The sizzle and pop from the grill inside the truck entices on-the-go foodies. Memphis food trucks provide some of the tastiest and cheapest cuisine you can eat,  with local charm and quick pace making lunch breaks all the more enjoyable. Once you get past the busy parking lots, trucks like Taqueria Express #5, Taco Nganas and Tacos Los Jarochos supply just the right food to make you forget about it.

Taqueria Express’ appeal is definitely the assortment of items to choose from. If you time it right, there is almost no wait, allowing  plenty of time to choose which authentic food you desire. After looking over the menu, I decided on the taco salad and was pleasantly surprised at the inviting taste and smell. The shell, meat, sour cream and lettuce worked together to create an otherwise bland assortment of ingredients into something special. It was fresh, warm, and had the perfect amount of flavor– the taco salad even made me forget how freezing cold it was outside, which I applaud. 

“They’re ten out of ten, some of the best authentic tacos I’ve had, and they’re only 99 cents each,” Nya Goble (10) said. “The tacos paired with cheap prices and excellent service makes for a quality meal. The food at this food truck is better than I’ve had at restaurants and I would definitely recommend them.”

Next on my list was Taco Nganas, a food truck neatly decorated with their own seating area to accompany  guests. The tables and clear speakers that would call out order names added to the ambiance and created a more orderly environment. The wait time was fairly quick, and the outcome of the food was amazing. The to-go box had a smell that even the pickiest of people couldn’t withstand. The taco itself included shredded chicken which was cooked just enough that it was tender and juicy. It also had toppings such as lettuce, sour cream, fresh cilantro and onions that stole the spotlight. This combo makes Taco Nganas’s chicken tacos, by far, the most appetizing tacos I’ve ever had, and I regret not ordering more. 

“We found Taco Nganas by accident when we were driving around Summer, but the steak tacos were great and decently priced,” Sofia Liu (10) said. “The way the truck was set up was really nice too.”

At my final stop, I found myself at Tacos Los Jarochos, another food truck set up along Summer Avenue. Although the parking lot was quite small, the food made up for the hassle. After ordering another chicken I found that the meat and cheese were satisfactory but the soft shell wasn’t to my liking. It was a smaller and round soft shell that I hadn’t seen before, so it could have been a shell that I’ve never tasted before.  I got it to go and they were kind enough to include sauces such as hot sauce and salsa that I could add to the taco to complete the meal.

“I ordered a gringas con pastor y queso and I would heavily recommend it; I got a perfect amount of cheese melted in it with some really solid pastor,” Ben Lappin (11) said. “I have been to that food truck four times, if I am in the area and I feel like having ‘quick’ food while I’m out, I’d definitely go there.”

Each taco truck was well rounded and should be considered a staple of Memphis cuisine. Those who have yet to try taco trucks in Memphis should make their first stop at any of the trucks mentioned previously to enjoy palatable and appetizing tacos.