Austin’s Food Truck Scene
When it comes to giving recommendations, you guys have come through once again. Earlier this month, we took to Instagram and Facebook to ask Eastonites to give us their picks for food trucks they’d like to see at future Easton events. The responses were plentiful, wise, and overwhelming—sorry if we missed your pick, there were too many good choices!
We sort the recommendations into four categories—Taco Trucks, Lobsta Trucks, Meaty Trucks and Veggie Trucks, and did some research into menus and favorite items. And now we’re super hungry…
Taco Trucks
Tito Adobo
Recommended by: Lourdes Portillo Horning
While it’s technically Filipino-American food, Tito Adobo has excellent tacos, so we felt it was a safe bet to put these guys in the taco category. The fried rice is also to die for—add an egg if you’re feeling hungry. And don’t miss the lumpia—fried egg-roll-like treasures with a good dipping sauce. Nom nom nom.
Veracruz All Natural
Recommended by: Sean matthew, Michael Keener
Seeing how Veracruz All Natural was one of the leaders in our Taco Poll, it’s no surprise Eastonites were requesting that we have the food truck come. This family-run business offers traditional food, smoothies, and juices from the founding sisters’ hometown of Veracruz, Mexico. The menu changes for each of their five trucks, but classic favorites include the Migas Taco and the agua frescas—our friend Ana is crazy about the green one with celery.
Alicia’s Tacoriendo
Recommended by: Anahi Villanueva
Alicia’s is named for owner Max Varela’s mom, who contributed all the recipes, from the famous Tamales to the Barbacoa and Menudo. Yes there are tacos (bean and cheese like grandma used to make) but also hamburgers and BLTs, depending on what Max feels like cooking. Order anything, but don’t leave without trying the homemade tortillas.
Lobsta Trucks
Happy Lobster ATX
Recommended by: Santos Vela, leanne_clark819
Yes, you can get a traditional Lobster Roll, but this truck also offers treats like Lobster Grilled Cheese, Lobster Mac and Cheese Bites, and Fried Fish Tacos. Started by some folks from Chicago, the truck serving fresh Maine seafood first made its first appearance in ATX during SXSW 2017, according to Eater. We think if we had the Mac and Cheese Bites, we would definitely be happy…
Garbo’s
Recommended by: mayowhip
Because we’re from Texas, it was Garbo’s that taught us the difference between a Maine Style and Connecticut Style Lobster Roll. (Hint: Maine Style has mayo, celery, and lemon zest while Connecticut is served warm with butter with lemon juice.) As for us, we want the Crab Roll with chopped bacon, melted smoked Gouda and a swipe of spicy mayo. Or the burger. Did we mention there are ground chuck and brisket burgers? AND YOU CAN ADD LOBSTER TO THEM!?
Meaty Trucks
ALC Steaks
Recommended by: Stacy Starcher
When Stacy recommended ALC Steaks, we did a double take. How did we not know this classic Austin steak house had a roaming trailer?! With a menu featuring Steak Frites, Pulled Pork Sammies, Grilled Chicken Sammies and more, it would be hard to leave this trailer hungry. There are also salad and quinoa bowls for those who want more veggie-forward options.
Cow Bells
Recommended by: Gabriella_atx
Cow Bells is all about burgers. Big, juicy burgers made with fresh ingredients and cooked to order. There’s bacon. There’s avocado. Add an egg. Or fried pickles. Are these burgers messy? YES. Are they delicious? ALSO YES. And did we mention the sweet potato fries and mini corn dogs? Wash it all down with a homemade cherry lemonade and you’ll be happy as a clam at high tide.
Tommy Want Wingy
Recommended by: Brittany Clay
Of all the food truck recommendations we got, this one wins for best name. The truck offers a basic wing menu, with lollipopped chicken wings available in increasingly spicy sauces, from a kid-friendly Garlic Parm to a head sweating Holy Schnikes, as well as fun options like a Chile Limon and Spicy Pineapple. Add waffle fries or tots on the side. Now that Tommy Want Wingy is on our radar, we plan to get over to the locations at Lustre Pearl or Cosmic Coffee to try these wings out ASAP.
Ranchhand
Recommended by: Tlabsims
While it has a meaty name, this truck is really more about healthy eating. While they have meat, you could skip it and not miss it. We even debated putting Ranchhand in the Veggie Truck category. These guys came out for Parkapalooza this year, and everything we tried was delicious. With the mantra, “Eat like there’s a tomorrow,” Ranch hand offers flavorful organic bowls made with healthy ingredients like purple rice, sweet potato, kale, and spinach. Add a protein like rosemary garlic chicken or an egg if you’re so inclined. Nutritional info is available for each selection as well as a list of local partners who provided ingredients.
Veggie Trucks
Arlo’s
Recommended by: Amy Gonzales
Arlo’s is 100% vegan but you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Their house-made burger patties (soy and gluten-free, don’t ya know) are savory enough to satisfy your favorite carnivores, especially when dressed with tasty tasty strips of their homemade seitan bac’n, cheeze, and all the traditional fixings. If you prefer tacos or mac n’cheeze, they’ve also got you covered. And they’ve got tots, fries and even chips and salsa. Someone tell Jillian Townson, who requested “anything vegan.”
Curcuma
Recommended by: Martha Carr
We haven’t made it to Curcuma yet, but their website promises Ayurvedic plant-based meals and superfood drinks that are, “vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and friendly for those on a Whole 30 or Paleo diet.” Offering a variety of hot and iced bevies including coffee, the drink menu is based around their signature Golden Mylk, made with turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and other yummy stuff. The main eats include snacks like tasty topped toasts as well as a Kitchari Bowl with warm quinoa and mung beans and a Zucchini Pesto Bowl with spiralized zucchini noodles and spirulina pesto.
Did we miss your favorite truck? Want to see the rest of the recommendations? Head over to Instagram and Facebook to share your ideas!
