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American Bistro Food Truck Catering in Santa Barbara

No more scoop and serve chafing dishes! No more wondering where the catering is setting up or why it's taking them so long and they haven't even started cooking yet. Ditch the stagnant, ancient style of American Bistro catering for your next event and book an American Food Truck instead.
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Best Catering Expertise

By managing food truck daily life from event booking, to online ordering and catering we have cultivated an intimate relationship with great vendors throughout the country and know exactly which truck(s) will suit your needs, from a small neighborhood party to massive corporate events.

Cities
1,900+
Caterings
2,000+
Attendees
300,000+
Cuisines
80+

Bistro-Style Fare, Delivered Anywhere in Santa Barbara

Skip the long waits on State Street and let Santa Barbara’s vibrant food truck scene roll right up to your office, wedding, or beach-side gathering. Our American Bistro food truck catering in Santa Barbara brings hot, chef-crafted plates straight from the truck to you—no chafing dishes or buffet bottlenecks. With Best Food Trucks’ seamless online ordering system, guests place their orders from Stearns Wharf to Goleta, get an instant text when it’s ready, and stroll up to the window when their name is called. It’s the fastest route to fresh burgers, gourmet sandwiches, and seasonal California sides, all without leaving your event.

Want a hometown favorite on the lineup? Invite the locally loved Santa Barbara Food Connection. Their smoky barbecue specialties pair perfectly with classic American Bistro offerings, giving your menu that unmistakable Central Coast flavor. From corporate lunches at UCSB’s campus to sunset receptions in the Funk Zone, our curated roster of trucks keeps guests happy, lines short, and plates piled high.

For the best American Bistro food truck catering Santa Barbara has to offer, trust Best Food Trucks to handle every detail—so you can savor the ocean breeze while we serve the eats.

American Bistro catering

Supporting Santa Barbara’s Small Businesses

Booking an American Bistro food truck in Santa Barbara does more than feed your crowd—it keeps our local economy humming. Each truck in our fleet is owned and operated by Central Coast families and solo entrepreneurs who source tri-tip, avocados, and strawberries from nearby farms in Goleta and the Santa Ynez Valley. Every time you choose Santa Barbara food truck catering, dollars stay right here on the South Coast instead of disappearing to a national chain.

Food trucks are also a smart, eco-forward alternative to traditional caterers. Compact kitchens-on-wheels draw less power than banquet halls, and our compostable serviceware means fewer trash cans overflowing at Shoreline Park or your private wine-country venue. By opting for American Bistro food truck catering in Santa Barbara, you’re shrinking your carbon footprint while elevating the menu with grass-fed burgers, artisanal sliders, and farmers-market sides prepared to order.

So the next time you type “American Bistro food trucks near me” or “Santa Barbara food truck catering” into your phone, skip the generic results and book a truck that fuels the local community. Great food, greener events, and support for Santa Barbara’s small businesses—it’s a win all around.

American Bistro catering

To give you a taste

Fried Catfish Basket

Fried Catfish Basket

Mafioso Burger

Mafioso Burger

Hand Cut French Fries

Hand Cut French Fries

Fried Avocado Tacos

Fried Avocado Tacos

Tampa Cuban Sandwich

Tampa Cuban Sandwich

Conway Mac and Cheese

Conway Mac and Cheese

Best American Bistro Food Trucks in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Food Connection

Santa Barbara Food Connection

...and more!

Hire American Bistro Food Truckin Santa Barbara today

Set up a regular food truck program or just a one time event

Our features

Streamlined Requests

With our quick and simple online catering form, you can request food trucks for your next event in a matter of minutes, specifying your guest count, budget and dates.

Choose Your Favorites

After you submit a catering request to us, our team will check availability for you and send over a list of amazing food truck menus to browse through (try not to drool).

Simplified Payments

Once you've decided on which truck you'd like to book, confirming them is as easy as clicking a button. All payments are handled securely on our website for ease of booking.

Pre-Ordering

If your meal time is limited, our staff will work with you to coordinate an online pre-order system where meals are predetermined and handed out hot during service.

Support Team

Our dedicated support team will be with you every step of the way from planning to organizing to grubbing your little heart out. With every event you'll have a dedicated member of our team available in case anything should arise.

Corporate Portal

With customizable features, executives can set up their own account, add a credit card and let their employees order as they want from the food truck or set spending limits.

They talk about us

4.64 (160,542 reviews)

Karen M.

29 July 2024

Great communication, service and food!

Deanna K.

19 July 2023

Process was super easy with the website. The food truck crew was friendly and efficient and the food was amazing!!!!! Would recommend 10/10.

Shannon N.

15 August 2025

More than 5! They worked their butts off to get the food out. All of it was delicious! Probably the best burger meat I've ever had, melted in my mouth!

Amy S.

15 August 2025

Food was great and she was very pleasant. She was by herself when I went down there but she had a great system and stayed positive during a hectic time. I loved being able to pre-order and that they texted me when my food was ready.

Beth M.

13 August 2025

The catfish was very fresh and delicious--melts in your mouth and no fishy taste! The crispy Brussel sprouts were awesome too!

Staci F.

13 August 2025

We had the best experience and my daughter‘s first birthday having Jeet as our Food Truck everybody raved about the food and we truly enjoy the experience!!

Mandi J.

11 August 2025

The service was amazing and fast! The food, of course, was awesome too! Thank you for helping our event be successful!

Gene R.

9 August 2025

We don't eat red meat so finding a great Philly made with chicken was really special and it was delicious!

Joe E.

8 August 2025

Tasty sandwich and soup. I pre ordered and received an email they would try to accommodate my scheduled pickup and was expecting a text when the order was ready but didn’t receive one. Upon going to the truck my order was handed to me immediately however.

Joe S.

8 August 2025

The food taser fresh and flavorful, and the French Fries were cooked perfectly brown and crispy, not soggy.

Food Truck FAQ

What is food truck catering?
Food truck catering is when you hire a food truck to provide freshly made meals from a full service mobile kitchen for your event. Instead of using large containers filled with food made hours earlier, food is made fresh and onsite.
How does food truck catering work with Best Food Trucks?
With Best Food Trucks, you choose the budget for your event and provide details like, time, date, how many diners and what type of party you're throwing. Best Food Trucks will send out your request to regional food trucks who will submit a proposal based on your budget.
How do we choose the budget for our food truck event?
You choose the budget (within our parameters) and we'll find proposals that match that budget. Every proposal we send you will be for your submitted budget. For example if you submit a budget for $2000 for 80 people, we'll send you menus from vendors based on that budget. You'll see various menus, but they'll all be for your $2000 request.
Are there different budgets for each food truck proposal?
No. Each proposal will be for the budget you've chosen. If you have a budget of $2000, we'll only send you proposals for your budget of $2000.
What are the menu choices for my food truck event budget?
Once you choose a budget, we'll confirm the details and send out a request for proposals to the regions best food trucks! We'll submit a link for you to view food truck menus. You'll be able to select the food truck of your choice directly from the review link we send you.
Can I request special options like gluten free or vegan from the food truck?
YES!!! When you're requesting proposals you can make special requests in the "additional questions or comments" section.
How long does it usually take to book a food truck for an event?
In larger markets, it usually takes around one to three hours to start getting menu proposals back from food trucks. In smaller markets it can take up to 24 hours to see a list of menus for your region.
How many people can one food truck serve for a catering event?
Most food trucks can serve around 50-70 orders per hours. For bigger events, we suggest having multiple food trucks to ensure wait times don't get out of hand.
Can we do online orders or pre-orders to reduce lines at the food truck for our event?
Best Food Trucks has the best in class technology platform to allow your guests to skip the line and order directly from their phone. This ensures that your customers can enjoy your event and avoid waiting in line. When their order is ready, they'll get a text message to come pick up their order.
Why should we book a food truck through Best Food Trucks instead of reaching out to food trucks directly?
Best Food Trucks has a huge network of food trucks that we regularly work with. We collect ratings through online ordering system food trucks use daily. With our data we know which food trucks are right for your events. Additionally, we give you a selection of the best food trucks in your region so you don't have to worry about booking an unreliable food truck.
Does a food truck need power?
Food trucks come with their own generators. If you'd like to a quieter experience and have access to plugs, a food truck works best with two 20amp 110 circuits.
What are the best food trucks for parties?
Food trucks that can serve fast and serve a cuisine that can easily be eaten while standing without having to use utensils, typically work for a party atmosphere.
Are food trucks cheaper than catering?
Food trucks can be cheaper depending on the menu. However, the prices can vary considerably. Food trucks typically need a bit more staff and are bringing a full service kitchen to your event so they have additional costs which can impact the overall cost.