‘The Organic Gypsy’ food truck serves up fresh, healthy lunches

Toasted paninis, crisp greens, colorful vegetables and the aroma of fresh ingredients are now part of the lunchtime scene in Gainesville, thanks to a new food truck with a distinctly different menu. The Organic Gypsy opened last week, bringing fresh, inovative and health-conscious options to town.

Owned by Gainesville residents Megan Pueppke and her fiancé, Mitch Slowick, The Organic Gypsy is tucked into the parking lot of Crossroads Drips & Dips near the intersection of Highways 160 and 5N in Gainesville. The eye-catching dark panneled trailer is hard to miss, especially with its large, illuminated Gypsy logo glowing from the front.

But it’s what’s coming out of the window that the couple hopes will really catch people’s attention.  The menu is built around mostly organic ingredients and combinations that go a little beyond the ordinary. There are four paninis, four hearty bowls and five salads, with options ranging from familiar flavors to combinations with a distinctly creative twist.

The Balsamic Daydream Melt, for example, pairs chicken, mozzarella, provolone, sun-dried tomato spread, spinach, pesto and a balsamic drizzle. The Gypsy Soul Club combines chicken, turkey bacon, provolone, avocado, tomatoes, spinach and horseradish mayo, while the Bohemian layers salami, pepperoni, ham and provolone with a special chopped grinder salad and zesty cream sauce.

The bowls follow the same philosophy. The Traveler’s Bowl features grilled chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes and avocado over jasmine rice with pesto and a balsamic drizzle. The Southwest Fiesta combines chicken, black beans, corn, pico and avocado over jasmine rice with a homemade avocado-cilantro drizzle. The Blackened Tide brings blackened shrimp, black beans, corn, pico and avocado together over jasmine rice.

For something lighter, customers have their choice of five salads including the Harvest Moon, made with dried cranberries, feta, candied pecans, pickled red onions and crispy apple chips, or their own twist on chicken or shrimp Caesar salad. Other salad options include an Asian Breeze with mandarin oranges, wontons and ginger dressing, a Market Day Chef and an Italian Goddess option. 

The menu pricing keeps things simple. Salads are $12, bowls are $13 and paninis, served with a bag of chips, are $14 each. A cheesecake special is being offered this week, and signature fresh-squeezed lemonade variations will be coming soon.

Making the menu accessible to people with dietary restrictions is also an important part of The Organic Gypsy. Vegan cheese, gluten-free options and other substitutions are available, and the couple offers Alpha-gal-friendly choices. That consideration comes from personal experience. Slowick has Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy that can make navigating restaurant menus particularly difficult. Because of that, the couple understands how valuable it can be to know there are options available.Their menu identifies dishes that can be made alpha-gal friendly, may contain nuts, contain shrimp or shellfish or can be made gluten-free.

The couple’s attention to fresh ingredients and dietary needs is part of a larger goal to offer Gainesville something a little different, food that is quick and convenient for a lunch break without sacrificing flavor or quality. Even the truck’s appearance reflects that philosophy. Painted a deep black and decorated with the business’s distinctive Gypsy artwork, the truck has a polished, almost whimsical appearance that sets it apart from the usual roadside food stand.

The Organic Gypsy is open 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Crossroads Drips & Dips parking lot.

For more information, search “Gypsy Eats” on Facebook or Instagram, where the owners will be posting specials and new items as they become available. To call ahead to place an order for pick up, dial 417-989-0643.