Last week, Hoboken Girl reported about a new restaurant coming to Jersey City: Ghost Truck Kitchen. Inspired by the passion of food truck culture, GTK owner Andrew Martino set out to rebrand takeout by focusing on organic and antibiotic-free, quality foods.
We chatted with Martino about his blossoming business {located at 356 Varick Street in downtown Jersey City}, what he envisions for the future of GTK, and what inspired his initial vision. But, before we do, the first thing you need to know about Ghost Truck Kitchen is that is not a truck. Read on to find out everything you need to know about Ghost Truck Kitchen in Jersey City:
{Photo credit: Instagram}
The Mystery Behind GTK
“Ghost Truck Kitchen was originally just Ghost Truck, but I thought it might be hard for people to understand we were serving food, not chasing ghosts,” Martino recalls. “I called it Ghost Truck because just like ghosts, our trucks are not real. They just give us the freedom to be creative with our talented culinary team, while giving the guest a variety of delicious scratch-made options.”
See More: Best Outdoor Dining Spots in Hoboken
That being said, the food truck culture that has taken so many cities by storm in recent years definitely served as an inspiration.
“My favorite thing about food truck culture is the passion and care the owners have for their food and what they do. We try to bring the same passion to every single Ghost Truck that we create,” Martino says. “We want to make the best possible version of every item we sell.”
What to Expect
{Photo credit: Instagram}
Last Saturday, GTK hosted a soft opening from 5:00PM to 10:00PM and offered a call to action to all residents: come by and try their menu.
“People can expect us to really care about their takeout, delivery or catering order. They can expect high-quality ingredients, love put into those ingredients, and those ingredients thoughtfully and sustainably packaged,” Martino says. “We also want people to know that we are an order ahead restaurant and not fast casual. That means that we don’t just scoop and serve your food. We cook everything to order and that takes time, but we think that it’s worth it.”
In fact, quality takeout was the main driver in Martino creating GTK. He wanted better takeout; well, that and he was trying to save his relationship.
{Photo credit: Instagram}
“Honestly, I just thought that the takeout near me was bad and I could do better but had no real plans to do anything about it,” the Jersey City transplant explains. {He was born and raised in Morris and Essex Counties; Martino now lives blocks away from GTK with his fiancé and dog, Buddy.} “Then two years ago, I was working as a consultant in food tech while simultaneously working on a side project for another client doing research on fast casual franchises to invest in. And something just clicked,” he adds.
“I started to spend all my nights just obsessing on how to make a better version of a neighborhood takeout spot and what that could look like,” Martino continues. “Finally, I had a crazy idea to make the ordering experience like being in front of a bunch of food trucks with the ability to order from several different small menus. And GTK was born. Side note: I was also tired of arguing with my fiancé about where to order food from. #GTKSavesRelationships.”
On living in JC, Martino says, “We have been here two years and absolutely love it.” And Martino’s favorite local spot to get inspired? Liberty State Park. “While walking the dog and listening to music,” he adds.
The Food
Now, let’s talk grub. If you’re wondering what you can expect from the menu, let us first tell you this: Ghost Truck Kitchen has made sustainability a priority by choosing eco-friendly take-out packaging that they buy in bulk. {You can read more about the Dangers of Plastic To-Go Containers here.} Anyway, back to food.
“I think people can expect really high-quality scratch made food with influences from different cultures, curated just for takeout,” Martino says. “We want there to be a little something for everyone and every mood. We also plan on having fun with our menus and changing things up seasonally or just when a great ingredient is available.
Things you won’t see: Burgers with donut buns, bedazzled milkshakes that will give you diabetes, pizzas rolled into burritos, gold flaked whatever, or any other things aimed at getting likes [on social media].”
Read More: 8 Healthy Meal Delivery Services in Hoboken + Jersey City
Now that the soft opening is out of the way, Ghost Truck Kitchen’s next big event is the grand opening on Friday, April 19th. Delivery with Uber Eats launches on Saturday, April 20th and GTK plans to launch its own bike delivery service to the surrounding area soon after that.
The Hours
Until the grand opening in mid-April though, you can still snag some GTK eats. It will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00PM to 10:00PM for pickup only. You can order ahead on HelloGTK.com.
Lastly, Ghost Truck Kitchen also has catering options and Martino wants people to know the ingredients used are always the freshest.
“All of our produce is organic, local when it makes sense,” he says. “All our proteins are antibiotic free. All of our stocks, sauces, dressings are made in-house. Lastly, none of this would be possible without the talent, effort, and attention to detail of our incredible team.”
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