One of the greatest perks about living in sunny Austin, Texas? There’s most likely a reallyreallyreally great taco truck right around the corner. I’ve shared about the 18 best tacos in Austin before (<- a great blog post if you’re new to the ATX taco scene), and while there are lots of great taquerias and modern Mexican restaurants that have phenomenal tacos, I figured we could take it down a notch and chat about the best taco trucks in Austin.
A few things to note before we dive in: I’ve consumed a lot of these late at night. Or drunk. Or both. Taco trucks are often open until midnight or later, and I think that tacos taste best on a Saturday night, late late, after you’ve had a cocktail or three and you’re hanging out with friends in east Austin. They’re nice and salty and a tad greasy, and I think that a great carnitas or barbacoa taco is a much better drunk meal than Whataburger. Any day. (Sorry #everyoneelseinTexas.)
Here are the 16 best food trucks in Austin Texas:
1. El Primo Taco Truck
An oldie but a goodie, El Primo on South First street is probably one of the best tacos trucks in Austin (and one of the most popular, too!) It’s permanently parked in front of a convenience store. There’s a nice little crowd each morning for their made-to-order breakfast tacos, and it gets a bit crowded around lunchtime as well. The classics are good here: bacon/egg/cheese for breakfast, or a delicious pastor or carnitas taco for lunch.
El Primo
2101 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 227-5060
2. Cuantos Tacos
For some authentic Mexico City-style tacos, go to Cuantos Tacos food truck in east Austin. The tacos are inexpensive and tiny (2-3 bites each) and it’s worth trying everything on the menu. Trust me, you got this! They’re very small. They have different types of meat than you’re probably used to seeing, like buche (pork stomach) and suadero (brisket) and champioñones (my favorite, mushroom in adobo sauce).
Cuantos Tacos is parked in a lovely, spacious food truck park in east austin with ample room to join friends and family for a delicious meal of tacos.
Cuantos Tacos
1108 E 12th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 903-3918
3. Paprika ATX
This bright red truck in north Austin serves some of the most delicious tacos in Austin. Right when food truck opens, the line starts forming. (And look at my picture of those tacos…can’t you see why?!) The pork inside the carnitas taco is sous vide for 12 hours and it’s drippy and juicy and fabulous. You must try the quesadillas, which are basically the same thing as the tacos, except they’re filled with a layer of charred and melty cheese between the tortilla and the toppings. Bliss. As soon as I tasted these tacos, Paprika very quickly became one of my favorite taco trucks in Austin.
Paprika ATX
6519 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78752
(512) 716-5873
4. Las Trancas
A little old school and always popular, Las Trancas on E Cesar Chavez is a staple in the late night taco truck food scene in Austin Texas. These authentic Mexican tacos are served fresh, quick, and cheap. They serve all the classics you would expect to find (pastor, barbacoa, carnitas) and are best consumed on a corn tortilla while slightly intoxicated.
Las Trancas
1210 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
5. Rosita’s Al Pastor
Another OG Austin taco truck, Rositas Al Pastor has been serving delicious street tacos in Austin since 1985. Every local Austinite has been (probably multiple times!) for both their tasty breakfast tacos and their lunch/dinner tacos. The food truck is parked in the middle of a parking lot, and there are a few picnic tables that are covered with a white umbrella/awning. It’s very casual and a great place to get tacos to-go.
Rosita’s Al Pastor
1801 E Riverside Dr, Austin, TX 78741
(512) 442-8402
6. Pepe’s Tacos
Friends, you MUST try Pepe’s tacos in downtown Austin. They. Will. Blow. Your. Mind. They serve phenomenal birria-style tacos (what’s a birria taco? Find out here!) with consomme dipping sauce. These tacos are a crazy decadent, chewy, melty, take-a-nap-afterward sort of taco in Austin.
Pepe’s Tacos is a small taco truck on N Lamar, adjacent to downtown Austin. There are a few picnic tables where you can quickly eat your taco. I do recommend eating these on site though. They don’t taste as good after they’ve been steamed in their container, so plan on devouring it right away.
Pepe’s Tacos
704 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703
(737) 203-4175
7. Veracruz All Natural
Veracruz certainly serves some of the best tacos in Austin, and they’re on my list of really great taco trucks. They’re very popular for both local and tourists. In fact, this is probably the longest line you’ll find in Austin at a taco truck…. Worth it, though! It’s a food truck parked at Radio Coffee & Beer in south Austin (as well as several other locations – check their website.) Good vibes. Their breakfast tacos are kind of famous for being featured on the Food Network, but their lunch tacos are delicious, too.
Veracruz All Natural
4208 Menchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 629-8238
8. Asador
Asador is a phenomenal food truck (now with three locations – they’re so popular!) that offers some of the more unique tacos you’ll find at a food truck in Austin. Friends: they are SO GOOD. Rather than the typical classic tacos like pastor w/ cilantro and onion, Asador has more unique options like their beans + greens taco with refried black beans and grilled collard greens and habanero salsa, and a slow roasted brisket taco in a spicy smoked chile morita sauce.
Asador
700 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 869-9230
9. Taqueria Morales
This south Austin taco truck isn’t very well known, but Taqueria Morales is one of my favorite taco trucks in Austin. They make their own tortillas, and they’re scrumptious.
Taqueria Morales is a family-run taco truck parked in front of a gas station. You’ll get the true taco truck experience here!
Taqueria Morales
1415 W William Cannon Dr, Austin, TX 78745
(512) 906-4933
10. Taco Bronco
If you want some crazy good barbecue tacos in Austin, you must try Taco Bronco! They’re parked behind a kolache an craft beer place called BATCH, and they serve tacos made from BBQ meat from Mickelthwaite Craft Meats, one of the best barbecue joints in Texas. These tacos are sooooo delicious.
Taco Bronco
1309 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 571-2326
11. OneTaco
They’re a bit of a taco chain in Austin, and for good reason: OneTaco makes everything in-house, from the tortillas to the salsas to the fillings. They serve their delicious breakfast and lunch/dinner tacos at their 6 locations, but this little food truck is extra fun: they originally started as a food truck, so it’s a nod to the good old days! Try the Taco Gowalla, made with steak and bacon and avocado.
OneTaco Truck at Little Woodrow’s
520 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 539-7561
12. La Tunita 512
I mentioned Pepe’s Tacos already, but here’s another excellent birria taco place in Austin. La Tunita 512 is a bright blue trailer parked on the side of an east Austin gas station. It’s no frills and Austinites LOVE these tacos. The line will most likely start forming before they even open. Try their quesotaco, a birria taco that griddle in a layer of cheese and wrapped in another tortilla. Super melty and kinda charred, and so delectable.
La Tunita 512
2400 Burleson Rd, Austin, TX 78741
(512) 679-0708
13. Taquito Aviles
Tucked off of North Lamar, Taquito Aviles is a gem in the Austin taco truck scene. They have a pretty big menu, like tortas and soup and tacos, but I like to stick to the classics here: this is a very authentic Mexican food taco truck. Try the birria tacos, made with goat meat and a delicious, warming dipping broth. The fatty, flavorful carnitas taco and the soft barbacoa are both cheap (too cheap! He could charge more) and phenomenal.
Taquito Aviles
11218 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78753
(512) 574-6985
14. Discada
Discada is a phenomenal taco truck that serves one thing very well: discada-style tacos. It’s a method of cooking native to northern Mexico, and it’s kind of similar to paella cooking. The method stays the same, but the flavors and ingredients change. Discada ATX has their own unique flavors, and they’re insanely delicious. These tacos are little (order a bunch) and super tasty.
Discada
1319 Rosewood Ave, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 945-7577
15. Granny’s Tacos
A funny little name, but really good Mexican food. Granny’s tacos is a food truck in east Austin that serves tacos, burritos, and more. Their specialty tacos are where it’s at. I love the rico (chicken in a rich, spicy mole sauce) and the campechano (steak and chorizo + pico and avocado.)
Granny’s Tacos
1401 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 701-4000
16. Texsueño
Texsueño is a Tex Mex taco truck (not to be confused with a Mexcan taco truck…) They have craveable crispy tacos, a really unique sweet potato taco, and one of my favorite classic carnitas tacos in the city. Instead of offering the classic tacos you might find at evry other truck in Austin, Texsueño is just a little bit edgy with their menu offerings! This is one of the best Austin taco trucks for Tex Mex food.
TexSueño
2000 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
