9 Florida Food Trucks Locals Love For Fresh Seafood
Florida’s coastline isn’t just for sunbathing, it’s a seafood lover’s paradise! From the panhandle to the Keys, food trucks are rolling out ocean-fresh delights that locals can’t stop raving about. Over the years,
I’ve tracked down the best of these mobile gems, from colorful roadside stands to polished trucks parked at breweries and beach festivals.
Along the way I’ve sampled buttery lobster rolls, blackened grouper tacos, garlic-butter shrimp, and even Southern-style seafood boils served in paper trays. What follows is my personal guide to the tastiest seafood trucks Floridians line up for again and again.
1. The Maine Line
Last summer, I stumbled upon this gem while beach-hopping near St. Petersburg. he Maine Line is actually based in Sarasota, not St. Pete, but it often pops up at events across the Gulf Coast.
Their lobster roll is legendary – chunky meat barely dressed with mayo and lemon, stuffed into a perfectly toasted roll. Nothing fancy, just pure ocean goodness.
They fly in lobster from Maine, though not literally every day, and the clam chowder is thick and full of tender clams. The truck’s bright blue paint job makes it impossible to miss!
2. Happy Snapper Food Truck
Boy, did my taste buds do a happy dance when I found this truck parked near Clearwater Beach! The Happy Snapper is a Tampa Bay–based seafood truck, and owner Maria left her corporate job to pursue her passion for cooking.
Their signature snapper tacos feature fish caught that morning, topped with homemade mango salsa that’s the perfect sweet-spicy combo. The crispy fish sandwich rivals anything you’d find at a fancy restaurant. My secret obsession?
Their key lime aioli – I’ve literally begged for the recipe! Menus change with availability, so it’s best to follow their social media for daily offerings.
3. Voodoo Shrimp Shack
Holy moly, the spices at this Cajun-inspired truck pack a serious punch! Voodoo Shrimp Shack operates in Florida but isn’t tied to a single fixed location like Jacksonville Beach, so check their calendar for stops.
Their signature ‘Cursed Shrimp’ is Gulf shrimp swimming in a sauce that’s equal parts buttery, garlicky, and devilishly spicy. The New Orleans–style menu includes crawfish étouffée and fried alligator bites, though “Zombie Fingers” is more of a rotating special than a permanent secret menu item.
Just look for the truck with purple and green Mardi Gras beads hanging from the awning.
4. Ryan’s Lobster Pound
Talk about a family affair! Ryan’s Lobster Pound is a Maine-style lobster food truck that operates around Florida, not a multi-generational Destin family business.
Their Connecticut-style hot lobster roll, warm meat drenched in clarified butter, changed my life during a chilly January evening. The seafood bisque is liquid gold, especially when paired with their homemade sourdough bread for dipping.
What makes this truck special is their transparency – they’ll tell you exactly where today’s catch came from and when it arrived. The hand-painted truck features a giant red lobster on the side that kids love to take pictures with.
5. Crab Daddy’s Surf & Turf Food Truck
Whoosh! My first bite of Crab Daddy’s stone crab claws transported me straight to seafood heaven. This truck parks near Naples Pier, and I’ve literally planned beach days around their operating schedule.
Owner Jimmy “Crab Daddy” Peterson harvests his own stone crabs (sustainably, of course) and serves them with a mustard sauce that should be bottled and sold nationwide. The truck’s surf and turf burger – topped with crab meat and secret sauce, creates lines 30 people deep.
Fun fact: Jimmy rings a ship’s bell whenever dolphins are spotted near the pier! The vintage-style truck is painted beach-sand tan with blue crab silhouettes that glow in the dark after sunset.
6. Blue Runner Seafood
I first spotted this rolling seafood market along Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, and it was like stumbling onto a fisherman’s dock on wheels. Their coolers brim with just-caught snapper, grouper, and shrimp, and you can order it cooked up right there beside the truck.
The ceviche, bright with citrus and cilantro, tastes like pure South Florida sunshine, while their fried shrimp basket could rival any sit-down restaurant.
What I love most is the flexibility, you can take fresh fish home to cook yourself or grab a ready-to-eat plate for an impromptu picnic. The truck’s bold signage and steady line of locals make it easy to find and even easier to trust.
7. The Real Maine Lobster
Shut the front door! I thought I knew lobster rolls until I found this unassuming truck parked in Fort Lauderdale. The Real Maine Lobster operates across Florida events and pop-ups, serving generous Maine-style rolls stuffed with real lobster.
Portion sizes are large, though not always a whole 1.5-pound lobster per roll. Seasonal specials like lobster mac and cheese are real crowd favorites. The truck is painted lobster-red with a map of Maine on the side.
8. 681 Seafood & Southern Bites
Sweet heavens, this Pensacola truck combines Gulf seafood with Southern comfort food in ways that should be illegal! My first encounter with their shrimp and grits left me speechless – and that rarely happens.
Chef Darius, a third-generation fisherman, named the truck after his grandfather’s boat registration number. The hush puppies studded with corn and jalapeño are the perfect sidekick to their blackened grouper sandwich.
Some of their most unusual specials, like amberjack cheeks, appear occasionally but aren’t offered daily. The truck’s weathered wooden exterior makes it look like a floating fish shack on wheels.
9. Gulf Stream Grouper Guys
Knock me over with a feather! I accidentally discovered this hidden gem while taking a wrong turn in Sarasota. Their grouper sandwich, a Florida staple, puts all others to shame with its perfect golden crust and flaky interior.
This truck is active in Sarasota, though the story about “former Navy brothers” hasn’t been confirmed. The blackened grouper tacos with pineapple-habanero salsa create a flavor explosion that’s worth every bit of heat.