A food truck is bringing new flavors to Grove Street
Andrick’s on Wheels joins the fleet of food trucks on Grove Street.
Anna Calkins
Yu Lin Chen, contributing photographer
A new food truck has arrived on the scene. Andrick’s On Wheels is cooking on Grove Street this year, and the pressure is on.
Andrick’s on Wheels arrived on campus just as Yale’s first years arrived on August 20. It is easy to spot the turquoise truck, which has settled near the Jitterbus. Andrick’s serves a variety of authentic Mexican foods, including popular desserts like tres leches cake and churros, as well as classic meals like tacos, burritos and quesadillas.
Johanna Rivera, the truck’s owner, works at the restaurant alongside another co-worker.
“We are busy working Monday through Friday,” Rivera said.
Rivera said the process of getting the project started was “definitely long and expensive.” She told the News she’s excited to finally be able to share the truck’s food with the Yale community and the greater New Haven community and invites anyone and everyone to try the offerings at Andrick’s.
The Grove Street Truck Zone sees heavy traffic, especially when students walk up and down Hillhouse Street and past Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall between classes. On this stretch, students regularly pass Grove Street and the trucks lining the street.
“(The food truck) is a great stop between my classes,” said Ariana Burrott, 27. “It’s great to have a bunch of different food trucks on campus because it allows students to have more variety in their meal options.”
For Borot, the availability of Latin American food is a comforting reminder of the meals her Puerto Rican family shared at home. Although the food halls offer a wide range of dishes from different cuisines, Burrott said she appreciates that the food trucks are always reliable and offer familiar flavors.
The food served at Andrick’s includes family recipes prepared by Rivera along with popular drinks and desserts. The most popular items so far are the burritos and quesadillas, Rivera said. The truck also offers vegetarian options, which can be made vegan upon request. During the early hours of the day, the truck offers breakfast options like breakfast burritos, which are served hot throughout the morning.
Yoshitaka Yamamoto, a visiting researcher from Tokyo, stopped by on a whim, hungry after missing lunch.
“I’ve only eaten from a Thai truck before, and this was a great experience,” he said.
In the early stages of the business, Rivera plans to experiment with different hours, gauging the busiest and most profitable times of the day.
For a new food truck like Andric’s, Rivera told the News, there’s no pre-existing customer base, and passers-by aren’t familiar with their food yet. Rivera said she and her co-worker work long hours to attract a loyal customer base.
“We’re in a new downtown, and there’s pressure on us,” Rivera said.
Andrick’s on Wheels is open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
