Keep Up with These 16 Can’t-Miss Austin Food Trucks

It’s thought that the first modern food truck in the U.S. was the Wienermobile in 1936, but it wasn’t until the Great Recession in the early 2010s that mobile kitchens became widely popular due to their lower overhead cost in comparison to owning a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Now the capital city is home to approximately 1,200 food trucks that span a wide variety of cuisines. Here we’ve rounded up the 16 food trucks — from the classics to the new hotspots — not to miss.

North Austin

1. SXSE Food Co.

10615 Metric Blvd.

Blending Southern American and Southeast Asian flavors, this North food truck is currently housed at 4th Tap Brewing Co-op. While beef, chicken and pork are prevalent on the menu, the vegan crispy fried rice is also a standout. Pro tip: Make it out for Chef Bob Somsith’s modern interpretation of Laotian cuisine during a multi-course chef’s tasting menu.

Must Order: Crispy Caramel Chicken Wings

2. T-Loc’s Sonoran Style Hot Dogs

5000 Burnet Rd.

The specialty hot dog truck draws inspiration from Mexican-style street hot dogs popular in Arizona, and they even ship their buns in from Tucson weekly. The Sonoran hot dog is typically wrapped in bacon and grilled, served on a bolillo-style hot dog bun, and topped with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes and a slew of other condiments. In addition to franks, this truck also serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more.

Must Order: Yaqui Hot Dog

3. Yeni’s Fusion

6507 Burnet Rd.

After her father’s passing in 2020, Yeni Rosdiyani decided to move back to Austin and open her own food truck after testing the water with an Instagram pop-up first. Eventually, she opened Yeni’s Fusion parked at Aristocrat Lounge with recipes she’s been developing for years. Aptly named, the eatery serves traditional and Indonesian fusion dishes, like bubur ayam (chicken porridge), bakso (meatball) soup and rendang (beef curry).

Must Order: Bubur Ayam

4. Hey Cupcake!

4209 Airport Blvd.

One of the OG food trucks in Austin, Hey Cupcake! was founded by Wes Hurt in 2007. Today you can find the humongous desserts — seriously, they’re the size of your face — housed at Mueller Trailer Eats.

Must Order: Tuxedo Cupcake

5. Beirut

3225 Amy Donovan Plaza

Enjoy flavors of the Middle East with this Austin take on traditional Lebanese food located in the heart of the Domain. Enjoy cooked-to-order falafel, beef and chicken shawarma, or lamb kebabs while basking in the sunshine on the lawn. Wash it all down with house-made rose lemonade.

Must Order: Shish Tawook Wrap

6. Spicy Boys

10609 Metric Blvd. #108

We’re partial to the north Spicy Boys locale parked at Fairweather Cider Co., which is also close to Q2 Stadium. While the name is definitely not a misnomer — the food truck serves some of the tastiest spicy chicken in town — the curries, including yellow, panang, and green served with the flakiest, buttery-est roti, are the food truck’s hidden gems.

Must Order: Panang Curry and Roti

East Austin

7. Patrizi’s

2307 Manor Rd.

It may be hard to believe that old-school Italian fare and house-made scratch pasta are being crafted in a food truck, but head to the Vortex theater to see for yourself. The Patrizi name has been associated with delicious pasta since Patrizi’s Restaurant opened in Beaumont in 1948. Nowadays, the legacy continues with fresh ingredients and classic dishes, like cacio e pepe.

Must Order: Carbonara Alexandra

8. East Side King

1618 E. Sixth St.

A visit to the East Side used to not be complete without a stop into the Liberty Bar for some pork belly buns out of the East Side King trailer. Although there are a plethora of options now, it’s undeniable that ESK is still as scrumptious as ever and still oh-so worth the pitstop.

Must Order: Brussels Sprouts Salad

9. Sammataro

1108 E. 12th St.

New York-style thin crust is the name of the game at Sammataro on East 12th Street. The secret is obviously the dough, which Chef Issac Flores puts through a 48- to 72-hour cold fermentation and then bakes in a woodfired oven, giving each pizza a puffed and torched edge that’s perfectly chewy. Each pie is lovingly topped with the right balance of fresh toppings and melty cheese.

Must Order: Pepperoni

10. Cuantos Tacos

1108 E. 12th St.

Located in the Arbor Food Park as Sammataro, Cuantos Tacos offers some of the best Mexico City-style street tacos in Austin. Cuantos owner Luis “Beto” Robledo hails from Matamoros, Mexico, and serves traditional fillings of suadro, achete, buche, carnitas, longaniza and mushrooms in nixtamalized corn tortillas. Always look out for specials, which sell out quickly.

Must Order: Cachete

11. Vegan Nom

2324 E. Cesar Chavez St.

In a city of BBQ and taco trucks, it takes a lot to stand out — especially if you’re completely meat-free. Vegan Nom holds its own and then some with yummy breakfast tacos full of tofu scrambles, tempeh bacon and its signature queso, as well as nachos, burritos, and more.

Must Order: Super Fresco

South Austin

12. Distant Relatives

3901 Promontory Point Dr.

Named as one of Texas Monthly’s best barbecue joints, pitmaster Damien Brockway is serving up much more than just barbecue. He’s lovingly crafting modern African American cuisine complete with his interpretations of black-eye peas, pork spareribs, pulled pork and more. Grab a brew at Meanwhile Brewing Company, where the truck is parked, and enjoy the wafting smells of deliciousness.

Must Order: Chicken Leg Quarter

13. Bombay Dhaba 

1207 S. First St.

Go south of the river for Indian fine dining with Chef Prabhakar Reddy, who lovingly packs traditional subcontinent fare — think saag paneer, chicken tikka masala and vindaloo — with tons of flavors and aromatics. Head for lunch for a killer combo plate deal.

Must Order: Spinach Chicken

14. Dee Dee

4204 Menchaca Rd.

“Dee Dee” means “good good,” and boy, is the food here good good. Head to Radio Coffee & Beer for this Northeastern Thai truck helmed by Chef Lakana Sopajan-Trubiana, who was raised in Thailand’s northeastern countryside by a family of farmers. Today, she’s dishing up flavorful Isaan-style dishes ranging from the comforting to the palate-melting. Pro tip: Pre-order your meal before 3 p.m. to avoid waiting in a long line.

Must Order: Laab Moo

15. Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ

11500 Menchaca Rd.

This far-far-far South Tex-Mex-Barbecue hybrid is well revered for its scrumptious smoked meat (including brisket, carnitas and pollo) tacos and sammies. Make it out early for their breakfast tacos, which sell out quickly.

Must Order: Real Deal Holyfield

16. Texas Sushiko

444 E. St Elmo Rd. A1

Located right outside Texas Saké Company, this food truck serves Instagram-worthy open-face sushi hand rolls nestled into rustic wooden blocks. The brainchild of Chef Michael Carranza, the man behind inhome omakase service Tare, the truck offers an accessible form of omakase sushi that, thankfully, does not require a reservation months in advance.

Must Order: Bluefin Tuna Handroll