Welcome To 21st-Century Urban Eating! Paris Is Getting Food Trucks For The First Time

For a long time, Paris resisted the trend of the mobile food vehicle, preferring to uphold their tradition of high-end cuisine.The French opposition to the global food truck movement has been strong, but this summer, Paris designated 40 sites specifically for food trucks, and surprisingly, the City of Lights has really taken to them.

"Food trucks are a new culinary trend and must get real recognition as part of French gastronomy," Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said. "All kitchen forms are concerned, from the starred cuisine to the reinvented sandwich. Paris, the capital of gastronomy, must encourage innovation and find a place for this new form of restaurant."

Paris is heavily monitoring the food trucks: 158 went through an application process and only 56 were selected, "based on food quality, respect for the environment, looks, plus the potential to create jobs," according to USA Today.

Now many of the food trucks have lines down the block come lunchtime, including mobile cuisine pioneer and Californian Kristin Frederick's gourmet hamburger truck, Camion Qui Fume; Bügelski, a food truck inspired by classic deli food; and more artisanal street food like pulled pork sandwiches, fish and chips, and bánh mì.