Diversity Found in Austin’s Food Trucks

A three-week work trip to Texas this past month wasn’t complete unless I sampled some of the many food trucks the city of Austin has to offer. Lining the streets of South Congress (aka SoCo) and 1st Street, the trucks and trailers offered a variety of snacks and meals ranging from sweet to savory, tacos to donuts, and ice cream to fresh, cold pressed juice.

There are so many options to meet anyone’s tastebud preferences. If you don’t like one type of food or have dietary preferences, all you need to do is move on to the next trailer. There’s something for everybody. Unfortunately, my stomach was unable to accommodate all the options available but the few that I did try were worth it.

Gourdough’s Donuts

Gourdough’s is known for their large and gourmet donuts. These infamous donut creations are perfect for breakfast, but don’t let that fool you. They’re equivalent to a full meal and often require a fork and knife. I visited the trailer twice since one sampling just wasn’t enough. Armed with a freshly-made latte from the Summer Moon Coffee Bar, I perused the menu, peeked at what the other patrons had gotten, and made my decision.  The options all looked good and eventually I opted for two different styles…something sweet. And something with bacon.

  

The Naughty & Nice donut was simple and sweet with a large regular donut covered in sugar and cinnamon and side of honey. The Fat Elvis was healthier…er heavier, with bacon, bananas, peanut butter icing and drizzled with honey.

Mellizoz Tacos

It’s not Texas unless you’ve had tacos. And not just any tacos. Mellizoz has tacos and tortas which are made on the spot with very fresh ingredients. Plus, they’re open seven days a week and provide a variety of options from breakfast to dinner.

I tried the the Tempura Shrimp taco, a filling snack with fried shrimp and slaw, garnished with pickled red onion, with cilantro lime aioli drizzled on top.

PitaLicious

PitaLicious has some of the best dolmas (grape leaves) I’ve had since my late grandmother used to make them. Getting them store-bought just isn’t the same. Add a little tzatziki sauce on top…even better. The food truck also had gyros and shawarma wraps along other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. The vendor at the food truck and I had a nice little conversation after he learned that I was Armenian and that he was Lebanese. It was almost like talking to a family member.

Hey Cupcake!

For those with a sweet tooth in need of some sugar while shopping at the many boutique shops in SoCo, Hey Cupcake! is conveniently located nearby the many trendy stores. Easily identified by the large cupcake prominently displayed on the trailer, Hey Cupcake! offers a handful of different flavors without being overly sweet and just the right amount of icing

Juice Austin

Lastly, when it’s officially summer, one has to cool down with a cold, refreshing drink from Juice Austin. The Watermelon Crawl, a seasonal drink, offers one the feeling of being reinvigorated while sitting in the shade after strolling down South Congress.

What are your favorite food trucks in Austin?

For more information, visit Austin Food Trucks for a listing of where to find these unique treats.