Everyone has heard of Franklin BBQ, but is it really worth the wait? Hours of waiting, and unless you were there since 8am, they will probably sell out before you put your order in. Nope, not worth it. Sure, it was on No Reservations and Best BBQ Ever, and On The Road Eats, but to us, its a lot of hype. Here are the real MVPs of the Austin food truck scene.
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10 Epic Food Trucks You Have to Try in Austin
1. La BBQ (902 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX 78702)
In this case, “La” is not a definite article referring to “Tex-Mex”, it’s an abbreviation referring to the first name of the co-owner LeAnn Mueller, granddaughter of the founder of Louie Mueller Barbecue. The brisket here is cooked for 12 to 15 hours at about 275 degrees, and has a smoke ring of perfection.
Like most BBQ trucks in Texas, they are open till they sell out. Get there at 11am when they open to guarantee yourself some lunch. Come on the weekend and there is free beer Friday through Sunday! The BBQ is amazing just the way it is, but try a little of their vinegar based sauce as well.
Photo: La BBQ
2. Gordough’s (1503 S 1st St., Austin, TX 78704)
They specialize in made to order, decadent, donuts with wild toppings. They have three locations now, but the trailer is our favorite. The line gets long after 10am so get there early.
The Mother Clucker and Granny’s Pie are our top 2 choices. The Mother Clucker is a glazed donut, topped with chicken strips and honey butter. Granny’s Pie is a glazed donut topped with caramel, pecans, bananas & graham cracker crumbs.
Photo: Gordough’s
3. Torchy’s Tacos (1311 s. 1st Street, Austin, TX 78704)
Owner, Michael Rypka left his fancy executive chef job to chase his dreams and in 2006, Torchy’s Tacos opened on Bouldin Creek at South 1st.
The menu was designed by the customers. Whenever Mike heard his customers holler “damn these tacos are good!” they were added to the menu. We ordered the taco of the month, which happened to be The Tipsy Chick : grilled chicken and corn, green chiles, baby spinach, homemade maple bacon and bourbon marmalade, cheddar cheese and chipotle ranch sauce served on a flour tortilla.
Don’t forget the queso and chips, recently voted #1 by locals.
Photo: Torchy’s Tacos
4. Hey!.. You Gonna Eat That Or What? (1720 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX 78704)
Order from the 2013 Truck by Truckwest winner. We ordered the Shiner Bock Monte Cristo, a Shiner Bock beer-battered monte cristo, with pit-smoked ham, mesquite-smoked turkey, cheddar and provalone cheese with a side of homemade cherry and fig jelly.
5. Ms P’s Electric Cock (1101 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78704)
Stop giggling at the name and keep reading. This place is cooking up the best fried chicken in Austin. Open at noon daily, they close when they are out of farm fresh chicken. Ms Ps Electric Cock cooks with sustainable, top quality products locally sourced. The fried chicken is fresh (never frozen) and is antibiotic free, hormone free with no additives or preservatives.
We ordered the Hen Scratch Slider, boneless tenders with slaw on a sweet roll, and a 2 piece of fried chicken, spicy and juicy, served with roll and jalapeño.
Photo: Ms P’s Electric Cock
6. Bananarchy (603 W Live Oak Street, Austin, TX 78704)
Going here reminds us of hot days at the fair, waiting for a hand dipped, chocolate covered, frozen banana. The only choices then were nuts or no nuts? Always nuts. At Bananarchy, there are endless topping choices on their menu, or you can create your own disater concoction. We ordered the double dip chocolate with M&M’s and chocolate dip with nuts and oreos.
Photo: Banarchy
7. Cow Tipping Creamery (2512 Rio Grande Street, Austin, TX 78705)
The menu is huge, and the possiblities are endless. Soft serve goes to another level with the ice cream trailer’s stackers, which layer everything that makes sundaes delicious, including housemade ingredients, like fresh fruit purees. We went for the cara-nutella popcorn stacker.
Photo: Cow Tipping Creamery
8. 40⁰ North (1502 S 1st Street, Austin, TX 78704)
Clint, a New York lawyer-turned-chef opened this wood-fired pizza trailer specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza after moving to Austin in 2011. He left the law behind to study the craft of pizza making in Naples, Italy. They were also just listed on Thrillist’s 10 Best Pizza Spots in Austin. They are famous for their Hot Honey pizza which has San Marzano tomatoes, hot coppa, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, and Mike’s Hot Honey.
Photo: 40⁰ North
9. Chi’Lantro
Chi’Lantro is one of the only trucks on this list that actually changes locations. Click here for their schedule of locations. Their truck is the original home of the Kimchi Fries. Their food is a Korean-Mexican fusion truck with some crazy combinations. They serve hybrid tacos, burritos, and bowls that combine Korean tastes and tradition with Texas’ rich Hispanic culture. We ordered the Kimchi Fries, of course! Who could resist a tower of crispy fries topped with caramelized kimchi, cheddar, monterey jack, cilantro, onions, magic sauce, sriracha, and sesame seeds?
Photo: Chi’Lantro
10. Luke’s Inside Out (1109 S Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704)
Luke Bibby and his wife Tracy run this French inspired food trailer located next to the Gibson Bar. Everyday there are three daily specials on the menu in addition to the regular menu items. We opted for The Chicken, a grilled sandwich filled with spciy, Schezuan fried chicken topped with sesame slaw. 
Photo: Luke’s