Named as Pennsylvania’s top food truck in the entire state by the Daily Meal in 2019, Cucina Zapata is targeting a December opening for their first brick-and-mortar restaurant which will bring their innovative Asian-Mexican fusion cuisine to Cherry Hill NJ.
One of the Philadelphia area’s top rated food trucks for over 13 years, Cucina Zapata is praised for their innovatively delicious tacos, burritos, burgers and more… which takes elements of Thai/Asian cuisine and mixes it into a Mexican presentation, with a big focus on tacos, burritos and more.
Opened in 2011, Drexel graduate Robert Zapata’s food truck immediately took Philadelphia by storm when they opened, earning praises from local foodies and Philadelphia food critics such as the Philadelphia Inquirer.
According to Drexel Alumni website, within three months of their initial opening Cucina Zapata was one of eight food trucks nominated out of over 1,000, to participate in Philadelphia’s Vendy Awards. Even with being the new kid on the block, Cucina Zapata won the People’s Choice award for their tacos and sweet potato chicken curry!
And if everything moves according to plan, by the end of this year the casual culinary adventure of Cucina Zapata will be opening at the Sawmill Village Shopping Center on route 70.
The coming soon sign is hanging in the front window of the unit which is directly next to the recently opened salad house. Earlier in 2024 popular Facebook page A View From Evesham was the first to put the story online. (Facebook)
I’ll add that if you aren’t familiar with the small Sawmill Village shopping center, the small center is becoming a culinary powerhouse destination as it also includes top-rated Dolsot House, Han Dynasty, Rayaki and Salad House (whom I very recently wrote about).
Cucina Zapata – Drexel University Road Trip
Not knowing much about this exciting new restaurant, yesterday I headed over to “food truck alley” at Drexel University’s campus to see what Cucina Zapata is all about.
Located behind the Lebow Engineering Center at 31st and Market, Cucina Zapata takes the first spot of at least 12 different food trucks that line the rear Ludlow Street.
I had read that at lunchtime the lines for orders at Cucina Zapata typically gets long, and I timed it perfectly getting there about 11:50… seemingly minutes ahead of the crowds.
When I stopped back to the truck after eating my amazing Chicken Katsu Tacos… the line of customers waiting for their order had grown to maybe 15 or 20 people!
The Chicken Katsu Tacos I ordered are a perfect representation of the Asian-Mexican fusion cuisine.
If you’re unfamiliar with Chicken Katsu, it is a Japanese version of fried chicken made with panko bread crumbs coating a boneless chicken breast. It makes for a light and crispy coating covering a perfectly cooked and tender piece of chicken.
For the taco preparation, the chicken is sliced into strips of light fried chicken, and placed in a soft shell taco tortilla with lettuce, tomato and other flavors.… When they ask you if you want the spicy aioli, just say YES!
My tacos were PACKED with deliciousness, and when I held one in my hand it was probably was an inch and a half thick!
Most of the daily selections are offered as a platter, burrito or taco… And for the tacos you have a choice of two or three. I’m a big eater but honestly I think I would have been fine with just two tacos.
I loved the Chicken Katsu Tacos which offered both a variety of fresh flavors with a little bit of spicey heat, as well as different textures in each bite from the softer shell and vegetable, and then the slight crunch of the chicken.
I also ordered a delicious iced Thai coffee, which was the perfect blend of delicious coffee flavor with some extra cool sweetness.
The chicken katsu was definitely something I would order over and over again, but then after researching this further at home I see that their Cap’n Crunch Coated Tilapia Burrito is their top seller, and realize I have to go back and try that! In fact, going as far back as 2012 the Inquirer described it as:
There may not be a more original dish in Philadelphia than Cucina Zapata’s Cap’n Crunch-crusted tilapia burrito. If you aren’t a fan of the flaky white fish for its texture, the Cap’n makes it crunch with an unmistakable childhood flavor before it is piled with avocado, a mild pico de gallo and a tangy peanut sauce.
Philadelphia Inquirer – August 2012
Cucina Zapata – History
According to the Drexel Alumni article, founder and chef Robert Zapata graduated from Drexel in 2002 with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management.
After graduating he spent some time working in Thailand where he met his wife. They soon decided to move back to the United States.
Robert brought his wife to visit the Drexel Campus and showed his wife Food Truck Alley, where he frequently ate his meals during his college years. Seeing a truck was for sale at the time, they took it as a sign to buy the truck.
The article was written less than a year after their opening and it’s interesting to read Robert’s quote “We decided to roll the dice and here we are 8 months later and I’d say we’re doing okay.”
Well “interesting” in a great way… as it’s now 13 years later and they soon will be expanding into Cherry Hill.
Links and Location
Cucina Zapata
Sawmill Village Shopping Center
404 Marlton Pike
Cherry Hill New Jersey