Prepare to be shocked: some of the best breads, croissants and baked goodies in town travel on four wheels. Beignets, doughnuts, croissants and bread are no longer the sole property of cute little air-conditioned bakeries.
Check out these trailers next time you are looking for breakfast, or a midday or late-night treat:
Best Bread and Beignets – Sugar Addict Bakery
Sugar Addict Bakery in the Rosedale neighborhood is a newer addition to the food trailer scene. Its location in the parking lot of a Shell station off Medical Parkway and 40th Street seems at odds with the truly delicious bread and beignets that come out of the trailer. Sit in their little fenced-in patio where you can enjoy your baked goods and coffee or their rich and elegant take on lemonade. The trailer's specialty is beignets, done either the traditional New Orleans French Quarter way – loaded with powdered sugar – or as a savory base for breakfast and lunch dishes that kick ass. If you give them prior notice, you can also order a loaf of challah bread that will impress at parties.
Sinfully Stacked Doughnuts – Gourdoughs
Gourdoughs was one of the early Austin food trucks to get lots of attention once people found out they could get gigantic fluffy doughnuts topped with everything from fruit and fudge to bacon and fried chicken, until 3 a.m. no less. The trailer had to relocate from its old home on South Lamar, but it is still alive and kicking now on South First next to Elizabeth Street Café. Those who enjoy decadence often chose options like the flying pig – maple icing and bacon – or the cream-filled coconut topped doughnut holes called ODB, but I like the Naughty and Nice, a simpler option of cinnamon and sugar served with apple butter that pleases without compromising your arteries as much.
Special notice has to be given, though, that Gourdoughs is no longer the only purveyor of trailer doughnuts covered in deliciousness. The North Austin Trailer Yard recently added Krak2, where you can get options with bacon, habanero jelly or fudge and chocolate Rice Krispies.
Best All-Around French Bakery – La Boite
La Boite (French for “the box”) is the only place in Austin – including brick-and-mortar establishments – that makes me feel like I’m in a French bakery. It combines high-quality baked goods with the laid-back feel of nothing to prove and everyday excellence that you find in France. Their sweet and savory croissants are delicious and I have waxed prolific about my joy over their French macaroons to most of my friends. La Boite also has started doing fancy sandwiches on French bread, with both a vegetarian and a charcuterie option daily.
Best Baked Desserts – Capital City Bakery
Every time I go to Capital City Bakery on MLK near the UT campus, I do so without thinking about the fact that this trailer is all vegan, because the dietary restriction has no impact on the tastiness of their baked goods. Last week I had a strawberry lemonade cupcake that knocked me off my feet, and I’m beginning to trust that everything I order from Capital City will be delicious, whether cupcake, tart or mini-pie.
Best Morning Bakery for Downtown Workers – Patika Coffee
Located at 4th and Congress, Patika is a good stop for downtown workers looking for a quick breakfast. Their coffee is local and served with attention to detail all day, but the chocolate croissants (or plain if for some reason you don’t enjoy delicious chocolate) are flaky and wonderful.
Honorable Mention – Biscuits and Groovy
Biscuits and Groovy is known more for the dish that gives the trailer its name, but their many varieties of biscuits and gravy wouldn’t stand up to the test without having stellar fluffy southern-style biscuits to rest on. If you haven’t been, head up to 51st and Duval, and bring a mix CD with you for their CD exchange.
