What the Truck: The Hottest Latino Food Truck Must-Trys Across the Country

The food truck trend is everywhere, from sporting events to private events to big cities to music/art/food festivals and everything in between. Once upon a time the idea of eating food out of a moving vehicle might have seemed like a terrible idea. And for the most part, food trucks seemed to exclusively serve questionably prepared hot dogs and stale pretzels. It felt wrong to willingly consume food that was whipped up in a truck. And besides, how good could the food be? Let us be the first to admit — we were wrong. That was then (and if we’re being honest, we were probably a little quick to judge) and this is now. Food trucks are taking the culinary world by storm, and it can be argued that they’re the most delicious, most fun, and most cost-effective way to enjoy authentic cuisines from around the world.

Make no mistake about it, food trucks are here to stay. They aren’t a passing fad or a bizarre food trend in cities where chefs can’t afford proper dining establishments. Food trucks are a thing, and not only are they not going away any time soon, but they are making serious bank in the food world.

According to The Economist, there are currently over 4,000 food trucks throughout the country (and that number seems to be growing), and from 2011 to 2016, food truck industry revenue grew at an annual rate of 7.9%. Off The Grid, a San Francisco-based company that helps support mobile food businesses by doing everything from designing the trucks to setting up vending groups to helping with marketing recently released its first Mobile Food Trends Report. The report breaks down the food truck trend and its projected growth for the future, and spoiler alert: this rapidly growing industry is taking over.

According to the report, the food truck industry alone is expected to grow by nearly 20 percent in 2019 alone, growing to a 985 million dollar business in the next year. Food trucks offer a ton of benefits to both business owners and patrons alike. For entrepreneurs it offers a chance to start a business with a smaller upfront investment but with more flexible opportunities and a larger reach to feed a bigger and more diverse audience. It also allows chefs to experiment with their menus, innovate more rapidly, stay ahead of the trends and focus on brand awareness and food quality, rather than increasing prices to make rent or investing in a permanent location that might not work.

And even Hollywood is catching on to the food truck trend. The hit movie Chef, staring Jon Favreau, was about a talented chef with a temper who leaves his job at a popular restaurant to run a food truck in Miami with his son, his ex-wife (the gorgeous Sofia Vergara) and his friend (the hilarious John Leguizamo). The film was well received by critics and fans alike, and it was nearly impossible to watch without craving an epic Cuban sandwich that can only be served from an authentic food truck.

Food trucks are a way for culinary professionals and business owners to innovate, to grow, to diversify their offerings and to satisfy a wide and growing audience of foodies with appetites for the best and most delicious food. If you’ve been hesitant to hit up your local food trucks in the past, now is the time to change your perception of these mobile kitchens and get in line, ready to dig in.

Not sure where to begin? Good news, we have the inside scoop on the best Latino food trucks around the country. If you’re lucky, there are some delicious, easily accessible and dare we say it, cheap, food trucks in your very own community.  If not, they are certainly worth the trip to check out the best Latino food trucks across the US, and trust us, come hungry.

5Houston

Taco tierra caliente Food Trucks
Photo Credit IG

One thing Houston seems to do really well where food is concerned is perfectly blend Southern charm with Texas style and Latin flavors. And the food truck offerings aren’t limited to just classic tacos, though they are some of the best classic tacos served throughout the city. Food truck offerings also feature fusion menus and more inventive Mexican cuisine. Tacos Tierra Caliente is one of Houston’s most famous taco trucks, and the original Tacos Tierra Caliente truck is almost 20 years old.

For two decades this truck has been serving up the best pastor taco in the city along with homemade flavors, sauces and only the freshest ingredients. While the truck serves the basics (quesadillas, tortas, tacos and burritos) they encourage customers to try new flavors and varieties (such as chicharron (pork skin) and lengua (beef tongue)). Coreanos is a Mexican/Korean fusion food truck, offering dishes that are the perfect blend of Mexican and Korean flavors, a combination you never knew you needed. The truck offers contemporary twists on Korean-inspired Mexican dishes — think Korean barbecue tacos, pork belly tacos, fusion burritos and more.

Phojitafusion Food Trucks

At Pho-jita Fusion Mexican flavors and traditional Latin dishes are blended with Thai recipes and ingredients. Think basil chicken quesadillas and tor-Thai, which is a soft Mexican bun with basil chicken, pico de gallo and Thai-mayo.