TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – We have so many great restaurants in the Tampa Bay area – but food trucks, which are often locally-owned, are making a comeback as the world continues to come out of the height of the coronavirus pandemic and more festivals and events get underway.
From shrimp po’ boys, to Cuban sandwiches, to sweet funnel cake delicacies – there are so many dishes for those in the Tampa Bay area to enjoy at events, bars and other locations from these 8 food trucks we’ve picked out.
For each food truck, their website or social media is linked, where you can find a schedule of where and when to find the truck, along with menus. This, of course, is by no means a complete list of Tampa Bay area food trucks. If you know of one, send 8 On Your Side’s Daisy Ruth an email to druth@wfla.com!
1. Surly Mermaid
Courtesy: Surly Mermaid 
Courtesy: Surly Mermaid
This food truck serves up sandwiches and desserts in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Bradenton and surrounding areas.
The food truck’s menu features a shrimp po’ boy as well as a veggie muffuletta, which is a sandwich with a portabella mushroom, roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers and more. Sandwiches are served with homemade kettle chips or can be substituted for “duchess fries,” which the menu describes as a “mixture of sweet potato and crinkle cut fries.”
Desserts include donuts and a “unicorn horn,” a churro tossed in Fruity Pebbles cereal.
2. Sunkissed Food Truck
Courtesy: Sunkissed Food Truck 
Courtesy: Sunkissed Food Truck
In addition to “truck favorites” like the “Sunkissed Special,” which is blue crab and shrimp over garlic fries or green salad, the truck also sells multiple “taco boxes.” The tacos are served with homemade tortilla chips or can be upgraded to french fries.
In addition to those french fries, Sunkissed serves their “famous” fries, which come in garlic, creamy mango habanero, buffalo or hot BBQ.
Sunkissed’s website states they are also currently working on opening a small restaurant that will include the food truck menu, along with other delicacies.
3. Got Lobstah?
Courtesy Got Lobstah? 
Courtesy: Got Lobstah?
This food truck is owned by a veteran and serves up authentic Maine dishes to the Tampa Bay area. Its website states the lobster is flown in fresh from the state on Southwest airlines.
Many lobster dishes are served through the truck, such as “lobstah mac and cheese,” a warm lobster roll with butter and lobster grilled cheese.
4. Funnel Vision Food Truck
Courtesy: Funnel Vision Food Truck 
Courtesy: Funnel Vision Food Truck
You’re going to find funnel cake creations at Funnel Vision and, of course, you’ll find the “OG” funnel cake, topped with powdered sugar and a list of toppings.
For a different type of sweet, you can go with the “Bedrock,” which consists of two funnel cakes topped with ice cream, powdered sugar, Fruity Pebbles and more.
They’re not just a funnel cake truck, however. One of their more savory creations includes the “Beyond Vegan Burger Bowl” with plant-based Beyond beef-flavored crumbles served over seasoned fries, lettuce, tomato, red onion, dill pick and topped with vegan aioli.
5. The Bacon Boss Food Truck
Courtesy: The Bacon Boss Food Truck 
Courtesy: The Bacon Boss
This food truck centers around, what else, BACON! From hamburgers and hot dogs to grilled cheese, bacon can be found all over these dishes.
The traditional tater tot dish, known here as “Fat Tony Tater Tots,” comes smothered in mac and cheese and bacon crumbles.
The Bacon Boss’ menu even touts packs of “homemade bacon chocolate chip cookies” for purchase.
6. Maggie on the Move
(Courtesy: Maggie on the Move) 
(Courtesy: Maggie on the Move)
This popular food truck features pitas, including specialty pitas, salads, shareables and more.
Pitas include gyros, falafel and more. Specialty pitas include a $10 “Maggie’s Cuban,” along with a crabby gyro, a shrimp gyro and a grilled octopus gyro.
Meze, spicy med fries, buffalo chicken fries and Spanakopita egg rolls round out the menu.
7. Skoops Italian Ice
(Courtesy: Skoops Italian Ice) 
(Courtesy: Skoops Italian Ice)
Menu items sold by the family-owned Italian ice cart are made using real fruit and natural ingredients. The cart has 21 different flavors of Italian ice including chocolate, watermelon, wild berry, banana Nutella, green apple and many more.
Skoops Italian Ice prides themselves on providing a sweet, cool treat with no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors, food coloring or preservatives.
The food truck also serves all natural, non-dairy smoothies, which the owner says is a great option for vegans.
8. The Arepazo Grill
(Source: Arepazo Grill) 
(Source: The Arepazo Grill)
This Venezuelan food truck serves hungry folks all over the Tampa Bay area. The Arepazo Grill features cachapas, arepas and tequenos.
The food truck also serves what they call “crazy fries,” which is an order of french fries with chicken, beef, pork, Gouda cheese and cilantro. The fries also come in “crazy pork fries” with barbeque sauce and “chicken & bacon crazy fries” with grilled chicken, bacon, cheese, sour cream and scallions.
For more food truck news during the summer, you can check out 8 On Your Side’s Deanne King’s “Tampa Food Trucks” stories every Friday on News Channel 8.