20 Best Food Trucks in Nashville, TN

Nashville, Tennessee: Home of the Predators and the Titans, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and a one-to-one replica of the Greek Parthenon in Athens that's been confusing outsiders since 1897. With so much to do, Nashville has easily cemented itself as one of the fastest-growing cities over the last several years, and now ranks in the top 25 for the country.

Inspired by Nashville's chart-topping success, we decided to do a ranking of our own – and given how much we love food around here, food trucks were a natural choice. It turns out that Nashville and its residents are as passionate about their food trucks as they are their music! Here's a quick look at our top 10.

1. The Grilled Cheeserie
2. Retro Sno
3. King Tut's
4. DEGTHAI
5. Yayo's O.M.G.
6. Blue Monkey Shaved Ice
7. Califarmia Truck
8. Music City Brisket
9. El Nopalito
10. Smoke Et Al

Don't see your favorite? Check out the rest of our top 20, or keep reading to learn how we crunched the numbers.

How We Selected the Best Food Trucks in Nashville

To determine the best food trucks in Nashville, we aggregated data from online review sites and independently reviewed each food truck across four attributes:

1. Popularity: Determined by the total number of reviews. The more the better.
2. Quality: Determined by the average rating of all reviews we could find.
3. Variety: Everyone loves options. More entrée choices (non-side/drink) earns a higher rank.
4. Longevity: More years in business equals a higher rank.

In total, we analyzed over 150 food trucks in the Nashville area, narrowing down the initial list based on three rules:

1. The food truck must be based in Nashville. Any with sister locations in the city were removed.
2. Any food truck with less than 10 reviews was removed for quality control.
3. Food tucks without data available for any of the four attributes were eliminated.

With these rules in place, each food truck in our top 20 was ranked with a score of 1 to 20 for each of the four attributes. An average of the four ranks was calculated to determine the best food trucks in Nashville – just like a golf score, a lower average is better. (Note: In the event of a tie in overall score, the higher rank was given to the food truck with the most years in business.)

With all the math out of the way, here's the full list.

1. The Grilled Cheeserie

• Popularity Rank: 1
• Quality Rank: 12
• Variety Rank: 6
• Longevity Rank: 1

Raise your hand if you don't like a good grilled cheese. Most of you probably didn't raise your hand, and we have to believe that's part of the reason why The Grilled Cheeserie comes in at the top of our list. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Joseph Bogan and Crystal De Luna-Bogan, this Nashville staple has been going strong for over 8 years. Brick-and-mortar locations have been opened as well, so there's no excuse not to stop by on your next trip to Music City.

2. Retro Sno

• Popularity Rank: 5
• Quality Rank: 7
• Variety Rank: 3
• Longevity Rank: 6

You'll probably be in the mood for something sweet after you finish your grilled cheese or hot chicken, and our number three pick has you covered. Retro Sno offers 19 different menu items ranging from basic snoballs to stuffed snoballs with ice cream on the bottom. All options include a variety of toppings as well, so there's something for everyone.

3. King Tut's

• Popularity Rank: 8
• Quality Rank: 4
• Variety Rank: 6
• Longevity Rank: 8

On its website, King Tut's promises never to compromise on quality. They certainly deliver in our book, earning one of the highest quality scores of any food truck we reviewed. There are plenty of options as well, from plates to sandwiches to salads, giving everyone a chance to experience authentic recipes and flavors from the Nile Valley.

4. DEGTHAI

• Popularity Rank: 2
• Quality Rank: 5
• Variety Rank: 18
• Longevity Rank: 3

Coming in at number four on our list is DEGTHAI. Quality over quantity is the name of the game here, and Thai food lovers will not be disappointed. While the options are more limited here than some of our other picks (there are five total entrée choices), it's more than made up for by the quality of the food, which ranked fifth overall based on customer reviews.

5. Yayo's O.M.G.

• Popularity Rank: 6
• Quality Rank: 17
• Variety Rank: 6
• Longevity Rank: 1

Another of the most established food trucks in the city, Yayo's O.M.G. offers a wide variety of authentic Mexican dishes including tacos, quesadillas, and toztadas. They've also been featured on Food Network, an achievement not many food trucks can claim. If you're looking for a great Mexican option, this is your best bet.

6. Blue Monkey Shaved Ice

• Popularity Rank: 17
• Quality Rank: 8
• Variety Rank: 1
• Longevity Rank: 6

Blue Monkey may not be the highest-ranked shaved ice food truck on our list, but it stands out for the incredible number of options to choose from. At the time of this ranking, there are 29 different flavors listed on the menu, not to mention a variety of toppings to add. If that isn't enough, flavors are also rotated in and out seasonally, so there will always be something new to try when you go back for more.

7. Califarmia Truck

• Popularity Rank: 9
• Quality Rank: 6
• Variety Rank: 5
• Longevity Rank: 13

If you're looking for something fresh and unique, look no further than Califarmia. Inspired by California flavors and styles, this food truck offers everything from rice bowls, tacos, and burritos to sandwiches, salads, and brunch options. Additional options also rotate seasonally. With such a variety of healthy dishes, most of which is sourced locally, Califarmia is an easy recommendation from us.

8. Music City Brisket

• Popularity Rank: 14
• Quality Rank: 1
• Variety Rank: 6
• Longevity Rank: 13

With 3 years of service to-date, this may be one of the younger food trucks out there, but don’t let that fool you. Music City Brisket earned the highest quality rating among all the food trucks we reviewed, so they're clearly doing something right. With plenty of great options, including a veggie burger for non-meat eaters, this is a can't-miss stop for anyone trying to experience the best Nashville has to offer.

9. El Nopalito

• Popularity Rank: 12
• Quality Rank: 2
• Variety Rank: 2
• Longevity Rank: 20

Continuing the up-and-coming trend, El Nopalito likely won't be outside the top 10 for very long. Despite being in business for less than a year, they have quickly built up some of the strongest reviews of any truck in the city. They also offer the widest variety of options of any non-dessert truck on our list. If you want to experience "the art of flavor" be sure to check them out.

10. Smoke Et Al

• Popularity Rank: 6
• Quality Rank: 15
• Variety Rank: 13
• Longevity Rank: 3

If you like barbeque, you’ve come to the right place. Smoke Et Al has been serving some of the best around for over half a decade and has the reviews to show for it. As you'd hope, they source many of their ingredients locally, allowing for a truly authentic experience. For those who are environmentally conscious, they also use biodegradable and recyclable utensils, plates, and cups.

11. Funk Seoul Brother

• Popularity Rank: 3
• Quality Rank: 13
• Variety Rank: 13
• Longevity Rank: 10

Launched in 2015 by B.J. Lofback as a rebrand of Riffs Fine Street Food, Funk Seoul Brother offers a fusion of Korean and Japanese Street food. All your favorites are here, from Korean fried chicken and bibimbap to BBQ tacos and cup bop. The truck also ranked in the top five in terms of popularity based on customer reviews.

12. Steaming Goat

• Popularity Rank: 10
• Quality Rank: 10
• Variety Rank: 13
• Longevity Rank: 8

One thing you'll learn if you talk to Jeff Romstedt, the founder of Steaming Goat, is that he has a true passion for his business and the food he serves. That's a recipe for success in our books, and it has translated to a solid place on our list. This food truck specializes in steamed sandwiches, and there are options for everyone. And in case you're wondering, Romstedt points out that no goats were harmed in the making of this menu.

13. Hoss’ Loaded Burgers

• Popularity Rank: 4
• Quality Rank: 18
• Variety Rank: 20
• Longevity Rank: 3

As the name suggests, Hoss’ Loaded Burgers specializes in "Juicy Lucy" style burgers that are stuffed with cheese. Already hooked? Their beef is also locally sourced and humanely raised, so you’re getting the highest quality possible. With plenty of years under their belt, a number of awards, and a ton of great reviews, Hoss’ Loaded Burgers is an excellent pick.

14. Mojo Cookie Dough and Creamery

• Popularity Rank: 13
• Quality Rank: 20
• Variety Rank: 4
• Longevity Rank: 10

If ice cream is your sweet tooth's desire, we’d strongly encourage you to stop by Mojo Cookie Dough and Creamery. Take your pick of ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, cookies, floats, and a ton of awesome toppings to personalize your creation. With so many great options, there’s really no wrong way to go. Oh, and did we mention the cookies are huge? Enjoy!

15. Jay’s Chicago

• Popularity Rank: 19
• Quality Rank: 3
• Variety Rank: 17
• Longevity Rank: 10

Chicago pizza seems to get all the attention, but what about hot dogs? We think they deserve some love, too, and clearly Nashville agrees. Jay's Chicago earned the third-highest quality score among the food trucks we reviewed. They also source their ingredients from Vienna Sausage in Chicago, so you know you’re getting only the most authentic flavors.

16. Taqueria El Pollito

• Popularity Rank: 14
• Quality Rank: 14
• Variety Rank: 10
• Longevity Rank: 18

Another new kid on the block, Taqueria El Pollito was founded in 2018 and offers a nice variety of options for taco lovers to try. Customers are all about the salsas offered here, and one reviewer described them as "lo major de lo major" (the best of the best). Our research backs this up, so they’ve earned their spot on our list.

17. Fire-N-Smoke

• Popularity Rank: 20
• Quality Rank: 9
• Variety Rank: 13
• Longevity Rank: 15

Specializing in Nashville Hot Chicken and barbecue, Chefs Joe and Aaron combined their west coast and southern styles to create Fire-N-Smoke. With options ranging from tacos and hot chicken to pulled pork and burnt ends, you can’t miss. They also cracked the top 10 on our quality score, so you know the food is going to be amazing.

18. Laovin It

• Popularity Rank: 14
• Quality Rank: 10
• Variety Rank: 18
• Longevity Rank: 15

Roaming the streets in food truck form since 2017, Nokie Bayluangrath’s Laovin It originally began as a pop-up and catering business in 2015. The truck ranks in our top 10 for quality based on customer reviews, so it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of fried rice, noodle soup, ramen, curry, and the like. And let’s be honest, who isn’t?

19. Smokin’ Bowls

• Popularity Rank: 17
• Quality Rank: 16
• Variety Rank: 10
• Longevity Rank: 15

Ramen, Asian street tacos, potstickers, and ramen-filled burritos! What more could you want? Founder Gary Manes seems to be on to something here with one of the more unique food truck offerings in the city. Most of us have only ever experienced ramen out of a bag in college, but this is the real deal. And if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can always order the "Dorm Room" bowl.

20. The Peach Cobbler Factory

• Popularity Rank: 11
• Quality Rank: 19
• Variety Rank: 10
• Longevity Rank: 18

Despite only operating as a food truck since 2018, The Peach Cobbler Factory has roots all the way back to 2013 as a pop-up shop at the Nashville Farmer's Market. Offering a variety of cobblers, not just of the peach variety, the truck has already gained a lot of attention from publications such as the Travel Channel, Nashville Scene, the Food Network, and more.

Where to Next?

That's it for the best food trucks in Nashville, but our culinary journey doesn't have to end here! Learn more about what it takes to open a food truck with our start-up guide.