A newly developed food truck village in downtown Wānaka offers a diverse foodie experience in a parklike setting which has transformed the Brownston street site.

Aki Sushi Wānaka

Owner chef Akiko Suzuki is proud of the authentic Japanese food style she creates in her bespoke food truck Aki Sushi Wānaka.

“We serve iconic Japanese foods like karaage chicken, ramen noodles and miso soup along with delicious sushi options. We recently added 100 per cent plant based spicy miso ramen noodles for our vegetarian customers.”

Sushi platters are a popular choice and can be preordered to go.

“ I love receiving customers’ reaction to our food face-to-face and it makes me so happy when people come back for more after trying a few pieces of our sushi – it’s so good.”

Aki says the food truck village is an inviting atmosphere.

“ I originally started my business in a place where no one else was but now I am so pleased to be part of this new location. It’s very nice to have the company of the other food trucks and we all enjoy seeing happy customers here in the beautiful gardens.”

Angelo’s Kitchen

Angelo Georgalli and Sky Horton serve Greek and Italian cuisine from Angelo’s Kitchen with the food cooked to order by Angelo, a celebrity chef known as The Game Chef who has his own televised cooking series and cookbook.

“Two of our dishes – the Greek-Cypriot souvlaki and the classic Italian coffee tiramisu are Angelo’s family favourites,” says Sky. “The souvlaki is so fresh and zesty, it’s the perfect healthy springtime takeaway.” 

The pair source as many locally grown and organic ingredients as possible and take every measure to reduce waste and recycle to help the local environment.

 “The beautiful surroundings of the food truck village garden make it a pleasure to work here with great views and good vibes. It is a little community of food lovers that brings family, friends, holiday makers and locals together.” 

The Waffle Press

The Waffle Press is a family business owned by Joanna Schellkes and Alex Finney and run by Joanna’s brother Joshua, who recently completed culinary school.

“We serve Belgian waffles with a delicious range of house-made toppings from banoffee- banana and caramel sauce to warm spiced apple with vanilla ice-cream and house-made crumble,” says Joanna. 

“We offer gluten-free and vegan waffles with toppings for those with dietary requirements along with real fruit ice-creams with an array of flavours swirled to order.”

Customer satisfaction is a key focus at The Waffle Press.

“We believe food is about bringing friends and family together. This is a super fun business and we enjoy making these connections with our customers.”

Joanna says the creek and gardens at the food truck park are a huge drawcard and they enjoy working alongside like-minded businesses.

Burrito Craft

Burrito Craft, owned and operated by Julia and Marc Magee, has brought the taste of Mexico to Wānaka producing freshly made burritos and tacos.

“The business was inspired by our own travels and we really wanted to bring this style of food back to New Zealand,” says Julia. “Our food is consistent, tasty and affordable with an amazing range of side options.”

Burrito Craft is a popular spot for locals and visitors to hang out.

“Our seating area is amazing making it a really sociable location. I highly recommended coming along and trying our delicious pulled pork burrito.” 

Julia says the food truck park is going from strength to strength.

“We love how well each business compliments each other. The different styles of food attract different crowds with something for everyone in a fun and relaxing location.”

Coco Hut

A trip to Bali motivated Wānaka chef Chrissi Roper to set up her own food truck business aptly named Coco Hut.

“Coco Hut was inspired by all the funky beach huts over there,” says Chrissi. “When I arrived back in Wānaka my talented jack of all trade’s builder boyfriend brought me a sketch of a food truck transformed into a beach hut and that was the starting point.”

Serving Asian Street style food, Coco Hut offers hyper seasonal fare and regionally inspired dishes.

“We serve a wide range of delicious food from all over Southeast Asia – think Thailand, Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Indonesia – with options like Peking duck roti’s, cashew Pad Thai, curries and dumplings all under one roof.”

“We also cater for lots of food preferences like gluten free, dairy free and yummy vegan choices.”

The atmosphere at Coco Hut is relaxed and beachy.

“We love to create a fun atmosphere and I highly recommend bringing a group and trying a range of food to share sitting by the gorgeous creek. The landscaped seating area is very special and there is amazing energy in the park on busy days and evenings.”