Austin, Texas is known for a number of things: being weird, SXSW, 6th Street, and food. Food trucks. These delights can be found anywhere. Self-standing on campus or on a corner, in a moving lot with 3-5 other trucks, or permanently pitched in one of the most popular places. There are dozens and dozens of these trucks, serving tacos, local organic, gourmet brunch items, and decadent, gourmet doughnuts that need about two days to digest. As often as I try to frequent them, I am still discovering them all over this city and instead of one countdown or a best-of-each-taste feature, I will be bringing you ongoing rave and wretch reviews of these mobile gems.
To kick this off, I want to feature my three favorite trucks geared towards feeding your sweet tooth. Dessert is something I will almost always pass up, but when someone mentions visiting one of these trucks, to say no would be a sin.
Hey Cupcake!Located in the famous SoCo (South Congress) food truck lotwebsiteHey Cupcake! is a place that I had heard people rave about before even moving to Austin. Large, moist cupcakes that are large enough to share, but so delectable that you may not want to (and only $3!). With five locations there is always one close to where you are, even if you’re not especially close to downtown. The menu features nine cupcakes and they also carry one or two flavors from a local vegan bakery so everyone can have a cupcake! The flavors range from traditional, vanilla and chocolate combinations (their chocolate cake with a cream cheese top is called the Michael Jackson) to more specialized flavors like their “24 Carrot” and “Cherry SubLIME”( key lime cake with cream cheese frosting and a candy cherry on top). Always helpful and friendly, these guys will even hook you up with a gift box and candle for special occasions!
The Holy Cacao Located in the South 1st St. food lotwebsiteMMMMMMMMM cake balls. The first time I had a homemade cake ball I fell in love and the first time I sunk my teeth into one of these cake balls, there were no words. Featured on the Cooking Channel’s Foodography, Holy Cacao features delicious cake balls as well as a multitude of chocolate drinks both frozen and hot. A little less traditional that Hey Cupcake!, the flavors here are a tad more exotic. Sure you can get one with all chocolate features, but how often do you find a cake ball featuring chocolate cake, ancho chile-infused cream cheese frosting and topped with ancho-chile flavored walnuts? Known as “The Diablo”, this flavor is their most famous. I tried it originally against my wishes, but the spicy kick is folded so well into the chocolate, I finished the rest of the dessert myself.
Gourdough’s
Also located in the South 1st St. food lotwebsiteHold on to your hats and foodgamsms, kids! The website link here is necessary to supplement this bit, as there is just too much going on to these doughnuts! Perfect for munchies any time of the day or night (their hours are 7 or 8AM-3AM everyday), Gourdough’s has a menu 24-doughnuts strong and at the end of the long and coma-enducing menu is the God of all footnotes telling you can build your own doughnut using ANY number of the menu items for the same price as their standard doughnuts (are you drooling yet?) I cannot stress how crazy this truck is and how genius of a concept it is. Want a doughnut with apple pie filling, cream cheese icing, caramel, and dry roasted peanuts? Try The Carney. How about habanero jelly and cream cheese? Get the Slowburner. Or maybe you want bacon and maple syrup on your doughnut? The Flying Pig is for you! Keep in mind that you could also have a doughnut topped with bacon, apple pie filling, and habanero jelly. I’ll leave you to rest peacefully in your euphoric doughnut coma.
Readers from Austin and those that have visited,
have you tried your pallate at these places? What are some of your favorite trucks in Austin?
image source 1,2,3,4
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Comments (9)
Ahh, I think I see Tampa's Taco Bus!!!
I've definitely said this before but Chilantro is my favorite food truck in Austin! It's Korean-TexMex fusion and so, so delicious. I have heard a lot of wonderful things about the trucks down on SoCo near Hey Cupcake! as well as good things about Patika, a coffee truck as well. There are plenty of food trucks on South Lamar as well.
Sounds like PDX! My bff worked one of the Hey Cupcake! locations for a while, it sounds super delicious. Thanks for sharing pics!
@aftershejumped@xanga - I have heard the same thing. I've made a point to visit once or twice, but only to be greeted by a closed truck lol.
torchy's tacos is delicious, and some snow cone truck i went to the name and location of which i don't remember. haha useless.
I'd thought pretty seriously lately about starting a coffee truck, as a lower-overhead cost option to starting a coffeehouse. Now I know I'd have some pretty stiff competition.
@corporatecrow@xanga - Was it Sno Beach? I HATE Snow cones, but Sno Beach is something else. I have been biasly converted haha.
@Taylor - yes, it was! they're incredible!