Elizabeth and Brandon Shepard launched their Urban Street Eats food truck in Swansboro in January 2017 and were recently named one of the Top 10 rookie food trucks in the nation by Mobile-Cuisine.com, a website dedicated to food trucks.  

The news came as the couple prepared to announce their upcoming move to Wilmington.

“This year there were over 550 trucks nominated, so you can imagine how excited we were to be chosen as one of the Top 10 nationwide,” Elizabeth Shepard said. “We were astonished to receive this amazing nomination just as we announced our plans to relocate to the Wilmington area.”

While the truck has been successful in the Swansboro area, the Shepards believe that there is more potential for growth in the Wilmington market. 

“Wilmington is very food truck friendly,” Elizabeth Shepard said. “We’ve participated in a couple of the food truck rodeos there and had a great response.”

Urban Street Eats specializes in global street food. Brandon Shepard, who has worked in the restaurant industry for more than 15 years, said he enjoys taking classic street foods and putting his own spin on them. 

“We have a passion for food and hospitality,” Brandon Shepard said. “We saw a food truck as a way of not only personally connecting with our customers face to face with every order, but a way of bringing an approachable form of gourmet food to the streets.”

The Urban Street Eats menu varies depending upon the location and event, but popular items include Jamaican jerk tacos with mango salsa, Baja shrimp tacos with pico de gallo, Korean barbecue tacos with pickled Asian slaw, Bahn mi and Cuban sandwiches and truffle fries with Asiago cheese and fresh herbs.

“We have been welcomed by other truck owners and we look forward to growing our business with the wonderful people of Wilmington,” Elizabeth Shepard said.

The Shepards plan to relocate to Wilmington in February when they will begin to frequent area breweries and office complexes, as well as participate in local festivals and charitable events. Corporate and private catering will be available. 

Online voting is taking place now through Dec. 22 for the Mobile-Cuisine Rookie of the Year award.

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