Food Trucks in Nashville (2025)

A decade-plus icon still rolling with gourmet melts and tots. Frequently cited by Eater Nashville and Nashville Scene, and featured on Food Network. The truck posts weekly routes and remains a Street Eats regular.

Maiz de la Vida - Review - East Nashville - Nashville - The Infatuation

Everyone has that special taco spot. The one you swear by to get you through a long day of work, a hangover, or a breakup with your pilates studio (it’s not you … it’s definitely them). Maiz de la Vida, a permanently parked food truck in front of Chopper Tiki, is that taqueria for us. This is where you’ll find the pinnacle of taco construction: a soft corn shell that can hold any and all toppings without falling apart. And those tortillas are the foundation for the best quesabirria tacos in Nashville, a.k.a the reason why you hauled your friends here after biking around Shelby Bottoms. So, what’s the deal with these magical corn disks? Sure, they hand-make the tortillas themselves daily, but they use corn from Mexico and a traditional nixtamalization process that creates stunningly perfect tortillas. Ones that make those Old El Paso ones at Kroger look like toilet paper. photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin photo credit: Casey Irwin Pause Unmute They’re a beautiful base for tacos stuffed with battered cobia and green chili chicken, and the quesabirria at Maiz has become a local legend. Its crispy cheese exterior and rich consomme inspire everyone from sound techs in East Nash to soccer moms in Brentwood to come get some takeout. Pair it up with roasted elote and a churro for a meal that’s full of texture and crunch. Maiz de la Vida will soon have an actual dining room of their very own in the Gulch with more space for taco feasting. And we can’t wait. Food Rundown Tortillas These are quite possibly the most perfect tortillas in all of Tennessee. They’re about the size of your palm, sturdy yet pliable, and able to take just the perfect amount of beef, chicken, and Topo-battered fish. Quesabirria Tacos There’s grilled cheese and tomato soup … and then there’s this. The satisfying crunch of the crispy cheese exterior on the tacos gets a little help from the rich, complexly layered consomme that’s there for dipping. You’re never going to settle for Campbell’s again. photo credit: Casey Irwin Elote Cobbs get generously smothered in Duke’s mayo, cotija cheese, and just a touch of pequin pepper to keep things interesting. Order one as a side. photo credit: Casey Irwin Churros Two, seven-inch churros come in an order, along with a side of caramel sauce for dipping. Warm, crunchy, and coated with sugar and cinnamon, they’re the perfect dessert. photo credit: Casey Irwin - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

Brave Idiot - Review - East Nashville - Nashville - The Infatuation

Brave Idiot is a permanently parked food truck behind No Quarters in East Nashville that makes some of the best hot chicken in the city. They use high-quality pieces of chicken, which yield a ridiculously crisp skin that gives way to a juicy bird. And you can really taste every individual spice without feeling like your face is melting off like Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. (It’s only, like, 65% melted.) All of this makes them hot chicken royalty. Yet, they still serve incredible burgers like smashpatty behemoths loaded with gooey cheese and served in all kinds of brain-twisting variations—they'll use tortilla wraps or potato/cheese pierogis instead of a traditional bun. Not to mention that the owner is just so damn nice, and the whole operation is really fun. Not to mention that the owner is just so damn nice, and the whole operation is really fun. Case in point: If you show them a picture of your cat, you get a discount. Food Rundown Chicken Tenders For hot chicken purists, the chicken tenders are the best way to really appreciate what Brave Idiot is doing in terms of its blend of smoked pepper spice. Three tenders come with an order, and you have 10 spice levels from which to choose. Level four is a sweet spot, just enough heat to keep things interesting but not enough to singe the taste buds on your palate. photo credit: Casey Irwin Hot Chicken Sandwich The sandwich takes a great thing (the tenders) and makes it even better with tangy pickles, a cooling schmear of pimento cheese, and hit of sweet pepper relish. Loaded into a Chapier’s bun, it sets off a lot of different taste receptors in a glorious way. photo credit: Casey Irwin Picksey Chick The premise is a simple: a chicken tender loaded into a dill pickle boat. It may not sound like much, but the acid in the pickle makes the spices on the tender pop in an unexpectedly delightful way. photo credit: Casey Irwin Crunchsmash This is burger innovation at its finest. Brave Idiot’s take a play from the Taco Bell playbook and wraps a smash burger, griddled onions, american and pimento cheese, salt and vinegar chips, and ranch sauce in a jumbo size tortilla wrap. The tortilla is large and sturdy enough to hold all of the fillings until your very last bite. Which means, no sad “burger salads” at the bottom of the plate. - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

Chef B. “Yayo” Jimenez’s veteran taco truck, a frequent feature in Eater Nashville roundups. Known for mahi‑mahi and brisket tacos and cheese‑crusted “Yayo‑style” tortillas; still active weekly at markets and Street Eats.

A salsa-soundtracked school bus serving ultra‑crisp Cartagena‑style empanadas, patacones, and yuca fries. Consistently recommended by Eater Nashville and present at major 2025 events and Street Eats.

Family‑run Hawaiian truck dishing huli huli chicken, kalua pork, mochiko chicken, and spam musubi. Appears at Cheekwood nights and neighborhood gatherings; also highlighted by Eater Nashville.

Chef Shaticka Robinson’s barbecue truck blends Southern soul with creative sides; celebrated by Axios Nashville after a Netflix Barbecue Showdown win. Look for festival pop‑ups and Cheekwood appearances.

Thai and Lao street classics—pad kra pao, drunken noodles, curries—with gluten‑free options. A regular in Eater Nashville’s guides and active around Middle Tennessee in 2025.

Husband‑and‑wife dessert truck serving warm cobblers and cobbler shakes. Featured by Visit Music City and seen at downtown park pop‑ups in 2025; track the vintage Sweet Loretta truck or the East Side schedule.

Family‑run Tex‑Mex truck since 2015, beloved for Jim’s Nachos, white queso, and street tacos. Frequently appears at Street Eats and community events; noted on city event calendars.