Food trucks have become increasingly popular, and their offerings delicious, in a land known for its fine dining.
Soscol Avenue and Clay Street in Napa are now hubs for eclectic food trucks to park and offer a variety of cuisines. Other trucks park deeper into wine country, at wineries and tasting rooms, offering food to pair with wine. In this article, we dive deeper into three such businesses throughout the Napa Valley.
ASIAN BURGER
Perhaps one of Napa’s best-kept secrets is hidden along Soscol Avenue. The Asian Burger food truck delivers a delicious ethnic cuisine that Napa locals crave. The truck started operating in Napa in April 2024.
With a culinary journey that spans continents, chef Jun Cai, known as JC, has dedicated his career to elevating and internationalizing Shaanxi cuisine. Born in Xi’an, he honed his skills in French cuisine in Singapore before serving as an executive chef at multiple five-star hotels. His passion for culinary arts led him back to his roots, where he became the fourth-generation inheritor of Shaanxi official cuisine, traveling the world to refine his craft and introduce this rich culinary tradition to global audiences.
One of the most iconic dishes in Shaanxi cuisine is cured meat, a specialty with origins dating back to the Warring States Period from the fifth to the third centuries BCE in Han County (now Lingbao County, Shaanxi, China).
According to Asian Burger’s website, a cook named Fan first developed the dish by slow-cooking pork in aged marinade, a technique that has evolved over centuries. Today, this historical cuisine is brought through in the Asian Burger’s most popular dish, the Xi’an Pork Burger. Sold for $13.99, the dish comes complete with stewed pork that is both juicy and tender, along with bell pepper, sliced fresh garlic, and a bun made fresh and laminated with several layers to perfection.
“We make the buns ourselves, as well as the marinated pork and chicken ... and stuff our desserts one by one,” said Cycie Cai, co-owner of Asian Burger.
Other standout dishes include spring rolls, potstickers and a refreshing green tea drink. The kong fu cucumber salad consists of one full cucumber, sliced but still intact, marinated and spiced perfectly.
Asian Burger is based at 1700 Soscol Ave., but also caters various local events.
JC continues to preserve and modernize Shaanxi cuisine through his expertise and deep respect for tradition, sharing its bold flavors and centuries-old techniques with food lovers worldwide.
More is on the horizon soon.
“We are planning on promoting new items, such as cold noodle wraps,” said Cai. “This will be a summer edition item since it’s served cold. We are planning on creating more appetizers, such as Xi’an loaded fries.”
Asian Burger
1700 Soscol Ave., Napa
Website: asianburgerusa.com
COOKED BY GIO
Since its founding in 2020, Cooked by Gio has quickly become a local favorite, serving bold, authentic Filipino flavors to the Napa Valley community.
Created by husband-and-wife duo Gio and Karla Ivan, the mobile food business specializes in traditional Filipino staples like pork sisig, chicken adobo, deep-fried pork belly, beef tapa, barbecue, lumpia and pancit. What began as a small operation selling individual plates soon evolved into a thriving pop-up venture, and the couple purchased their first food trailer in 2021.
“We’re on a journey to bring Filipino food to the forefront,” said Gio Ivan, the chef.
For Ivan, the desire to become a chef started at an early age. Born in Vallejo, he spent part of his childhood in the Philippines, in San Carlos, Pangasinan, immersed in the country’s rich culinary traditions. Inspired by the influential women in his life — his mother, grandmother and mother-in-law — he developed a love for cooking that would eventually shape his career.
“Gio’s earliest memory of being interested in being a chef was when he was about 12 years old, when his mom would have him chop up her veggies on the side and to keep an eye on the stove as she steps away for a few minutes,” said Karla Ivan. “Gio was basically her sous chef at the age of 12.”
Today, the Ivans have the first Filipino mobile food facility in Napa. Cooked by Gio has also made its mark at major festivals, including BottleRock and the Blue Note Jazz Festival, bringing Filipino dishes to a broader audience.
“The ultimate goal for the business is to have a brick-and-mortar, (restaurant) but we really want to stick with our mission of introducing Filipino food to cities with little to no Filipino food representation, and that’s the whole reason why we’re mobile,” said Karla Ivan.
The Ivans’ dedication to quality and cultural representation has earned them recognition as “Napa’s Best Asian Cuisine” in both 2023 and 2024, along with a proclamation for Filipino American History Month in their hometown of American Canyon.
For Gio Ivan, cooking is more than a profession — it’s a deeply rooted passion. Through Cooked By Gio, he and Karla Ivan are on a mission to bring Filipino cuisine to the forefront of the American food scene, particularly in regions where it remains underrepresented.
With a growing fan base and a reputation for delivering bold flavors with every dish, Cooked by Gio shows that Filipino cuisine deserves a place in Napa Valley and beyond.
Cooked By Gio
166 Watson Lane, American Canyon; 1560 Silverado Trail, Napa
Website: cookedbygio.com
CLIF FAMILY WINERY’S BRUSCHETTERIA
Right in the heart of wine country, Clif Family Winery’s Bruschetteria Food Truck serves up a rotating menu of seasonally driven dishes sourced from the certified organic Clif Family Farm and local purveyors. The business blends Napa Valley’s rich agricultural bounty with a casual, street-food-inspired experience.
“What makes us unique is working directly with our California Certified Organic Farmers Farm to craft a seasonal menu using organic farm fresh ingredients,” said executive chef Magnus Young.
The truck specializes in rustic, farm-fresh cuisine, with a menu featuring a selection of bruschetta, porchetta, rotisserie chicken, crisp salads and seasonal sides, each highlighting the vibrant flavors of the region.
“Our menu is typically Californian with a heavy Italian influence inspired by (Clif founders) Kit (Crawford) and Gary (Erickson’s) travels through northern Italy,” said Young.
Thursday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Bruschetteria provides a welcoming setting for guests to enjoy fresh, flavorful dishes paired with Clif Family’s acclaimed wines, making it a must-visit destination for those seeking an authentic wine country dining experience.
However, on Wednesdays, the truck brings a unique twist to culinary dining by pairing globally inspired street food with locally crafted wines.
Every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., guests can enjoy a rotating international menu from the Bruschetteria, featuring dishes made with fresh, organic ingredients sourced from Clif Family Farm. Whether dining in the cozy tasting room or unwinding on the garden patio, visitors can savor bold flavors alongside carefully curated Clif Family wines.
“Originally inspired by the idea of being able to serve something like a banh mi or street tacos, something you might find from a more traditional food truck or stall, hence the name ‘street food,’ without interfering with our original identity,” Young said.
Additionally, from 4 to 7 p.m., guests can take advantage of happy hour specials, including $10 glasses of wine. At the same time, Wine Club members receive exclusive pricing on both food and wine, plus complimentary by-the-glass options.
With its fusion of global cuisine, farm-fresh ingredients, and expertly paired wines, the street food menu offers a relaxed yet elevated way to experience Napa’s vibrant food scene.
Clif Family’s Bruschetteria
709 Main St. (Highway 29/128), St. Helena
Website: cliffamilyfoodtruck.com
