Some of the Best Food Trucks Austin Has to Offer
, June 11, 2022, 7:00am, On the Range
We’re all about the meals on wheels here in Austin, where you can’t throw a taco without hitting a food truck serving up some of the best noms around – and at exceedingly reasonable prices.
Looking for expertly made cuisines from around the world? How about innovations in plant-based foods? Find yourself a food trailer. Here are 26 to get you started.
Arlo's
If you ask an Austinite where to eat vegan food, 99.9% of the time, the immediate response is, “Arlo’s!” Plant-based but designed with carnivores in mind, the menu caters to late-night cravings, and they’ve absolutely mastered the art of meatless cheeseburgers with their famous Bac’n Cheezeburger. That Frito pie ain’t nothing to sneeze at either, friends. arlostruck.com
Bistro Vonish
Elevated vegan cuisine might not be the kind of fare you’d expect from a food truck, but chef Craig Vanis knows his way around the (tiny) kitchen, and his loyal fan base can’t get enough of those rock star kolaches and gluten-free mac & cheese. bistrovonish.com
Bodhi Viet Vegan
This Vietnamese vegan food truck – owned and operated by a collective of Buddhist nuns and volunteers who use homegrown vegetables to brighten up their delicious, nutritious, and mind-bogglingly cheap bánh mì, bao, and vermicelli – is good for you and the world. bodhivietveggies.com
Boteco ATX
Those priced out of the extravagance of Brazilian rodízio buffets can explore the country’s street food offerings at this vibrant food truck. Their claim to fame is picanha grelhada (rice bowl with top sirloin), but surprise yourself with the legendary feijoada stew. botecoatx.com
Budare's
Carmen Rojas and her daughter Andrea Rincones are passionate about bringing their beloved Venezuelan fare – naturally gluten-free arepas (griddled corn pockets stuffed with a mix of fresh sautéed veggies or proteins like pollo mechado) – to the Austin masses. And we are so here for it. budaresatx.com
Burro Cheese Kitchen
Take the most comforting of comfort foods, make it artisanal and small-batch, add all the ingredients Austinites love, and boom! Burro grilled cheese. Of course the cheese is top-shelf with the likes of Gouda, havarti, and aged cheddar, but add-ons like brisket and balsamic apricot fig sauce seal the deal. burrocheesekitchen.com
Chef Hong Food Trailer
In a small orange truck at 907 W. 24th, Chef Hong is serving authentic Northern Chinese hand-pulled noodles and handmade dumplings to the UT campus crowd. We’re big fans of his award-winning Chinese hamburger (roujiamo), especially with a side of liangpi. Pro tip: Order extra chili oil to take home and drizzle on everything.
Churro Co.
A little bit of Juárez comes to South Austin in Churro Co., through their traditional and eclectic cinnamon-y, sweet churros – an ancient pastry with Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Roman origins made modern with the addition of homemade orange curd, Nutella sauce, Fruity Pebbles, and whipped cream. churrocoaustin.com
Cuantos Tacos
Chef/owner Luis “Beto” Robledo sells out his Mexico City-style tacos every night thanks to expert proteins (including suadero, cachete, buche, and carnitas) decorated with fresh cilantro and onions and wrapped in fresh corn tortillas. cuantostacosaustin.com
Dee Dee
Fanatics of familiar Thai fare owe it to themselves to visit this spectacular trailer from chef Lakana Sopajan-Trubiana. She serves street food straight from her childhood in Isaan in Northeast Thailand, from som tom Isaan (spicy papaya salad) to laab moo (minced pork with sticky rice). deedeeatx.com
Distant Relatives
It turns out that spice is the spice of life, and Distant Relatives knows exactly how to use it. Self-described as “modern African American,” this trailer (located at Meanwhile Brewing) takes the familiar meats of Texas barbecue and creates a whole new world of delicious flavors. distatantrelativesatx.com
The Doughminican
The mother-and-son team behind Austin’s first Dominican food truck has been blessing our streets and taste buds with impeccable empanadas since 2016. Red-wine-and-oregano-soaked beef picadillo is their claim to fame, but don’t sleep on the restorative powers of ratatouille. thedoughminican.com
Espadas de Brazil
Robinson and Alina Figueiredo opened the “first churrasco on wheels in Austin” in 2017, and they’ve been slinging Brazilian-style steak cuts ever since. Try the picanha sandwich – Brazilian cheesesteak – with top sirloin, American cheese, sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato, and homemade spicy mayo served on a hoagie roll with fries. espadasdebrazil.com
Fil N’ Viet
Married couple Kevin Truong and Rosie Mina-Truong celebrate their love through a revolutionary marriage of Filipino and Vietnamese cuisines at this pandemic-born food truck. We can’t get enough of their bánh mì with wild mushroom tofu adobo, Vietnamese egg meatloaf, tangy tamarind sinigang wings, Filipino-style citrus ceviche, or Vietnamese iced coffee infused with ube. filnviet.com
Four Brothers
This Rainey Street biz has been holding down the Venezuelan food fort since 2015 with their stuffed corn cakes and avocado sauce, and we should all say thanks. Are arepas the new tacos? fourbrothersatx.com
Kuway's Bánh Mì & Tea
If you’ve been searching for a hot skillet of bò né (Vietnamese steak and eggs), complete with a bonus hot dog and corn, give this little place a try. Order a Vietnamese coffee or boba tea to complete your meal. kuwayatx.com
La Tunita 512
The birria craze is warranted, and La Tunita has been slinging this style of beef taco since late 2019 from a nondescript trailer on Burleson. Consommé for dipping, rich stewed beef in guajillo peppers and spices, and melty beef birria tacos loaded with Monterey Jack cheese. Very rich, very tasty, San Luis Potosi-style. Look for collabs with numerous taquerias around town. la-tunita-512.square.site
Li'l Nonna's
Austin’s OG vegan pizza truck has more than just vegans tripping over themselves to get a pie on a Friday night (at either the St. Elmo truck or the Big Nonna’s brick-and-mortar joint in North Austin). We won’t say it’s just because of the house-made vegan mozzarella and the fan-fave Chik-fil-Ain’t Special, but IYKYK. lilnonnas.com
Patrizi’s
Fresh pasta, pork, lemon, tomato, egg yolk, cheese – Patrizi’s doesn’t overcomplicate things. There’s almost always a line, but the outdoor seating also has a real “Grandma’s porch” vibe going on, so it’s actually the perfect place to relax. patrizis.com
Pepitos 512
Chef/owner Ramon Sanchez sets his food apart from other Venezuelan spots by specializing in pepitos, or open-faced sandwiches, made Barquisimeto-style; Caracas-style hot dogs piled high with toppings; and Venezuelan-style barbecue served as parrilla bowls, with homemade barbecue sauce made with Frescolita and rum. pepitos512.com
Song La
If you’ve never tried Taiwanese street food, it’s high time you make a plan to visit this truck made for and by musicians (and everyone) to try their variety of boldly flavored bento boxes. Don’t forget an apple sidra. songlafood.com
Spicy Boys
Fried-chicken savants Spicy Boys have smartly parked themselves adjacent to standout breweries like Zilker and St. Elmo, knowing that a quality hops experience includes Spicy Boys’ marvelous crispy bird. spicyboyschicken.com
SXSE Food Co.
Showcasing an impressive fusion of South American and Southeast Asian flavors through rib-eye skewers, pork buns, and nam khao tod, chef Bob Somsith’s food truck at 4th Tap Brewing Co. specializes in Laotian flavors. sxsefoodco.com
TaLad Thai and Lao Street Food
There is simply not enough space here to explain the level of deliciousness served at this beloved Thai and Laotian food truck, in dishes like tom yum goong, hat yai fried chicken, and khoa soi dumplings. taladaustin.com
Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ
When a food truck can take the Tex, add it to the Mex, and slather the whole thing in barbecue goodness, that’s a magical thing. Voted Best Barbecue in Austin by Chronicle readers in 2021. valentinastexmexbbq.com
Veracruz All Natural
Breakfast tacos just don’t get any better than migas with avocado at Veracruz. Sisters Reyna and Maritza Vazquez have been wowing us with their tacos and fresh juices for over a decade now, and their continued success means there are now multiple locations to visit. veracruzallnatural.com
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