Roots Picnic: A complete list of food vendors in 2025

The Roots Picnic has always been about more than music, but this year it’s going big on food, too.

From May 31 to June 1, festivalgoers can explore nearly 40 food vendors — many from the Philadelphia region — as part of the Roots Picnic’s first-ever food festival. Expect trucks and stands from Duchess Diamond, Buzzetta’s, Lobster Rolls & More, All Sea, Authentic Beverages, Letz Eat LLC, Monz Crabby Dips, Pot of Essence, Prime Dining Experience, Simply Shrimp and More, and dozens more.

Come hungry — and stay hydrated — as you eat your way through the two-day music and culture celebration at the Mann Center in Fairmount Park. Here’s a taste of what’s on the menu:

Chef Kurt Evans fuses Chinese takeout classics with soul food staples at his West Philly location. At the Picnic, look for oxtail lo mein, General Roscoe wings, and fried shrimp with candied pecans. Bonus: Order from the restaurant before May 24 and get entered to win festival tickets — $30 orders get one raffle entry, $50 orders get two.

📷 @blackdragontakeout

Brooklyn’s viral vegan doughnut shop, a favorite of A$AP Rocky and Nara Smith, is now making its debut at the Picnic. Enjoy colorful doughnuts from their expansive selection, including mango chile lime, sweet potato, chai sugar, lemon poppy, cotton candy, and more.

📷 @cloudydonuts

Lil Trent’s Grille is known for its fish hoagies, cheesesteaks, and burgers. The food truck returns to the Picnic this year with cheesesteak egg rolls, big bacon burgers, fried whiting and shrimp, salmon cheesesteaks, hot dogs, and more.

📷 @liltrentsgrille

Expect wings, burgers, tenders, waffle bowls, salmon wraps, and more from V’Esther Goode’s comfort-food truck.

📷 @boomerbkitchen

This West Philly Ethiopian fried chicken shop brings gluten-free chicken tenders and fries, fried mushrooms, and chicken sandwiches. Wash it all down with colorful Kerkede (hibiscus tea) and Birz (fermented honey water) drinks.

📷 @dorobet_wphilly

Chefs Felicia Wilson and Darryl Harmon offer an upscale menu of kankan shrimp, oxtail mac soufflé, picnic basket fried chicken, and more — providing a preview of the spread at their soon-to-open Northern Liberties restaurant.

📷 @aminaphilly

The plant-based Brooklyn café heads to the Picnic with lobster rolls made of hearts of palm, plant-based smash burgers, jerk jackfruit, and more.

📷 @auntsetuncles

Burrito Feliz is the bright neon green cart at the festival food court. Find tacos, burritos, empanadas, birria egg rolls, corn on the cob, and churros.

📷 @burritofelizphilly

From Harlem to Philly, chef Charles Gabriel brings his pan-fried chicken and fixings to the Picnic. The James Beard-nominated chef is known for his fried chicken, ribs, baked mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, and more.

📷 @charlespanfriedchicken

Festival cravings = satisfied. The food truck menu includes crispy fish and chips, juicy chicken sandwiches, and cheesy crab fries. End on a sweet note with chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies.

📷 @cluckandgills

Cool off with water ice in flavors like cherry, mango, lemon, sour apple, cotton candy, and Swedish fish. Also serving funnel cake, fried Oreos, and gelato-topped waffles.

📷 @coriswaterice

This North Philly pizza shop that hires formerly incarcerated people brings its bold pies, honey chipotle wings, spicy cheese fries, and za’atar cauliflower wings to the festival.

📷 @downnorth_pizza

Corn, but make it a full meal. Order elote or Cajun-style corn on the cob, jerk or cheddar popcorn, hush puppies, sweet tea, and banana pudding.

📷 @corneeys

Look for the truck with the cartoon cow — they’re scooping handmade waffle cones, ice cream cookie sandwiches, and other sweet treats.

📷 @curbside_creamery

Strawberry crunch pudding, sweet potato cheesecake, and other rich desserts headline at this Philly-based bakery truck.

📷 @delhistbakery

The soul food staple by Saudia Shuler is setting up shop with seafood salad, lamb chops, fried swai fish, “egg-roni” and cheese, spring beans, and her famous crabs.

📷 @countrycookin1

Looking for something refreshing to help cool off? Consider Fruit Island food truck’s açai bowls, fresh fruit bowls, smoothies, fruit salads, and more.

📷 @fruitisland

Head to Gigi & Big R for platters of Caribbean and American soul food. Enjoy jerk chicken, oxtail, and fried fish at the Picnic.

📷 @gigibigr

One of the best barbecue restaurants in Philly will be pulling up to the Picnic. Mike’s BBQ is known for its smoked meats, including brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, sausage, and chicken wings.

📷 @mikesbbq_215

This food truck covers all the cravings: cheesesteaks (jerk chicken, beef, salmon, lobster), burgers, salmon BLTs, fish hoagies, and rice bowls.

📷 @grabrollwingsbowls

Stay hydrated with fresh juices from Tierra Whack’s favorite juice bar. Options include lemon cayenne ginger; exotic punch (a blend of orange, carrot, strawberry, pineapple, beet, and lime); and Shot of Green (kale, spinach, celery, cucumber, Granny Smith apple, pineapple, and lemon). The menu also features smoothies, toasts, salads, wraps, sea moss, and açai bowls.

📷 @juicedbyb

At Keeboom’s Kitchen, chow down on soul food classics. There’s grilled salmon stuffed with lump crabmeat, shrimp, and cheeses, turkey wings, lamb chops, rice bowls, yams, and more on the menu.

📷 @keeboomexpress

Craving chicken at the festival? Head to Mitch’s Mo Better Chicken for fried chicken wings, breasts, legs, thighs, and tenders, along with fried fish and shrimp, and sides like mac and cheese and greens.

📷 @mitchsmobetterchicken

West Philly’s soul food restaurant Tasties returns to the Picnic for year three. Enjoy platters of char-boiled salmon and rice, chicken wings and collard greens, and ribs and baked mac and cheese.

📷 @tastiesrestaurant

Dominique Shields brings brunch favorites like shrimp and grits, crab omelets, and buttermilk pancakes — plus dinner options like rib eye with chimichurri.

📷 @yespgc

Every festival needs a Rita’s and the Picnic is no exception. Order your favorite water ice flavors.

📷 @ritasice

This New York-based Jamaican food truck serves jerk chicken, curry goat, rasta pasta, oxtail, and honey garlic salmon.

📷 @ryryskitchen

Find fried chicken galore at the Shugar Shack Soulfood truck. Chicken is marinated for 24 hours and served in sandwiches and as wings, tenders, and bites. There are also plenty of sides including cornbread, mac and cheese, and yams.

📷 @shugarshackeatz

Cheesesteaks are the name of the game at Taste Cheesesteak Bar. Consider the oxtail, salmon, jerk chicken, and cauliflower portobello mushroom cheesesteaks for something different.

📷 @tastecheesesteakbar

This halal food truck serves lamb burgers, salmon cheesesteaks, chopped fish hoagies, and lemonade on tap.

📷 @theflavorfamily___

This Philly-based Caribbean restaurant brings Jamaican staples to the Picnic, including curry, stewed, or fried chicken and braised oxtails served with rice and peas. Pair your meal with housemade juices like pine-ginger, cool cucumber, or lemonade.

📷 @theflavorspot

Lovers of seafood, rejoice: This cart offers salmon and shrimp rice bowls, Alfredo bowls, egg rolls, burgers, and cheesesteaks.

📷 @thegrilled_salmonstand

This fast-casual Spring Garden spot offers vegan and pescatarian eats like bacon cheezburgers, chickpea samosa burgers, and plant-based bowls.

📷 @veganishphilly

Mix and match stir-fry with noodle and rice bowls, or build your own with options like teriyaki chicken and drunken noodles.

📷 @wokworks

Halal rice bowls and wraps are on the festival dock, thanks to 4 Roosters. Chow down on bowls and wraps packed with protein to keep the energy up during the two-day festival.

📷 @4roosters

Refresh after all that dancing with a mango sorbet or float. The Mango Hut serves three sorbet flavors: mango bay, pineapple passionfruit, and a piña colada dupe. Top it off with prosecco, Champagne, white wine, or ginger ale and make it a float. ​

📷 @themangohut.phl

Expect the home of salmon cheesesteak egg rolls at the Picnic. Tinga Finga will pull up in its truck with menu items including jerk chicken cheesesteak, crabby fries, cheesesteak sliders, and, of course, salmon cheesesteak egg rolls.

📷 @tingafinga