Blackpool food truck makes top 10 list for the best food vans to visit in the UK
Launched in lockdown by former railway engineer, Liam Galt, Pizza Rana has grown from a personal quest for authentic Neapolitan slices into one of Blackpool’s most acclaimed street food vans, even earning national award recognition.
When lockdown left former railway engineer Liam Galt craving authentic Neapolitan pizza he decided to take matters into his own hands.
What started in 2020 as a personal mission to avoid travelling to Manchester for a proper slice, has since evolved into one of the North West’s most celebrated street food businesses, Pizza Rana.
Blending traditional techniques with the fast-paced energy of street food, Pizza Rana quickly earned a loyal following across Blackpool and beyond.
Recognition soon followed. In 2022 just two years after firing up his first pizzas Pizza Rana was named a finalist for Best-Looking Food Truck at the British Street Food Awards.
The sleek design of the van paired with its standout menu cemented its place as more than just a lockdown project.
Pizza Rana is not only known for its authentic Neapolitan slices but also for embodying what makes the UK’s street food scene so dynamic.
Vans like Pizza Rana prove that culinary ambition doesn’t need a fixed address. Instead they thrive on mobility and creativity.
Owner, Liam Galt said: “I started Pizza Rana as a passion project in 2020. What started as a hobby for my family to enjoy, quickly evolved into a weekend side hustle that saw us slinging pizzas at all sorts of farmers markets, festivals and events, in our trusty gazebo, which then turned into our awesome refurbed food truck.
“My passion & enthusiasm for Pizza Rana grew and grew and I was eventually able to quit my long term career on the railway to pursue the business full-time.
“Learning the business ropes as I go, we're on an exciting adventure and love serving up delicious, fresh pizza.”
Pizza Rana found a permanent location at Abingdon Street Market in Blackpool and more recently last year, they opened a Pizzeria on Clifton Square in Lytham.
X, Managing Director at Vansdirect, which recently researched the UK’s most popular food vans, reflects on the rise of such businesses: “Food vans are a vibrant part of the UK’s culinary scene, making diverse, high-quality cuisine accessible to everyone.
“These mobile kitchens allow chefs to experiment with flavours, menus, and specialist diets in ways that larger establishments sometimes cannot.”
To create their list they collated all winners and runners-up from the British Street Food Awards over the last five years.
They then analysed their total follower counts across Instagram and Facebook to discover which vendors have the biggest online following.