Manayunk- Food Truck Fanatics

We tried something new today.  We have lived here for 3 years and have not yet explored all of Philadelphia but we are beginning to venture beyond the standard must see sites. Manayunk is a place I have wanted to visit for a while.  Technically part of Philly, it is really its own little trendy town and it is making a name for itself as  a foodie destination.  So when I saw that this weekend was the Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival I decided the time was ripe to check it out.

So did about a billion other people.  Clearly, the people around here are Food Truck Fanatics!  Otherwise how could so many people stand in line for so long for something/anything to eat?  We had made the fortunate decision to park the car before crossing the river into Manayunk. As we walked across the bridge we could immediately see the charm that on an ordinary day would have been enough to draw visitors to what has been designated a National Historic District in 1983.  

This however was clearly no ordinary day.  Main street was clogged corner to corner with fans doggedly standing in line in front of 50 plus food trucks. We would occasionally ask someone at the front of the line how long it had taken them to get their food and a “45 minutes, this line moves fast” was enough to keep us walking on. By the end of our trek we had seen and smelled delicious food of all types but were absolutely certain we would never taste any of it. 

We had glimpsed enough through the throng to see quaint little shops and galleries that looked intriguing.  There was a lovely little Tibetan shop and Vincent dashed into a handmade furniture store but we couldn’t take being so close to, yet so far from, all those delicious goodies. As we headed back, we stepped away from the mob scene and strolled along the canal which was utterly peaceful even though only yards from beer gardens providing liquid refreshment to all those food truck fans. Clearly Manayunk is an energetic town full of and fun for young people. Tucked in between bars and cafes along main street is Awakenings, a Pole Dance Fitness center for women.  It’s classic Victorian buildings and Mill houses have been revitalized into hip boutiques and restaurants.  The town's motto is “An urban experience with small town charm” and it seems like they have achieved that pretty well. But clearly, clearly, the people of Pennsylvania are desperate, DESPERATE for food trucks. So many people turned up it was impossible to get more than glimpses of the actual town. (It was funny to see an giant metal pretzel announcing the entrance to pretzel park).

Fortunately for us, this street festival was just the kick off to Manayunk Restaurant week where most of the establishments will offer 3 course meals for $15, $25 or $35 dollars. So hopefully we will make it back and be able to actually eat something!