BY SHANNON BARRIENTES
The food truck frenzy is no frivolous matter here in the capital city. Food trucks are popping up on downtown corners, at live music venues, and even in parks and on trails. Adventurous chefs are leaving sit-down restaurants and hectic kitchens to serve up their tasty goods in the convenience of their own mobile cookeries.
From luscious and exotic meals, to legendary BBQ, to sweets you can only imagine, there are hidden culinary delights mere few feet away from most spots downtown. You may be eating your lobster bisque or lamb shank out of an unpretentious paper bowl, but your taste buds will holler with delight as though you were seated in a five-star dining room.
Food truck parks often feature playscapes for
the kiddos, live music, shade during sunny days …
Where to find Great Food Trucks
You can find clusters of trucks all over town, with notable favorites found at Barton Springs’ restaurant row (close to Zilker Park), on South Congress at the corner of West Gibson Street, at the old airport hangar at Mueller Lake Park, on lively Rainey Street, and a hidden one directly behind the University Co-Op bookstore on Guadalupe, locally known as The Drag. Check websites such as Thrillist and Roaming Hunger for up-to-date recommendations. Below are a couple of our local favorites!
ALC Steaks on Tour
1205 N Lamar | alcsteaksontour.com
Your favorite steakhouse, ALC Steaks, is going on tour! ALC Steaks On Tour is a mobile food truck ready to cater your next event. Check our website for our truck’s location each day.
MIGHTY FINE
6900 Ranch Rd 620 N | mightyfineburgers.com
After a day on Lake Travis or Volente Beach, you’re going to want serious eats. Head for Mighty Fine’s food truck at the corner of 620 and 2222 for delicious, local-favorite burgers and shakes.
Roughly 1,000 trucks are dotted around the city just waiting for you to explore. Food truck parks are fantastic places to spend time with family or friends; they often feature playscapes for the kiddos, live music, shade during sunny days, beautiful strung lighting during cool nights, lazy picnic benches, and are usually within walking distance of local sights.
You may be surprised at the exotic selections available—often at a far more affordable cost than what you may find in a restaurant. Chefs cooking out of a food truck can get creative and ambitious with their menus. You may enjoy a personal connection with your chef, as often the person handing you your food is the person who made it. In most instances, your experience will even save time, as you won’t have to wait for a table to clear or for your bill to arrive. The ambience of a food truck park or a hidden alcove downtown is nostalgic and comfortable, with beautiful views of skyscrapers or parks, and great opportunities to people watch or socialize with locals. You can even take your goods to go, and take a leisurely walk on a warm summer night. And, finally, you get the opportunity to support the little guy, a local artist, who is slinging culinary goods with passion.
Next time hunger strikes, scope the area for a food truck. You may be surprised at the exciting menus, convenience, and fun of the experience.
