Manayunk StrEAT Festival showcases the city’s best food trucks

“What to eat, or what not to eat?” That was the question on my mind as I walked down Main Street in Manayunk at the StrEAT Festival on Sept. 18. Despite the hot weather, I was surrounded by food-lovers from Philadelphia and surrounding areas as we walked in unison to find the perfect vendor to appease our appetite and satisfy all of our street food cravings.

Starting from Green Lane, I walked down Main Street in search of the vendor that would make my stomach the happiest. Walking through the crowds of people, I was overwhelmed by all of the different foods everyone held in their hands. Some people carried large buckets of French fries smothered in cheese whiz, while others held plates of perfectly rounded tater tots. There were people enjoying tacos, while others were experimenting with lettuce wraps.

Again, the question came up, “What to eat, or what not to eat?”

I decided to keep walking until I found something that caught my eye. Finally, I saw Oink and Moo BBQ and was drawn in by their menu and cow-covered truck. I ordered three soft shell chipotle chicken tacos with cilantro-lime sour cream—the perfect solution to my cravings.

After I finished my tacos, I knew I had to satisfy my sweet tooth, so I set out in search for the perfect ice cream sundae. As I continued to walk through the crowds of Main Street, Curbside Creamery caught my attention, as people holding cups of ice cream doused in chocolate sauce passed by. I immediately got in line and examined the menu, which included all types of ice cream, ranging from vanilla to mint chocolate chip. They offered various toppings such as jimmies, M&Ms, and even Fruity Pebbles, along with chocolate and caramel sauce. After some thinking, I ordered chocolate ice cream with a delicious-looking chocolate sauce and Fruity Pebbles. The sundae was definitely worth every calorie.

One of the best parts about walking up and down Main Street all day was getting to run into so many friends and classmates from our Saint Joseph’s University campus. Kimmie Wodzanowski, ’17, enjoyed her time at StrEAT Festival just as much as I did.

“I had the tater tots covered in beer cheese, and although I had to walk the length of the whole festival to find it, they were so delicious!” Wodzanowski said. “I also had the strawberry lemonade popsicle that was made with real strawberries, and I liked it a lot more than I expected. It really hit the spot on what turned out to be a warm Sunday.”

Robert Focht, ’19, couldn’t get enough of Kono Pizza. “I had a very fun time at the StrEAT Food Festival. The variety of options had me very indecisive since they all looked so good,” Focht said. “I decided to get Kono Pizza, which is a pizza cone, where the cone is the crust. It tasted very good and I would easily get it again. The StrEAT festival was a highlight of my weekend, and I look forward to going back.”

From the variety of delicious treats to the fun of hunting for the city’s best food vendors, visitors agree that Manayunk’s StrEAT Festival is worth the trip year after year. This year’s festival turned out to be the perfect way to start my week off: with great company and lots of delicious food.