Affordable food options in Aspen

The city of Aspen has decided to go into contract with two food truck vendors in light of recently closed and empty restaurant spaces. The restaurant used to offer affordable options on Rio Grande Place and these two trucks will now replace it. As reported by the Aspen Times, “the city last moth asked for bids from vendors and it received four, but only two met the criteria the municipal government was asking for”. The city’s director of environmental health and sustainability, C.J. Oliver, was charged with finding food truck vendors. There was a specific vending agreement that made this possible. Carlos Hernandez and Megan Thomas, the food truck operators, have signed contracts that mimic leases for outdoor spaces. These trucks are said to sell Mexican cuisine and ice cream! Each truck will have to pay $1,000 to the city to occupy one parking space at Rio Grande Place. The now closed establishment was then called Taster’s Pizza and the trucks will be parked outside where the restaurant was previously located. Oliver said, “he thought taking on the prospect of finding vendors was going to be complicated and difficult, since the city doesn’t allow food trucks in the public right-of-way unless it’s in specific zones… I was worried we weren’t going to get any applicants… we met last Friday and we had two applications that checked the boxes and had everything we wanted”.