Josh Aronie, chef at Cafe Moxie in Vineyard Haven and formerly of the Menemsha Cafe, has been approved to operate an off-season food truck in the parking lot of the Chilmark Store. Mr. Aronie said he plans to serve a daily soup, tacos, sandwiches, falafels and a Brazilian lunch plate.
A months-long dispute between the Oak Bluffs selectmen and a Circuit avenue businessman came to a head this week when the owner of an unbuilt lot at 16 Circuit avenue saw fresh opposition to his latest proposal for a business venture.
The Oak Bluffs Association has taken a position against food trucks in downtown Oak Bluffs, executive director Christine Todd told the town selectmen Tuesday at what would likely be the last public hearing on the subject.
Food trucks likely will never be permitted in downtown Oak Bluffs, according to draft regulations presented at a public reading at Wednesday night’s selectmen’s meeting. At the well-attended meeting, the public and the selectmen spoke out passionately on both sides of the issue — in support of the allowance of food trucks in the downtown area, or in opposition.
Oak Bluffs entered the summer season Tuesday with heated debate over issues from one end of Circuit avenue to the other. At the upper end of the avenue, unfinished construction on the Edgartown National Bank’s new building was a central point of contention. Later, selectmen grappled with whether to allow a stationary food truck on the lower end of the avenue.
Have truck, will travel — or better yet, follow your nose.
That’s the idea behind the growing food truck obsession across the country — in a culture where people are constantly on the go, so is our food.
The Vineyard is the latest place to pick up on the trend. While it may seem like a natural fit for a food-loving Island to get on the bandwagon, when it comes to the rules and regulations it’s not as easy as it looks.
For spring taste buds craving something new, there are a slew of options across the Vineyard. Jerk chicken from a food truck near the airport, artisanal cheese and smoked meats in Edgartown and healthy smoothies in Vineyard Haven are just a few of the choices that weren’t here last summer.
Irie Bites, a food truck operated by Melody Cunningham and Peter Simon, will be parked at every Nectar’s show this summer, so concert-goers can cap off their night with savory Jamaican jerk chicken.
