I hope you aren’t reading this before lunchtime because let me tell you this has been one hunger-inducing post to research! Street food, food trucks, mobile food vans…they all come under many guises but they are leading the way in affordable, relaxed, entertaining and clearly delicious catering options for events and now weddings. This isn’t necessarily a post on pretty, but from my planning experience – food is a huge part of the wedding and you can be just as creative with the food as you can the decor!
This type of catering isn’t for everyone – it’s not your three course sit down meal, but for those looking for an informal catering option, these self-contained adaptable kitchens are great for event spaces that can’t contain lots of equipment or outdoor ‘wedstivals’ whether it’s for an evening snack, sweet treats or the main meal itself. They also happen to look pretty cool too.
A lot of couples tell me they don’t want the elongated canape reception where guests only get to have a morsel of food along with many a glass of bubbles as this always seems the most drawn out part of the day and people get a bit fidgety. Serving street food at this point is an excellent option as it allows the guests to be busy and interested, it entertains kids and gets people talking. It can also be much more cost effective than a few cocktail sausages.
So I’ve done a bit of research and picked out some of my favourite street food catering finds and ideas for weddings. They are all based in the UK, so hurrah!
Anna Maes specialise in food from the American Deep South, so think skillets of comforting Mac N Cheese, hearty Chilli or a more meaty option of tasty pulled pork and brisket. Perfect for a campsite wedding to warm your guests up, and who wouldn’t find that cute shack with the sign ‘cheesus loves you’ oh so appealing! www.anna-maes.com
Served from the beautiful Citroen H van, Wholefood Heaven does what it says – delicious vegetarian and vegan wholefoods, perfect for the health conscious couple. The food is lovingly made by a husband and wife team [who have worked previously in the health food business] to a very high quality using unprocessed and organic ingredients as much as possible, such as their award winning ‘Buddha Bowls’ which are nutritionally balanced but delicious meals. More cred to them as they also serve the food in environmentally friendly and biodegradable packaging. www.wholefoodheaven.co.uk
Mmm Crêpes! Crêperie Nicolas brings together the archetypically French crêpes and traditional Breton buckwheat galettes with the finest Italian coffee for a perfect sweet treat and pick me up! The classic well presented dinky blue Citroen van can go anywhere and is a great alternative to a sit-down dessert for weddings [mines a nutella and banana!] although they do also offer delicious savoury options too. www.creperie-nicolas.com
OK, well not strictly a van but very much still mobile, this is a more lavish catering option, where you can hire the Oystermeister who brings fresh oysters, shucking them to your guests on the spot. Having just recently worked with these guys they are great to work alongside your existing caterers for the reception, it’s just one man and they require no kitchen or prep space and leave without a trace which as a planner is a dream supplier! They even provide all the condiments such as vinaigrette, Tabasco and fresh lemon juice. Sadly, I don’t eat seafood but I can confirm there were a lot of entertained and satisfied guests after his shucking. www.oystermeister.com
There is nothing quite as hardy as pie is there? Perfect for the ‘festival’ wedding, cheerful company Pieminister cater for weddings and events with their delicious award winning pies. You wouldn’t think it, but these guys can be versatile depending on your needs so you can choose between posh pies [for a sit down meal] or for a more festival feel they have mobile catering too and serve their pie and mash box for fuss free good food. I love that they have seasonal specials which is perfect to suit the time of year you’re getting married and they can also cater for canapés and more. www.pieminister.co.uk
Left Photo by Neil Thomas Douglas via Festival Brides / Right Photos via Aspirational Bride
It may seem that a lot of street food options are fairly ‘fast’ food, however Street Kitchen is restaurant quality food served from a rather shiny vintage Airstream. It’s a genius concept really, because without the overheads of all the kitchen equipment to hire, and staff to serve – this is a really affordable opportunity to have gourmet food for your wedding without the typical high catering costs. Street Kitchen use 100% UK sourced sustainable and organic ingredients so the menu evolves with the seasons. www.streetkitchen.co.uk
For those looking to add a bit of spice to their wedding, then there’s the Taco Truck mobile kitchen. They serve specially chosen soft taco recipes inspired by the markets in southern Mexico, yum! They have catered for many private parties and I think it’s a great choice for larger weddings as they can cater for up to 300 people! www.tacotruck.co.uk
Hotdogs [well, gourmet ones] seem to be having their moment right now in the food world and there’s nothing quite like a NYC street hot dog [if you choose wisely that is!] and owner Abiye of Big Apple Hot Dogs brings New York style to London with his shiny cart! Big Apple Hot Dogs are hand-made in London using only natural casings and quality ingredients [no nasty bits in these]. I have no doubt that the ‘Frank Jnr’ or ‘Big Dog’ would be the perfect late night snack for all those danced out guests at a hip warehouse London wedding. www.bigapplehotdogs.com
I think there’s something for everyone there, I’d love to hear if you considered a food truck for your wedding catering or any other creative ideas to keep your guests satisfied!
London Bride is a modern blog all about stylish & unique city weddings. Author Charley Beard is a London based creative wedding planner and stylist who aims to inspire and assist couples tying the knot in London! Check out the Services page for more info!
