Yu Lin Zhen, Contributing Photographer

A new food truck has rolled onto 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 Aug. 20. Settled next to the Jitterbus, the turquoise truck is easy to spot. Andrick’s offers 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.

Johana Rivera, the truck’s owner, staffs the eatery alongside one other coworker. 

“It’s busy for the two of us to work Monday to Friday,” Rivera said. 

The process of starting the business was “long and definitely expensive,” Rivera said. She told the News she is excited to finally be able to share the truck’s food with the Yale and larger New Haven community and invites anyone and everyone to come try the offerings at Andrick’s.

The truck’s spot on Grove Street is heavily trafficked, especially when students walk up and down Hillhouse Avenue and past Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall in between classes. On this stretch, students regularly pass Grove Street and the trucks lining the street. 

“[The food truck] is a nice stop between my classes,” said Ariana Borut ’27. “It’s great having a bunch of different food trucks on campus because it allows students to have more variety in their choices for meals.” 

For Borut, the availability of Latin American food is a comforting reminder of the meals her Puerto Rican family shares at home. Although the dining halls serve a wide variety of dishes from different cuisines, Borut said she appreciates that the food trucks are always reliable and serve familiar flavors.

The food served at Andrick’s includes family recipes Rivera curated alongside popular drinks and deserts. The most popular items so far, Rivera said, have been their burritos and quesadillas. The truck also offers vegetarian options, which can be made vegan upon request. During the earlier hours of the day, the truck has breakfast options like breakfast burritos, served hot all morning. 

Yoshitaka Yamamoto, a visiting scholar from Tokyo, stopped by on a whim, hungry after missing lunch. 

“I had only had food from the Thai truck before, and this was a great experience,” he said. 

In the beginning stages of the business, Rivera is planning to experiment with different hours, gauging the busiest and most profitable times of day.

For a new food truck like Andrick’s, Rivera told the News, there is no preexisting base of customers, and passersby are not yet familiar with their food. Rivera said that she and her coworker have been working long hours to attract a loyal customer base. 

“We are new downtown, and there’s pressure for us,” said Rivera. 

Andrick’s on Wheels is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.