Tampa Area Restaurants

Taco Bus

I’ll admit it: I get incredibly jealous when I hear about all of the awesome food trucks that can be found in cities around the country. They sound so fun…so varied…so exciting! Tampa really isn’t much into the food truck scene…yet. I can understand, but it makes me a bit sad.

However, there is a little gem of a “food truck” that can be found in Tampa called the Taco Bus. Now, this bus isn’t exactly mobile; their two locations are permanent. But they DO make all of the food inside a converted school bus. Kind of neat, huh?

You walk up to the side of the bus to place your order, and then you wait for your number to be called. There are a few outdoor tables to sit at, as well as a small, air conditioned building that is now available. When we stopped by for lunch one afternoon, I was shocked at how packed the lot was! Justin and I had to circle the block to find a parking space. In the end, it was worth it. You order your items a la carte, which allows for you to sample a variety of options. I had a really hard time making a selection. There are so many different and interesting options, including vegan, vegetarian, and wheat and gluten free menu items. There’s something for everyone, that is for certain.

Justin opted for the tacos:

Pin It

He ordered a couple of pork and chicken options: Puerco Asado (grilled, seasoned and diced pork), Cochinita Pibil (pork marinated in achiote and bitter orange then wrapped in banana leaves and slow roasted in a smoker), and Pollo (diced boneless skinless seasoned chicken breast). The Puerco Asado was his favorite of the three, but the unique flavors and textures of each taco were exciting for him.

I decided to sample the tostadas:

I opted for one with chicken and the other with Rajas con Queso (strips of roasted poblano pepper with Mexican cheese, salsa ranchera and sweet corn kernels). The tostadas are crunchy flat tortillas smothered with pinto beans and topped with your choice of filling, taco veggies and cheese. There were so many different flavors going on in both of the tostadas; I really enjoyed them both. One of my favorite aspects included the diced cabbage sprinkled on top. I’ve recently become a big fan of cabbage on tacos; the crunch and texture is really satisfying and a nice contrast to the refried beans/other soft ingredients. In addition, Taco Bus offers homemade red and verde sauces in bottles on each table; the verde was to die for (and quite spicy to boot; my favorite).

So, trip #1 to Taco Bus was definitely a success. I will note that the bus is located kind of a far distance from our home, so I wouldn’t necessarily make the drive all the way out there just for a taco. However, if I find myself in the area again, I will definitely be suggesting that we make a stop!

Are you a big fan of food trucks? What is your favorite truck to hit up when it’s in your area?

Taco Bus on Urbanspoon

12 Comments

Click here to post a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Interested in Sponsoring?

Click here for sponsorship information and booking! Or send me an email at helpfulhomemade@gmail.com to discuss opportunities!

Browse Categories

my foodgawker gallery
my craftgawker gallery

Browse the Archives