Pods Sprout in Oakland

Now there are 8 food truck gatherings to satisfy your cravings for gourmet street food, across the Bay Bridge.

Following on the footsteps of San Francisco’s mobile food ordinance in 2011, which facilitated legalization of the clandestine street food movement in the city, the Oakland city council has approved interim mobile food policy regulations for 2012. The new laws allow street vendors to assemble in “pods” of 3 or more food trucks, limits permits to specific areas of the city, and limits vending to a maximum of 4 hours per pod. Previous food truck gatherings were technically illegal in Oakland, and had been shutdown by police late last year. Those merchants can now apply for permits under the new regulations. As a result, last month East Bay food truck vendors rushed to apply for the new permits. Thus far, 3 of the new pods are located in the downtown Oakland area, a new pair of pods have settled at the edge of the Lake Merritt area, and one pod renewed their spot in the Temescal neighborhood.

In a similar manner, the Alameda city council approved new regulations earlier this year, to allow food trucks on five designated areas: Alameda Point, the College of Alameda, South Shore Shopping Center, Harbor Bay Business Park, and Marina Village Business Park. So far, Alameda Point has attracted a few random individual vendors, but only the shopping center location has a designated pod, which debuted this month.

The following is our definitive guide to gourmet food truck stops in Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley. Assuming that no changes affect current mobile food policy regulations in 2013, all weekly pods operate year round, except as noted.

Clay Pod Food Trucks

3 food trucks

Organizer: Liba Falafel truck

Location: on Clay Street, between 14th and 16th Streets, Oakland

Hours: Tuesdays 11:30 am – 2 pm

(plans to add a Thursdays pod soon, on the same spot)

Snow Park Pod

3 food trucks

Organizer: Doc’s of the Bay truck

Location: on Harrison Street, between 19th and 20th Streets, Oakland

Hours: Wednesdays 11:30 am – 2 pm

12th & Broadway Pod

3 food trucks

Organizer: Cupkates truck

Location: on 12th Street between Broadway and Franklin, Oakland

Hours: Thursdays 11:30 am – 2 pm

Splash Pad Park Food Pod

3 food trucks

Organizer: Vesta Flatbread truck

Location: next to Splash Pad Park, on Grand Ave. near Lake Park Ave., Oakland

Hours: Thursdays 5 – 9 pm

The Eatup

3 food trucks, but more trucks (up to 10) will be added on the first Friday of each month, when it coincides with the popular monthly First Friday Art Murmur event.

Organizer: Austin L. and Derek Y.

Location: 2025 Telegraph Ave. corner at 21st St. (former Korea Times parking lot), Oakland

Hours: Fridays 6:30 – 11 pm

Bites Off Broadway

7 food trucks

Organizer: Hesternet Productions

Location: 365 45th Street (in front of Studio Art Center), Oakland

Hours: Fridays 5:30 – 8:30 pm

(Seasonal event, May to October)

OTG Alameda

10 food trucks

Organizer: Off the Grid

Location: 523 South Shore Center West (shopping center parking lot, next to Petco), Alameda

Hours: Saturdays 11 am – 3 pm

OTG North Berkeley

10 food trucks

Organizer: Off the Grid

Location: north end of Shattuck Ave. at Rose Street (next to Gourmet Ghetto area), Berkeley

Hours: Wednesdays 5 – 9 pm

Photo Credit: Luis Chong, food trucks at OTG Berkeley.