When Chef Adam Sobel decided to launch an organic, vegan food truck, he had one thing in mind: to capture the attention (and appetites) of passersby who might normally opt for an animal-based meal. Like a morally-charged version of MTV’s Pimp My Ride, Sobel and a few kindhearted friends came together to transform a ramshackle hot dog truck into The Cinnamon Snail: a vibrantly painted, fully renovated mobile food purveyor dishing out gourmet vegan cuisine and desserts in Hoboken and Manhattan.

Since opening, The Cinnamon Snail has been moving at anything but a snail's pace. It's been dubbed one of Yahoo's top ten “remarkable food trucks,” named one of the top five vegetarian food trucks by PETA, and was a finalist in the 2010 Vendy Awards.

Its seasonal menu goes far beyond your typical tofu wrap, featuring such unusual signature items as Coconut hempseed-crusted French toast with sweet brown butter; Porcini mushroom seitan burgers with white truffle mayonnaise; and Maple glazed doughnuts with toasted coconut.

 

 

“People don’t even think about the fact that we’re vegan; they just want some really awesome, off-the-chain looking snacks,” says Sobel.

The Snail, which currently only ventures across the tunnel for special events (check them out at the Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market Gourmet Food Truck Bazaar the second Sunday of each month), is currently battling the city’s infamous street vendor permitting laws in an attempt to get into Brooklyn. If you’re especially hungry for the snail (like we are!), you can help loosen up red tape by visiting streetvendor.org.

Follow the Cinnamon Snail (@veganLunchTruck) or become a fan at www.facebook.com/thecinnamonsnail to stay up-to-date on its whereabouts.