The Woodlands | March 2023

Food Truck Finder Five food truck venues around The Woodlands area are among those serving the region.

1488

Alcohol Available

Covered Seating

EGYPT LN.

WINDSOR LAKES BLVD.

5447 FM 1488, Magnolia 281-650-2558 www.deaconbaldys.com Deacon Baldy’s Opened September 2016

242

Gabrielle De Leon operates Tacos La Abuela on Sawdust Road.

THE WOODLANDS

Ice House location, the rotating food truck option benets business by pro- viding a variety of meal options while reducing the overhead costs of oper- ating a full kitchen at the location. “That’s just been our concept. We wanted a variety of food instead of having our own kitchen. [The own- ers] decided to go with food trucks, because that was a better option just because it’s more cost eective for us,” Webb said. “It gives our custom- ers a wide variety of food versus, you know, just burgers.” With food trucks providing fast meals in a variety of styles and a- vors, they oer quick options for local events as well, according to Hollie. “I think that the advent of food trucks just allows some convenience and exibility and cost savings,” Hol- lie said. “They pull up, and they just sell their food, and it’s great.” Promoting factors Ocials from Oak Ridge North and Shenandoah said the cities do not have tight restrictions on food truck opera- tion, but they are still regulated by the county and state health agencies. Because it is a special-purpose district, The Woodlands Township does not have the authority to enact ordinances involving the opera- tion of food trucks except on town- ship-owned property. According to Chief Operating Ocer Chris Nunes, those instances are typically tied to events in areas, such as parks, which require a special-use permit. Cities have more power to enact ordinances for mobile food vendors, but the cities of Shenandoah and Oak Ridge North oer similar, straightfor- ward permitting processes, according to ocials in those cities. All food trucks must also go through the Montgomery County permit- ting process for mobile food vendors to operate within the county. This makes the food trucks answerable to the Montgomery County Environ- mental Health Services department,

WELLMAN RD.

The Deck Food Park Opened September 2022

2978

LAKE ROBBINS DR.

S A

5802 FM 1488, Magnolia 936-230-9668 www.thedeck1488.com PHOTOS BY JESSICA SHORTENCOMMUNITY IMPACT

SPRING in September, customers can choose to indulge in Peruvian, Colombian, vegan and vegetarian meals as well as soul food at one location. This variety was crucial to food truck park owner Ricardo Garcia, who said he built the location to provide a hotspot for consumers wanting to try a variety of options. 99 TOLL “When I see a family of four or ve … exit their car then and they go to the park … sometimes they stick together; sometimes they [split up and go] four dierent places—you know, every- body does their own thing,” Garcia said. “You know they have an option.” Garcia settled on the idea of setting up a food truck park after acquiring the property in 2018 with his wife, Alexa. Due to having young children, Garcia said he found it dicult to nd places he could take his family out for dinner that were truly family-friendly, but with a food truck park, adults and children can have space to enjoy themselves in an outdoor setting. “We spend time together, you know, as a family, and so we want that for other parents as well,” Garcia said. Kirby Ice House, which opened in The Woodlands in September, main- tains rotating food truck options that oer items, such as crawsh and seafood, Mexican food, and modern Southern cuisine. According to Kurt Webb, general manager of The Woodlands Kirby

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from the variety mobile food ven- dors bring to local events within the cities. Around the outskirts of The Wood- lands, three food truck parks and venues that have opened in the last year are now serving customers with a variety of cuisines o Sawdust Road and further north on FM 1488. Another two locations regularly set up shop at local venues and events within The Woodlands. “I’ve seen food trucks that are fea- tured at apartment complexes and events because they are mobile, and their overall quality is great food, and it’s just something that is another little exciting piece of our culinary economy,” said JJ Hollie, president of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. Culinary diversity Just like the food they sell, food trucks come in a variety of types. While many food trucks operate solo and travel to various locations, some are more tied to locations, such as food truck parks, which are set up spe- cically to meet the water and power needs of food trucks. Some venues also host food trucks on-site to pro- vide variety to their own menus. At Grub on Sawdust, a food truck park o Sawdust Road that opened

Grogan’s Mill Farmers Market Active since 2018

7 Switchbud Place, The Woodlands 281-292-2900 www.grogansmillvillage.com

Grub on Sawdust Opened September 2022

1102 Sawdust Road, Spring 832-670-7143

Kirby Ice House-The Woodlands Opened September 2022

1700 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands 713-900-1820 www.kirbyicehouse.com

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