Anyone that lives in Austin or has ever been to the Austin City Limits (ACL) music festival knows that Mighty Cone is something one must try at least once in his or her lifetime (if you didn’t know that, well, you know now). The idea behind Mighty Cone could only originate from the mind of someone who has spent lots of a time in a place where tacos are so prevalent (a.k.a. Austin, Texas). The main concept behind the food truck is fried chicken or shrimp that can be accompanied with fried avocado and a dollop of coleslaw, all wrapped in a tortilla (sooo Austiny right?).
Photo by Morgan Katz
I tried my first Mighty Cone at ACL and have ordered the same thing every time since: fried shrimp with avocado. It’s a treat I associate with the music festival and is now my ACL tradition (find me there come October).
When I finally went to the truck outside the iconic Austin festival, I found that other menu items deserve equal praise. My next favorite is the fried pickles. The jalapeño ranch that comes with them just hits the spot. But the best part is the batter. The batter Mighty Cone uses for everything is unlike anything I have never tasted and is slightly sweet. Turns out corn flakes are used to help get that serious crunch and thickness, along with a little sugar and a few secret ingredients. Pretty cool right?
Photo by Morgan Katz
My favorite order, as I said, is the fried shrimp with avocado, which hits the spot on a hot-ass summer day, or really any day. The shrimp is always fresh and fried perfectly with the signature batter, and the avocado is also fresh, so you never find those nasty brown spots. With a little extra ranch drizzled on top, nothing can slow you down from devouring the cone. If you feel like a cone isn’t necessarily your thing, then you can try one of the mini gourmet burgers, which are all served with fries. And if all that still just doesn’t do it for ya, then Blue Bell milkshakes are also on the menu and are available in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.
Photo by Morgan Katz
Seriously, the Mighty Cone food truck is possibly one of my favorites in all of Austin.
If you have yet to try it, then you must make a point to venture down and indulge in a cone. You won’t regret it. I know I never do.
Mighty Cone used to be located in the food truck eatery on 25th and Rio Grande, but has since moved to The Picnic at 1720 Barton Springs Road. To find Mighty Cone and other food trucks, download the Austin Food Truck Finding App.
Location: 1720 Barton Springs Road
Hours of Operation: Tues-Sat: 11am-9pm, Closed Mondays