New Orleans' 10 Best Food Trucks: The Ultimate 2026 Guide

Cuisine: Venezuelan/Latin American
Yelp: 4.0 stars | 63+ reviews
Founded: November 19, 2011

Chef Benoit Angulo, a Venezuelan native who learned to make arepas at age 9, launched La Cocinita after meeting his wife Rachel at Commander's Palace. The concept was inspired by Caracas' "Calle del Hambre" (Hunger Street) late-night food carts. La Cocinita has received exceptional media recognition: Bravo's Top Chef (Season 11), Food Network's Eat Street, Cooking Channel's Taco Trip with Aaron Sanchez, and CNBC's Restaurant Start-Up. Named "best food truck in New Orleans" and one of the 101 best food trucks in America. Benoit also served as personal chef for Sylvester Stallone.

Locations:

• Brick & mortar: 4920 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115 — Daily 11am-9pm
• Food truck: Roams to farmers markets, Tulane/Loyola area, breweries

Menu Highlights:

• El Pabellon (Venezuelan national dish) – $12-15 | Arepas with brisket, sweet plantains, queso fresco, black beans & cremita
• Lechon Arepas – Braised pork in Venezuelan cornmeal patties
• Build-Your-Own Bowls – $10-15 | Rice, beans, choice of protein
• Signature sauces: Guasacaca (Venezuelan guacamole), "Stupid Hot" sauce, cilantro-green onion

Reviews: "I tried the lechon arepas last night. They were ridiculously good!" | "This food truck shows up at my work parking lot regularly."

Contact: (504) 309-5344 | lacocinita.com | @lacocinita

Cuisine: Tex-Mex fusion tacos
Yelp: 4.0 stars | 144+ reviews
Founded: 2010

Navy veteran Alex Del Castillo and wife Beth pioneered the New Orleans food truck trend when they converted an old barbecue truck in 2010. Their late-night Twitter announcements — "Locked tires. Lit fires..." — became legendary among followers tracking the truck to bars like Kingpin and Dos Jefes Cigar Bar. Featured on Anthony Bourdain's "The Layover" (2013) and mentioned in New York Times travel coverage.

Locations:

• Restaurant: 5535 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115 — Dinner 5pm-10pm
• Food truck: Still operates at events, Kingpin, Dos Jefes, Tchoup Yard

Menu Highlights:

• "Messin' With Texas" – $4-5 | Slow-roasted brisket on shredded cabbage with crema, salsa Picante, cilantro, radishes
• "Seoul Man" – Korean bulgogi chicken with kimchi
• Avocado Fries (BFE - "Best Fries Ever") – Lightly battered, freshly fried — fan favorite
• "Cinco de Taco" – Five-taco sampler plate
• San Diego-style Burritos – Made with fries instead of rice and beans

Reviews: "Hands down. The. Best. Taco. In. Nola! If you see this taco truck, buy something." | "The Avocado Fries were delicious."

Contact: (504) 307-4747 | @TLNola (Twitter for real-time locations)

Cuisine: Southern/Cajun — Fried chicken sandwiches, cracklin'
Yelp: 4.0+ stars | 146+ reviews
Founders: Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley

Starting as a pop-up, Southerns built a fleet of three food trucks during the pandemic before opening their first brick-and-mortar in Metairie in 2024. They've accumulated remarkable accolades: 2019 National Fried Chicken Festival top honors; 2023 Oak Street Po-Boy Festival — four awards including Best of the Fest, Best Shrimp, Best Pork, and Best Specialty Po-Boy. Featured on Fox 8 Live.

Locations:

• Restaurant: 4620 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70006
• Food truck: Fridays at Second Line Brewing; events citywide
• Hours: Tue-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun-Mon 11am-8pm

Menu Highlights:

• Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich – Their signature claim to fame
• Original Fried Chicken Sandwich – With yuzu aioli and slaw
• Cracklin' – Ranked among Louisiana's best; also Filipino adobo-flavored cracklins
• Fries with Thai Aioli
• Queso Burger – "Kicking" burger with queso

Reviews: "This is the best chicken sandwich in the South! Well-seasoned, crispy, and juicy!" | "Hands down, the BEST pickles I've ever eaten!!!"

Contact: (504) 345-2097 | @southernsfood

Cuisine: Fried chicken sandwiches, fries, wings
Yelp: 4.5 stars | 29+ reviews
Owner: Mary Maher

Bonafried launched as a pop-up in 2006 and converted a bread delivery truck into a food truck in 2016, becoming New Orleans' first dedicated fried-chicken-sandwich truck. Won 2022 National Fried Chicken Festival "Best Use of Chicken in a Dish" award. Received celebrity endorsements from Kevin Smith (Jay and Silent Bob). Currently planning a brick-and-mortar near the fairgrounds (expected 2025).

Regular Schedule:

• Tuesdays 11am-1:30pm: 1515 Poydras St (across from Superdome)
• Thursdays 11am-1:30pm: LSU Medical School, Gravier at Bolivar St

Menu Highlights:

• Fried Chicken Sandwich – Multiple variations including spicy with garlic chile oil
• Chicken wings – Fried in duck fat
• Loaded fries – Various toppings available
• Sliders – Multiple varieties
• Cheese curds
• Vegetarian option: Boca patty sandwich

Reviews: "Even better than the famous Popeyes sandwich." | "If Kristen Vangsness had a side gig it would be selling the best fried chicken sandwiches in New Orleans."

Contact: (504) 756-6477 | @bonafriedtruck

Cuisine: Gourmet Creole hot dogs
Yelp: 4.0+ stars | 19+ reviews
Founder: Chef Ericka Michelle Lassair ("Chef Diva")

New Orleans native Ericka Lassair graduated from Southern University and Delgado's Culinary Arts School before launching Diva Dawg in 2012. Media features include: Condé Nast Traveler (Red Bean Chili Dawg named "most unusual frank"), BET's Top 10 black-owned businesses, BuzzFeed Tasty, Destination America's "Last Call Food Brawl", and the Girls Trip movie (2017).

Location: Roams throughout New Orleans CBD, medical district, events

Menu Highlights:

• Red Bean Chili Dawg – Topped with fried chicken & Diva Dawg aioli ketchup — THE signature
• Étouffée Chili Dawg – Hot dog with crawfish étouffée sauce
• Crawfish Étouffée Fries – Crawfish, shrimp & crab with étouffée sauce
• Veggie Dog – Three-bean veggie chili with corn, carrots, mirlitons, mushrooms
• Praline Candy Shake
• Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding – With apple crown royal (featured on BuzzFeed)

Reviews: "The food truck offers an incredible variety including a Crawfish grilled cheese and an étouffée hotdog that blew me away."

Contact: divadawgtruck.com | @divadawgtruck

Cuisine: Cajun/Creole, Southern street food
Yelp: 4.0+ stars | 17+ reviews
Chef/Owner: Micah Martello (Certified Executive Chef, 33+ years experience)

Chef Micah Martello, a Baton Rouge native, operates one of New Orleans' most acclaimed Cajun food trucks. Highly sought for wedding catering with top ratings on TheKnot and WeddingWire.

Location: 3501 Jourdan Rd, New Orleans, LA 70126 — Available for festivals, breweries, private events, weddings

Menu Highlights:

• Original Crawfish Poutine – $12 | Fresh-cut fries with cheese curds topped with buttery crawfish étouffée
• Trash Grits – $11 | Cheese grits with smoked pulled pork, grilled onions, smoked gouda, sriracha, fried egg
• Chicken and Waffle – Belgian waffle with fried boneless chicken, whipped honey butter, Steen's bourbon-cane syrup
• Hot Chicken Po'Boy – Nashville-style hot chicken
• Brisket Burger – Fresh-ground brisket with sweet-hot pickles, roasted garlic mayo
• Cubano Sandwich – Spice-roasted pork loin, tasso, pickles, smoked gouda, jalapeño-garlic aioli

Reviews: "The Crawfish Poutine — holy Cajun crustacean, this food is DELICIOUS." | "We had very picky foodie type guests and they were raving."

Contact: (504) 475-7979 | feteaufete.com

Cuisine: African-inspired vegan/plant-based
Yelp: 5.0 stars (perfect rating) | 15+ reviews
Founders: April and Ogban Okpo

Ogban Okpo, from Calabar, Nigeria — a region known for West Africa's finest cuisine — learned to cook in his mother's kitchen at age 8 and brings 40+ years of experience to every dish. Named one of USA Today's Top 20 Vegan Restaurants in the Southeast. Regular presence at Saints games (Champions Square), Essence Festival, and Festival International de Louisiane. Black-owned business.

Locations:

• Mobile: Greater New Orleans area
• Common spots: CBD lunchtime, Champions Square (Saints games)
• Hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-6pm (Closed Sundays)

Menu Highlights:

• The Mandela Burger – 100% soy-free, gluten-free vegan bean burger; served with baked curried potatoes (five sauce varieties)
• Armstrong Shawarma Wrap – Creamy shawarma with vegetables, herbs, spices, tofu
• Marley Jolly Rice – African-inspired rice with infused veggies, mushrooms, fried plantains, seasoned tofu
• Makeba Waina & Palm-Oil Stew – North African mini rice cakes with mushroom palm-oil stew
• Vegan Jerky – Spicy wheat gluten with hot spices and herbs

Reviews: "100% plant-based restaurants are hard to find in this area. The burger was fresh and bursting with flavor." | "If you see the truck, get one!"

Contact: (504) 301-6954 | tanjarinekitchen.com | @tanjarinenola

Cuisine: Traditional Thai
Yelp: 4.5 stars | 23+ reviews
Founders: Chef Suda Oun-in and Jeerasak Boonlert

Chef Suda grew up in Chiang Rai, Thailand, and completed the prestigious culinary program at Dusit Thani College in Bangkok. After years polishing skills at restaurants including Uptown's La Thai, the couple launched their food truck in August 2015. Now also operates the "Pink House" brick-and-mortar restaurant in Old Gretna.

Locations:

• Food truck: Loyola Ave near Energy Centre; Tulane Ave near Tulane Medical Center; Bolivar St near LSU Health Sciences Center; Gretna Farmers' Market (Saturdays)
• Restaurant: 93 5th St, Gretna, LA 70053 (the "Pink House")
• Hours: Tue-Thu Lunch 11am-2pm, Dinner 5-8pm; Fri-Sat extends to 9pm; Mon Closed

Menu Highlights:

• Pad Thai – Their most popular item, known for huge portions
• Green Curry – Warm coconut curry
• Khao Soi – Coconut-based soup with red curry, red onions, lime, ramen noodles
• Pineapple Fried Rice – Served in half a pineapple
• Drunken Noodles
• Mango Sticky Rice and Coconut Creme Brulee (desserts)
• Thai Iced Tea and Thai-jito cocktails

Reviews: "Thai Djing is the best food truck in New Orleans!" | "Huge portions for one person. Seriously amazing."

Contact: (504) 766-0681 | thaidjing.com | @thaidjing

Cuisine: Gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
Yelp: 4.0 stars | 30+ reviews
Founder: Jason King (Black-owned)

Jason King created Frencheeze as a class project while pursuing joint MBA/JD degrees at Howard University. After working as an attorney, he decided food was more fun and launched the truck in 2012 with a $1,500 step van. The truck is named after their French bulldog "Bootz," whose image adorns the vehicle.

Location: 2381 Saint Claude Ave, New Orleans (daily 8am-9pm; 10pm Fri-Sat) — Also serves CBD area, medical centers, Joy Theater

Menu Highlights:

• The Bootz – Sharp cheddar, Colby, and Swiss — named after owner's dog
• The Rachel – Smoked Gouda, provolone, truffled pesto, tomato, spinach
• The Percival – Hoisin-glazed brisket, raspberry preserves, pickled onions, goat cheese
• The Molly – Avocado, heirloom tomato, bacon, pesto, spinach, goat cheese on croissant
• The 4th Grader – Classic cheddar (nostalgic option)
• Gourmet Frites – Options include pulled pork with liquid gold, Parmesan with rosemary truffle aioli
• Fried Mac & Cheese Balls
• Gluten-free bread always available

Reviews: "Like an edible game of Jenga, each Frencheeze sandwich achieves equilibrium despite a list of ingredients that sounds like more than can possibly fit." — NOLA.com

Contact: frencheezefoodtruck.com | Follow Twitter for real-time locations

Cuisine: BBQ, Cajun seafood, Southern comfort
Yelp: 4.0+ stars | 23+ reviews, 40 photos

A long-running staple of the New Orleans food truck scene, Queen on Wheels has earned a reputation for generous portions — one reviewer noted "$13 bought a meal for 4" — and homemade BBQ sauce.

Location: 1415 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112 (CBD near Superdome)
Hours: Mon 10:30am-5:30pm; Tue-Fri 11am-5:30pm; Sun 9am-5:30pm

Menu Highlights:

• Fried Shrimp Po'Boys
• BBQ Pork Steak Platters
• Grilled Chicken Plates
• Smoked Sausage and Hot Sausage
• Fall-off-the-bone BBQ Ribs
• Rotating specials: Gumbo, boudin balls, fried fish, jambalaya, white beans with smoked sausage
• Seafood platters: Oyster, fish, shrimp

Reviews: "Holy moley! This truck is awesome. Huge portions! For 13 bucks I got a meal for 4." | "As a German, I know what good sausages are! The Queen on Wheels makes great cajun food."

Contact: Facebook: Queen on Wheels

Food Truck Parks and Gathering Spots

Earhart Boulevard Food Truck Plaza (Opening February 2025)
The city's $2.1 million dedicated food truck plaza will accommodate 8 food trucks near the Superdome. Features include murals, benches, ADA-compliant access, and bicycle parking. Opening timed for Super Bowl LIX.

Champions Square
The outdoor festival space between Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Benson Tower hosts Food Truck Friday and game-day vendors. Multiple trucks including La Cocinita, Frencheeze, Thai D-Jing, Bonafried, and Tanjariné Kitchen regularly serve here.

Weekly Events

Food Truck Friday at Champions Square

• When: Fridays, 11am-2pm
• Where: Champions Square, LaSalle Street
• Features: Multiple food trucks, live music, ticket giveaways

Freret Market

• When: First Saturday of every month (except June-August), 11am-4pm
• Where: Freret Street and Napoleon Avenue
• Features: ~70 vendors including food trucks, art, live music

How to Track Food Trucks

Mobile Apps: StreetFoodFinder, Best Food Trucks, Roaming Hunger, TruckSpotting, NOMAD (local NOLA app)

Social Media: Follow @nolafoodtrucks (Instagram), @championssquare, and individual trucks on Twitter

Pro Tip: Twitter is essential — many trucks announce daily locations with phrases like "Locked tires. Lit fires..."