Food trucks are gaining in popularity in food scenes across the globe and Galveston is no exception. With more than 35,000 food trucks registered across the country, Texas ranks second in the U.S. with over 3,500 mobile eateries. With 47 food trucks currently registered in the City of Galveston, the island echoes the nine percent annual growth in mobile food trailers across the nation that accounts for over a billion dollars in revenue.

Texas was a trail blazer in the establishment of this industry. The first push carts date back to chuck wagons that served trail-driving cowboys as far back as the Civil War. The chili carts in San Antonio were established over 100 years ago, making them one of the country’s earliest mobile food courts.

Food trucks have historically been associated with easy-to-prepare foods for on-the-go eating, such as hot dogs or street tacos. In time, mobile food trailers evolved, and current-day menus offer varieties of cuisine that range from the simple to the sophisticated. While some food trucks began as less expensive alternatives to brick-and-mortar restaurants, others operate as extensions of established restaurants or act as a precursor to opening a traditional eatery.

Thanks to social media, it is now easier to reach and engage customers as well. There are multiple pages dedicated to local food trucks on Facebook and Instagram.

Whether they are feeding folks at a festival, a farmer’s market, or from your local street corner, Galveston food trucks offer a wide variety of eats on the go. Galveston Monthly Magazine has compiled a few favorites that have been recommended by our readers and staff.

 

CAPTAIN CEVICHE 6102 Stewart Road @ 61st Street • 281.889.9460
Young entrepreneur Isai Romero, 23, otherwise known as Captain Ceviche, opened his popular food truck on Galveston Island in the summer of 2022. This small business specializes in fresh, quality ceviche and lobster dishes. Word quickly spread among locals and on social media platforms as photos of lobster rolls and ceviche were shared repeatedly.

There are currently 12 items on the menu; eight different styles of ceviche and four lobster dishes. Customers can sit at one of the outdoor picnic tables or take their food to go – perfectly packed for beach eating.

“We realized there was a need for this kind of food on Galveston; no one serves anything like us,” Romero said.

“The Galveston community has been very welcoming to us and for that we are grateful. We work hard and are dedicated to our craft and to service. Making ceviche and lobster dishes is our passion and we are living the American dream,” he said.

Romero plans to open more trucks and grow his business in the future.

DARLENE’S SHRIMP SHACK 1727 61st Street • 409.740.4118
Jason Reuter was born and raised on Galveston Island and has been shrimping with his family since he was old enough to stand on his own two feet. He opened Darlene’s Shrimp Shack on a waterfront plot on 61st Street in 2016 and has grown the business to include Aunt Margie’s Bait and Seafood Market, next door.

The business is named for Reuter’s mother, Darlene, and he uses nothing but jumbo, wild-caught, Gulf shrimp. He says the key to his success is using fresh, quality products and setting reasonable, affordable prices.

Fried shrimp baskets come in eight different flavors and they are served with signature hush puppies. The garlic parmesan and Cajun flavored are customer favorites. “Think Wing Stop options but only we use jumbo fried shrimp,” Reuter said.

Deep-fried crab sticks, shrimp slaw and seasoned fries are also popular items. Scratch-made cocktail and tartar sauces are available and recipes for all of their menu items have been handed down for generations.

Darlene’s is accessible by car or boat - there are plenty of dock spaces and shaded picnic tables. Future plans include a waterside restaurant in the same location. The food truck is located on the west side of 61st Street, on the right as you drive on to the island.

EL JEFE MEXICAN FOOD TRUCK 3801 Broadway • 832.638.9168
This father-and-son-operated food stand is popular for dinner and late-night eating as they are open from 5pm until midnight on weekdays and from 5pm until 2:30am on Friday and Saturday evenings. They serve authentic Mexican cuisine including scratch-made tortas, gorditas, tacos, and quesadillas.

Moises Velez was born and raised in the Mexican State of Guerrero, a territory north and east of Acapulco, on the pacific coast. He moved to the United States to afford his family a better way of life. He is a self-taught chef; a trait he is passing on to his son and namesake. Together, the duo cranks out hundreds of dishes per day.

El Jefe’s famous Birria Tacos are served five to an order, using USDA-grade chuck beef that is cooked low and slow for more than six hours. A homemade consommé is served on the side for dipping or for sipping on while you wait for your order.

The tortas and gorditas are filled to overflowing and all of their salsas are scratch made daily. An array of light and refreshing agua frescas are also available.

The food truck is located on the south side of Broadway, nestled between Panaderia Navarro Bakery and the West End Cyle Co., on the corner of 38th Street.

GOLDEN ROOSTER TAQUERIA 3324 Broadway • 409.599.9809
You’ll find mom and pop behind the grill at this authentic Mexican taqueria and their children and grandchildren prepping and serving at this family-owned and run restaurant.

Janie and Javier Rodriguez cook food inspired by their hometown of Tampico, Mexico. They moved to the United States in the 1990s. Having worked in restaurants all of their lives, the Rodriguez family decided to try their hand at running their own place in their new hometown of Galveston. They opened the Broadway taqueria in the spring of 2017, offering tortas, quesadillas, fish tacos, shrimp cocktails, and street tacos.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this location is popular and often has lines during meal times. All of their food is scratch-made, and the servings are large. Both the red and green salsas are homemade and pack a punch. There is a shaded area with tables to sit on premises or you can get your meal to go.

 

SHRIMP ‘N STUFF FOOD TRUCK 16603 San Luis Pass Road in Jamaica Beach • 409.539.2459
Shrimp ‘N Stuff Restaurant has been a family-owned seafood restaurant since 1976 when the flagship restaurant opened at 3901 Avenue O. Known as “the place where the locals eat,” the restaurant was purchased in 2008 by Jeff Antonelli, who comes from a long line of Galveston residents and entrepreneurs.

In December 2014, Antonelli opened a second restaurant in downtown Galveston called Shrimp ‘N Stuff Downtown that is now located at 2506 Ball. The food truck that is located in the west end beach community of Jamaica Beach opened in 2012. Among the most popular dishes at the Shrimp ‘N Stuff Food Truck is the shrimp po’ boy. It is prepared with wild-caught, Gulf-coast shrimp that is fresh, never frozen, and breaded with a family recipe that dates back to the 1970s. The fish tacos are also popular with the locals, using fried or grilled fish or shrimp and topped with their special sauce - another family recipe that is scratch-made daily.

The food truck is located in the parking lot of the Ocean Food Mart and there is ample picnic seating, if you’re not on the go. The west end location is cash-only, and you will find an ATM inside the food mart.

They are a busy location, serving several hundred customers on their busiest days and there can be a line during meal times. Customers are encouraged to place large orders in advance by calling the number above.