Here we go, aging ourselves a little.
Long before food trucks became trendy, there were canteen trucks, mobile luncheonettes and push carts bringing affordable meals to factory workers, military bases and city streets. Fast-forward a few decades and that simple idea has evolved into something considerably more interesting.
In Key West, some seriously good food is now coming through a serving window.
Fresh fish tacos, creative burgers, Jamaican jerk chicken, seafood and other island-inspired creations make food trucks a fun way to explore another side of the Key West dining scene—often without the price tag of a traditional sit-down restaurant.
They're casual, colorful and sometimes a little quirky.
In other words, they're a pretty natural fit for Key West.
Why Food Trucks Fit Key West So Well
Key West has never been particularly interested in formality.
Shorts and sandals work almost everywhere. Lunch doesn't need to be complicated. And some of the island's most memorable meals are found in places you might walk right past if you weren't paying attention.
Food trucks fit naturally into that personality.
You can grab something quick between attractions, make a truck part of a leisurely Old Town walk or venture farther across the island in search of something completely different.
Menus range from fresh seafood and tacos to burgers, Caribbean cooking and comfort food. Some trucks have permanent homes, while hours and menus can still change more frequently than at traditional restaurants.
The common thread is simple: good food doesn't need a dining room.
Garbo's Grill: Tiny Kitchen, Serious Following
Garbo's Grill is one of the best-known names in Key West's food-truck scene.
Located at Hank's Hair of the Dog Saloon at 409 Caroline Street, Garbo's has built a following around creative tacos, burgers and big flavors coming out of a remarkably small kitchen. Its menu includes the Umami Burger and fish tacos that helped put this little truck on the culinary map.
Garbo's has even appeared on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but television fame isn't really what makes it worth visiting. It's the combination of casual Key West atmosphere and food that refuses to be ordinary.
Garbo's is also convenient for visitors arriving aboard Key West Express. Caroline Street puts you in Old Town near the Historic Seaport, making it easy to work a food-truck stop into a day of exploring.
One Love Food Truck: Jamaican Flavor in the Keys
For a different take on island food, One Love Food Truck brings Jamaican, Caribbean and Key West influences together on Stock Island.
Chef Clive Thompson's menu draws on his Jamaican background while mixing in other Caribbean and international influences. Jerk and curry chicken, rice and beans, sweet plantains, tacos, seafood and other island flavors all make appearances.
One Love is located at 5220 Overseas Highway on Stock Island, so this one takes a little more planning than walking to a truck in Old Town. If you're exploring beyond downtown Key West, however, that's part of the adventure.
Pescado: Seafood Belongs in the Florida Keys
You can't talk about eating your way around Key West without making room for seafood.
Pescado operates at 1126 Truman Avenue and specializes in American- and Mexican-style seafood. Fish tacos are a favorite, but the current menu has expanded to include shrimp, birria, burritos, breakfast and other casual choices.
Pescado's Truman Avenue location also makes it a potential stop while exploring beyond the busiest blocks of Duval Street. Its current published hours are Monday through Saturday, although checking directly before making a special trip is always a good idea.
Don't Stop With Our List
Here's the problem with writing a list of Key West food trucks: the food-truck scene doesn't stand still.
Trucks move. Hours change. Menus evolve. New kitchens appear. Sometimes a place you've never heard of turns out to be the meal you talk about long after the trip.
So use these favorites as a starting point rather than a checklist.
If you spot a busy truck while you're exploring, take a look at the menu. Ask a local what they're ordering. Try something you've never eaten before.
That's much more in keeping with the spirit of Key West anyway.
Tips for Eating at Key West Food Trucks
Check the Hours Before You Go
Food trucks don't always operate like traditional restaurants. Hours can vary by day, season or location. If you're making a special trip for one particular truck, check its current hours first.
Don't Assume Every Truck Takes the Same Payments
Payment options vary. Cards and mobile payments are common, but carrying a little cash isn't a bad idea when you're exploring independent food vendors.
Be Ready to Wait
A line isn't necessarily bad news.
Popular trucks can get busy during lunch and dinner, and a tiny kitchen can only move so quickly. If there's a crowd waiting, you may have found exactly where you should be eating.
Try Something Different
This is not the time to order the same thing you eat at home.
Try the fish taco. Order the jerk chicken. Split something with your traveling companion so you can sample another truck later.
A food-truck crawl works best when everyone shares.
Check the Location
Not every Key West-area food truck is in Old Town or within walking distance of the ferry terminal. Look up the location before setting off, especially if you're visiting without a car.
Food Trucks Can Help Stretch Your Key West Budget
Key West offers everything from grab-and-go counters to elaborate waterfront dining, and there's room in a good vacation for both.
Food trucks give you another option.
A casual lunch can leave more room in the budget for an attraction, watersports, shopping—or perhaps that slice of Key lime pie you were absolutely going to order anyway.
They're also useful when you don't want lunch to consume a big part of your sightseeing day. Order, find a place to sit, enjoy the food and get back to exploring.
For more ways to stretch your vacation budget, check out our Free Things to Do in Key West guide.
Arrive Hungry
Key West has plenty of famous restaurants, but eating on the island doesn't always have to mean reservations, white tablecloths or a big waterfront dinner bill.
Sometimes all you need is a serving window, a casual place to sit and something ridiculously good wrapped in paper.
That's part of the fun of exploring Key West: the next memorable meal might be hiding in a tiny kitchen on wheels.
And getting there can be part of the adventure. Key West Express lets you leave the long drive behind and cruise across the Gulf from Fort Myers Beach to Key West. You'll arrive near the Historic Seaport and Old Town, ready to start exploring—and hopefully hungry.
Plan your trip aboard Key West Express, then see what delicious surprises you can find once you arrive.
