For Austin's Tastiest Food Trucks, Head To These Neighborhoods

Thanks to a generally-pleasant climate, low overhead (in comparison to brick-and-mortar restaurants), and an unquenchable creative spirit, Austin ranks among the nation’s best cities for food trucks. While thrifty gourmands can find these mobile eateries throughout the capital, four neighborhoods boast a particularly high density of excellent dining carts, chef-driven trailers, and even entire plazas devoted to the art of the food truck. 

South Lamar / South Congress

Both of these South Austin neighborhoods contain an impressive array of food trucks, but the border region between South Lamar and South Congress is a particular hot spot for these casual eateries.

Taco trucks are among Austin’s most famous culinary contributions, and on the southern border between South Lamar and South Congress, you’ll find one of the city’s finest examples: the Pueblo Viejo Taco Truck. A total neighborhood institution, the Pueblo Viejo trailer offers a wide range of tacos, platters, and dips, but they’re best known for their breakfast and specialty tacos. A few particularly beloved Pueblo Viejo staples include the Taco Don Chago (a breakfast taco with beans, cheese, bacon, and avocado in a flour tortilla), the Pueblo Viejo Style Taco (with steak, mushrooms, avocado, cheese, lettuce, and tomato), and the Quesadilla Taco (a folded flour tortilla smothered in cheese and loaded with your choice of chicken, steak, veggies, or al pastor pork).

If you’re eager to sample food-truck fare but aren’t crazy about the idea of outdoor picnic tables or taking your meal to-go, The Flying Carpet Moroccan Souk Food on West Oltorf Street is the spot for you. Serving bold Middle Eastern dishes made from organic premium ingredients, The Flying Carpet’s kitchen operates out of a standard food truck, but their seating options include both outdoor tables and a full indoor dining room, complete with low pillowed stools and Persian carpets. The menu includes a satisfying combination of appetizers, large platters, salads, and wrap sandwiches, with highlights like the Sleek Vegetarian Sandwich (grilled eggplant, fried egg, falafel crumble, greens, tomato reduction, and L’Afrique sauce), the Gran Salata (fresh greens, tomato, cucumber, purple onion, goat cheese, olives, citron dressing, harissa hot sauce, and fresh flatbread), and the Chicken Plate (grilled chicken, grilled eggplant, house salad, french fries, tomato reduction, and fresh flatbread). 

Fresh pasta isn’t what most people expect from a food truck, and that’s what makes Regal Ravioli on South 1st St such a special destination. The petite trailer kitchen churns out artisan pasta pouches with fillings like mozzarella, ricotta, asiago, Italian sausage, crimini mushrooms, and ribeye steak, and Regal Ravioli’s sauce options include classic marinara, pecan pesto, hearty beef Bolognese, and a cheese veloute with gouda and romano.

East Austin

The unstoppably on-trend neighborhood of East Austin features more than its fair share of fantastic food truck pop-ups, as anyone venturing east of Interstate 35 can readily attest.

Taco fans won’t want to miss Veracruz All-Natural on East Cesar Chavez Street, the legendary taco trailer whipping up award-winning breakfast versions of this handheld treat, like the Migas Taco with eggs, tortilla chips, avocado, pico de gallo, and Monterey Jack cheese. 

Those who want to sample Pueblo Viejo’s signature tacos without venturing south of Lady Bird Lake are also in luck, as they’ve got an East Austin location on Brushy Street, complete with the Taco Don Chago, the Quesadilla Taco, and all the other goods.

If you’re more in the mood for Asian cuisine, East Austin’s got you covered. East Side King, a much-loved Austin institution for fusion eats, has a permanent residency in the backyard of Liberty Bar on East 6th Street. Founded by Austin hometown hero and Top Chef champion Paul Qui, East Side King serves inventive bar bites like Poor Qui’s Buns (steamed buns with roasted pork belly, green onion, cucumber kimchi, and hoisin sauce), Brussels Sprout Salad (with fried Brussels sprouts, shredded cabbage, basil, cilantro, mint, onion, jalapeno, and a house-made sweet and spicy sauce), and a hugely crowd-pleasing Fried Chicken Sandwich with fried chicken thighs brined in green curry and buttermilk, Kewpie mayo, and kimchi pickles on a potato roll. 

Meat-eaters in Austin really can’t get away with skipping the city’s signature food item: good old-fashioned Texas barbecue. On the East Side, you’ll find Micklethwait Craft Meats, a food truck offering some of Austin’s very best smoked meats (and with their location just a few blocks from the famous Franklin Barbecue, you know this crew has some serious BBQ street cred). Because Micklethwait is a Texan BBQ outfit, you won’t want to miss their excellent brisket… but the real hit here is their house-made sausages, available in delicious varieties like jalapeno-cheddar and Texas-Czech.

Dirty Sixth 

Considering all the shot-pounding and beer-chugging madness that transpires on Dirty Sixth, this Downtown Austin stretch’s impressive array of food trucks makes perfect sense.

While much of the food truck action on Dirty Sixth transpires after dark, this drag is still located in the heart of Downtown Austin’s business district, so a lunchtime food truck option is much appreciated by local workers. One such establishment is the Chi’lantro truck, an outpost of a popular local mini-chain specializing in Korean-Mexican fusion dishes. Korean BBQ tacos are the thing to get here. With fillings like spicy pork, soy-glazed chicken, and house-made kimchi, these tacos are sure to hit the spot. 

For a hearty late-night snack on Sixth Street, hit up The Best Wurst, a truck serving German-style sausages until the wee hours of the morning. This spot blazed the food-truck trail back in the early ‘90s, and if the hungry crowds lining up outside count for anything, The Best Wurst has still got it. They’re famous for their grilled bratwurst piled high with sauerkraut, onions, and mustard sauce, but they’ve also got spicy jalapeno sausage, Italian-style pork sausage, and even vegan sausage. 

Need a little spicy sustenance to fortify you for a night on the town? Head to the backyard of Star Bar, where the Tumble 22 food truck calls home. This trailer offers Nashville-style hot chicken, and they don’t skimp on the capsaicin. You can get your chicken in a sandwich or as part of a platter, and they provide a range of heat levels, from “Wimpy” (fried chicken with no hot spices) to “Fire In The Hole” (face-melting hot chicken, just the way Nashvillains like it).

West Campus

Where you find hordes of college students, you’re also bound to find abundant options for tasty and affordable grub. In the West Campus region of the University of Texas, food trucks keep the students well-fed for their exams, study groups, and nighttime excursions.

Parked on West 23rd Street, the Song La truck provides authentic Taiwanese dishes to West Campus’ residents, with favorite items including slow-cooked Pork Belly Buns with crushed peanuts, pickled vegetables, and cilantro, Tofu Fries with Song La’s proprietary “secret sauce”, and Boba Milk Tea with tapioca. 

A West Campus favorite, the Longhorn Chicken truck on Rio Grande Street offers fried chicken breaded in cornmeal with a proprietary Cajun-inspired spice blend. Every order of chicken, from tenders to thighs to wings, comes with a waffle wedge and a drizzle of maple syrup, making it a perfect meal for West Campus diners in need of some Southern comfort.

With its cheeky name and bar-backyard location (it’s right behind The Local, a beloved West Campus pub), creative sandwich truck All My Ex’s perfectly fits into its lively young neighborhood. The chalkboard menu includes flavorful and fully-loaded sandwiches like The Mac (house-smoked pork belly, jalapeno mac & cheese, cheddar cheese, and chipotle aioli on Texas toast), The Vegan AF (soy-marinated tofu, sliced cucumber, cilantro, mint, and vegenaise spread on a toasted hoagie) and The Heartbreaker (house-smoked brisket, chuck patty, caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and “1000 Russians” dressing on rye bread). Keep an eye out for All My Ex’s “One Night Stand” daily specials like the Sweet And Spicy puffy taco with Carolina Reaper-glazed fried shrimp, shredded veggies, and freshly-made crunchy tortilla strips.