event really did a fantastic job! Music, cheese, cookie dough, and this amazing weather was just wow!” said Kelly Lee, an attendant. “I recommend everyone to come check this out if they have a chance. You get free water tattoos so it’s a win-win situation no matter what, even if you don’t like grilled cheese!”
For those that missed the event but wanted to catch the next food festival, SoMa has the Matcha fest on the way over to San Francisco on May 11 and 12, where you can “experience [a] vibrant green, mood-enhancing, antioxidant powerhouse.”
