So you’ve decided to utilize a food truck (or food trucks!) for your special day? You’ve made the right choice! Despite the growing street food trend, not all wedding venues are necessarily food truck friendly. Different wedding venues have different rules and stipulations about the usage of outside caterers. Thankfully, we’ve done the digging for you and the 8 venues listed below have been given the Tampa Bay Food Trucks stamp of approval. We have served and successfully executed beautiful events at each of the following locations:

1. Saint Petersburg Shuffleboard Club (Saint Petersburg, Florida)

Did you know the club does more than just host shuffle board tournaments?! This charming venue is tucked away in Downtown Saint Petersburg on Mirror Lake Drive. The St. Pete Shuffleboard Club was established in 1923, and to this day boasts 1,200 members who utilize this 90-year-old club. Don’t let the early establishment fool you, as brides and grooms alike have chosen this club for it’s easily transformable space and central location. If you’re looking for a nifty vintage, coastal inspired, and/or unique wedding venue - you’ve found it! For a sneak peek, see Orange Blossom Bride's (An Orlando based wedding directory) write up on Sarah and Bryan’s wedding at the club. You can even see a food truck in action!

2. Stonebridge - formerly The Lange Farm (Dade City, Florida)

Wow your guests with a combination of southern charm and elegance at Stonebridge. This venue provides a picturesque rural backdrop, with over 80 acres of space. This venue offers a multitude of areas to incorporate into your event, including four different ceremony sites, separate groom and bridal suites, and two reception areas. Replete with oak trees, gazebos, Joshua trees, and the southern blue barn, this locale is bursting with beautiful photo opportunities. It has even been used as a wedding set in TV commercials. This venue is currently rated 4.7 stars out of 5 on WeddingWire.

3. SoireEstate (Lutz, Florida)

Spanning 10 stunning acres of land, SoireEstate steals the show as one of the most romantic, picturesque venues in the Tampa Bay area. Located in Lutz just minutes from Tampa, this location provides a breathtaking locale for weddings of any size. This venue is easily adapted to suite your event's theme, whether you are leaning toward a more rustic, bohemian or glamorous vibe - all with a hint of the tropics. The space is screaming to be dolled-up with Pin-spired ideas, and has earned a solid 4 out of 5 stars on Wedding Wire.

4. Rialto Theatre (Tampa, Florida)

Distressed brick and elegant architecture combine to create an unforgettable wedding location with a rich history. The Rialto Theatre opened in 1924 and closed midcentury as television and suburbanization soared after World War II. The space was re-purposed as a factory until it was shuttered once more in 2005. Today, the vintage space is being used for weddings and special events alike. With over 5,000 square feet of space, this Tampa Heights based venue is a great building to showcase your Tampa roots. There are three different main event spaces, and the building boasts 27-foot ceilings, giving your event a rich, open concept feel. Just a hop skip and a jump from Ulele, Downtown, and Seminole Heights, this venue is perfect for orchestrating a wedding weekend with multiple stops, be it your bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinner, and/or post-wedding brunch. This venue earned 4.1 stars out of 5 on WeddingWire. 

5. Tampa Bay Watch (Saint Petersburg, Florida) 

Dreaming of a waterfront wedding? Think Tampa Bay Watch! This location offers a natural waterfront setting, a large deck with sunset views, close proximity to beach resorts and the airport, bamboo flooring and a neutral palette (which means lots of space to play around with and decorate!), not to mention their expansive grounds. The building is even perfectly angled to catch a classically gorgeous Florida sunset. When choosing Tampa Bay Watch as your wedding venue, you can also feel good about how your money is being spent - to benefit restoring and preserving our waterways, wildlife rescue, and educational programs. There are even two contingency plans in the event a summer shower tries to rain on your parade. This venue has earned 4.9 stars out of 5 on WeddingWire.

6. Casa Lantana (Brandon, Florida)

Casa Lantana is set on a 12 acre estate, offering a peaceful wedding and reception site. This venue is located in Central Brandon, close to I-75 and the Crosstown Expressway. This venue sets itself apart with its location and amenities including: a honeymoon suite, bridal suite, groom's suite, bed and breakfast, 3,500 square feet of air conditioned building space, and of course the buildings themselves; the Mediterranean Grand Villa and Rustic Red Wood Barn to utilize for your ceremony or reception. This venue limits their usage to one wedding per day, so your party won't be ushered off site to make way for another couple coming in immediately after. This space can be transformed for any theme you can dream up and can be as all-inclusive as you would like. This venue boasts a 5 star rating on WeddingWire.

7. Iola Lakeside (Dade City, Florida)

Located in the heart of Dade City, Iola Lakeside provides a quaint, intimate setting to exchange your vows. Hold your ceremony by the lake or inside the white and brown barn, and dance the night away under the stars and Spanish moss! Iola Lakeside sits on 5 acres of lakefront property and the barn is a spacious 4,000 square feet to accommodate your guests. This venue offers a variety of packages, and clocks in at 5 starts out of 5 on Wedding Wire.

8. Bird Island Lake Ranch (Dade City, Florida) 

Bird Island Lake Ranch is a naturally rustic outdoor wedding venue with space for up to 300 guests. Everything from the handmade wooden benches to the fire pit surrounded by rocking chairs allows you to incorporate the feel of private, rural Florida into your special day. There are several outdoor spaces available, providing a unique location to host your ceremony or reception as well as seating, private suites and lighting all available on site. Bird Island Lake Ranch is another venue that limits the use of their grounds to one event per day. This venue has been rated 4.5 stars out of 5 on WeddingWire.

Love is in the air this February with lots of events: the Florida State Fair opens, Wine Weekend in St. Petersburg kicks off, the country celebrates Superbowl Sunday...and did we mention the upcoming food truck rallies?! February 14th is the second Thursday of the month, meaning our monthly Downtown Lakeland Food Truck Rally falls on Valentine's Day! Alongside a display of 20 food trucks in the park, we will be setting out tables with linens, chairs, and will have a romantic playlist set on our mobile DJ truck - perfect for a fun, tasty and nontraditional date night. If you're looking to celebrate Saint Valentine over lunch instead, check out our daily locations page for the food trucks serving near you. Whether you plan to trek out to a truck forever alone or with a date you're sure to walk away with some awesome food. Need another reason to love on food truck dates this month? We've got three more reasons why.

1. Food trucks are a unique alternative to a restaurant. Bring a blanket or some chairs and set up camp at a cozy location to spend some personal time with your significant other (or friend or dog!) You can dine in a more intimate setting rather then a crowded restaurant, buzzing with other couples. Not to mention you'll avoid any awkward interruptions from wait staff. Food trucks provide sauces, disposable silverware and containers that make for an easy clean up and transportation to your "campsite." Food trucks also help you skip the long wait for a table, and avoid fighting for a reservation in advance. Menus are posted for easy access, and the turn time for food is excellent! There's no wait for individual courses to come out or waiting for your check, you can do a simple grab-and-go then set up for an intimate evening.

2. The eats are cheap, convenient and varied. You want BBQ and she wants Vietnamese? You can have both! Most trucks also offer dessert options, sides, and appetizers allowing you to create your own food sampling. Serve up a three course meal with a food truck (or three different food trucks!) You can walk up to the truck and get some quality eats without having to pay $30 each for an entree, as the average main course on a food truck runs about $10. Food trucks also tend to serve larger portions (think of a burger and fries) or smaller sampler portions you can order such as freshly made individual tacos.   

3. There's food for everyone! Do you have a picky eater with you? What about a vegetarian? Food trucks are flexible and willing to help out if your party has some diet restrictions. If a food isn’t disclosed as being vegetarian friendly feel free to go up to the truck and talk to the person at the window. More than likely, they will be able to help you out or make a recommendation! If you are opting to visit a location with just one truck, you can call ahead to ask about the menu. If you’re at a food truck rally just move on to the next truck to see what offerings they have! Are you on the keto diet? You can easily order sandwiches without the bun and skip the carbs. Many food truck menu items can also be ordered without toppings to conform to your date’s hatred of pickles. The possibilities are endless, don't hesitate to speak up!

Looking for some inspiration on how to best recognize your employees’ hard work? Ask yourself one question: what’s the best way to warm their hearts?

By filling their stomachs of course! Employee appreciation parties and events are a great way to increase morale by reducing stress, giving everyone a chance to get to know each other outside of the traditional context, and fostering a happier company culture and sense of community. Whether you are looking to hold an event on site or at a different location, corporate events are a surefire way to boost employee morale and spirit. As you plan your next event think about some of the following themed parties:

1. Host a food tasting
   
   What's the best way to expose your employees to new food they haven’t tried before? A food tasting! Eliminate order envy by allowing everyone to sample a variety of offerings, instead of settling on a singular meal. Food trucks have the ability to serve a selection of appetizers/small plates or half meals, with a specific amount budgeted out per person. This gives your employees the option of trying multiple menu items without breaking the bank. Food tastings can be themed, for example a tasting of world cuisines, or maybe even just one cuisine with different types of food ranging from small savory bites to desserts from a particular region.
   
   

2. Sports watch party (football, baseball, soccer)
   
   Invite your employees to bring their favorite jerseys for a sports themed night. Events may be planned to take place the same date or time as a local football or baseball game, or just as a “spirit day.” Research some trivia and post it around the office while you have food trucks outside to cook up some game day grub. Popular food truck cuisines for sports events include fries, hamburgers, grilled cheese, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, and more! Another optional add-on is to set up ice buckets for beer or hire bar service. Tampa Bay Food Trucks can provide this service!
   
   

3. Throw a desserts-only bash
   
   Donuts, ice cream, milkshakes, churros, Italian ice, cheesecake on a stick, cupcakes, and the list goes on. Whether you choose to display a wall of donuts (one of our clients used powdered and regular donuts on a peg wall to make a “50” to celebrate 50 years of business), order directly from the trucks, or set up a buffet of different delicacies, you can’t go wrong with dessert. Food trucks bring a unique experience and desserts are freshly prepared on the spot. Bringing in local street food is a sweet surprise, and ups the ante from a traditional potluck.
   
   

4. Throw down Oktoberfest style
   
   Pair this fest with food trucks who can produce German food such as kielbasa. Think cuisine such as bratwurst, pretzels, sauerkraut, french fries, brisket, and/or meatballs. You can create your own beer garden (biergarten!) on site, or take a field trip to a local brewery. We have partnerships with several local breweries, and can arrange to have the food truck meet you on site. If you’re looking to avoid alcohol, serve root beer or craft sodas instead with custom labels to enjoy with your meal.
   
   

5. Take a trip to the diner with retro milkshakes and burgers
   
   Find some poodle skirts and leather jackets at the thrift store - because we’re heading back in time to the 50’s! Serve Coca Cola in glass bottles, and set up an area with a projector to play an old movie, drive-in style. Really get your employees in the retro mindset by playing intermission snack bar commercials so they have time to refill their drinks and grab some additional food. You can even step up your party’s game with a DJ (or mobile DJ Truck) and a dance floor (which you can find at many businesses for rent including here). Really want to invest in this theme? Hire some guys and girls to serve on roller skates!
   
   

6. Have an 80’s themed party
   
   Ask your employees to dress up in their craziest outfits for this day. Hand out fingerless mesh gloves, and have a bucket of glow sticks at the ready. This is another great party to set up a photo booth area with props such as PacMen, logos (MTV, ATARI), and Rubik’s cube images on sticks for people to hold up. Utilize bright neon balloons, VHS tapes and cassettes from the thrift store, party lighting, and slinkies to hang from the ceiling as decorations. This is another event where the mobile DJ truck comes in handy - prepare with a list of your favorite 80’s hits. Seek out some vintage games like PacMan and Space Invaders for entertainment for those who are a bit shy about busting out dance moves.
   
   

7. Breakfast for dinner
   
   Breakfast food is too tasty to be limited to mornings only! Switch up a traditional catering with donuts, crepes, waffles, yogurt parfaits, chocolate covered strawberries, and/or mini quiches. These events are best held in open air, or in an area with abundant natural lighting. Service options can include ordering and serving directly from a food truck, having employees grab their food in a buffet line, or having butler service.
   
   

8. Chuckwagon Hoedown
   
   Grab some bandanas, and tell your employees to bring their cowboy boots because we’re having a hoedown! Get a BBQ and/or a burger truck (a “chuckwagon!”) to serve your crew. Menu options can include baked beans, macaroni and cheese, fries, burgers, hot dogs, green beans, corn bread, pound cake, lemonade, corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, the list goes on! For dessert, serve up some pies, and chocolate chip cookies to complement the country-style spread. For venues, consider parks, campgrounds, or local farmland as a nice backdrop and change of scenery. Check out YouTube for some line dancing tutorials or hire someone to teach your employees to dance along to the music!
   
   

Open Fire Grilled Brazilian is headed by Chef Cesar, a world renown meat consultant for Brazilian style foods. Chef Cesar was born and raised in South Brazil. As a young boy Cesar would help his family on the farm butchering cattle and preparing the meat to be cooked. Soon he found himself working at the largest Brazilian Steakhouse Porcao at the young age of 19 and deemed the title "Master Meat Chef" where he was given the responsibility of consulting. With this position he went on to consult and start several Brazilian steakhouses in places like Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.

Fast forward to 10 years later Cesar was offered to come to the United States by Porcao and open the first Brazilian steakhouse in Miami, Florida. Chef Cesar soon went on to expand the business into places such as New York, Arizona, Missouri, and up into Canada. Chef Cesar has over 30 years of experience and runs Open Fire Grilled Brazilian as a means to share his talented gifts with the communities of the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Chef Cesar's success inspired him to open his own business - Open Fire Grilled Brazilian. This talented food truck has been roaming the streets since 2013, and its mission is to bring authentic Brazilian style food to you to create an unforgettable experience of flavors. Chef Cesar works with his partner and wife Christina to bring grilled meats to the streets of Tampa. Christina has a strong marketing and sales background making the two’s partnership a strong and powerful one. You can often times find her working the truck as a cashier or creating relationships with the truck's clients and customers.

When it comes to the menu of Open Fire Grilled Brazilian they bring the meat to the table. This Brazilian truck boasts tender meats such as chicken breast, sirloin steak, filet mignon, pork, alongside vegetarian options. Meals are served with traditional white rice, black beans, farofa (yucca flour, bacon, and herbs), and a vinaigrette (onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, oil, herbs, and a dash of tabasco). The meats and veggies are skewered and grilled to perfection dependent on how you would like your meat cooked. Open Fire Grilled Brazilian also offers grilled sweet plantains, and Brazilian sodas. Steak is Chef Caesars's specialty. Something that makes this food truck stand out amongst the others is how the food is prepared. Open Fire Grilled Brazilian doesn't fry a single thing on their truck and every dish is grilled and made to order. Christina and Chef Cesar decided to call Tampa home because of its up and coming business feel, and strong food truck fans and foodies in the area. Open Fire Grilled Brazillian operates out of Clearwater, but frequents the Tampa Bay area.

The Kitchen By Devin Davis is family run food truck started by Devin Davis, a native of Plant City Florida. The Davis family serves the Plant City and Tampa Bay area with a passionate southern spirit. Devin started his food career in culinary school where he obtained his Bachelors in Culinary Management. After completing an internship Devin sought out a way to bring his food to the people of Plant City. In the beginning stages of his culinary career he sought out positions in the area but never really found a position that fit him to the T, he had to start thinking outside of the box. And what's better then owning your own portable kitchen to drive around the city? Nothing! The Kitchen by Devin Davis was born. The food truck idea was inspired by his parents introducing Devin to the food truck industry and Tampa Bay Food Trucks.  While Devin was and still is young with only a little bit of restaurant experience, he makes up for it with entrepreneur faith in his abilities. After doing their due diligence, Devin opened The Kitchen with the help of his family. 

So why "The Kitchen by Devin Davis"? When looking for a name, they started with a concept. Devin wanted to serve southern food done by his own interpretation. His food would come in a quality with a higher standard then typical street food fare. "Food Truck" was synonymous with "Kitchen" and Devin's passion for food and the basis of his career began and was cultivated in the kitchen. The Kitchen fit his concept perfectly. Devin is the master chef behind all of the food and works that come from his truck, so he included his name in the title. The Kitchen is based simply on cooking good food. Their slogan is "Good Food....Southern Roots". Whether The Kitchen is serving up fried chicken of foie gras, Devin makes it properly and delicious. Besides, good food makes people happy. 

Everyone that works on The Kitchen by Devin Davis is family. Whether it's by blood or close friendship, The Kitchen brings them all together. Some very important people on the truck include Devin Davis - the chef and mastermind himself, his Grandma (better known as Nanny) who plays an integral role in the cooking process, his sister, and parents. Devin found inspiration through his parents who own their own local small irrigation business in Plant City. They helped him begin and grow his business, and all together have helped The Kitchen succeed to what it is today.  

Wondering what's the best thing on the menu? The Kitchen by Devin Davis changes up their menu periodically to keep the menu fresh and allows The Kitchen to experiment and try new things. If there's one thing that stays on the menu - it's the fried chicken. This fried chicken isn't like any other fried chicken you've had it before. The Kitchen by Devin Davis goes through a two step process before even making it to the fryer. After getting crispy and juicy, it's served on a toasted bun with a bright red cabbage slaw and a remoulade sauce. A few of Devin's personal menu favorites include Shrimp and Grits, Bacon and Onion Jam Sliders, and Pulled Pork Tacos. The Shrimp and Grits combines tradition with unexpected flavors. Smoky tomato and chorizo cream sauce, creamy grits, and parmesan are just a few elements to the shrimp and grits served up by The Kitchen. The bacon and onion jam sliders is a juicy burger topped with a salty and sweet bacon jam, caramelized red onions, red wine, white cheddar, and a dijon mustard mayonnaise. Last but not least, the pulled pork tacos are simple but delicious by combining juicy smoked pork with a sweet and savory rub on a toasted flour tortilla with a lime, cilantro slaw and spicy chipotle sour cream. 

The Kitchen by Devin Davis sets themselves apart from the competition by simply cooking great food. The menu is constantly fresh and exciting by introducing new items and changing the menu a bit every few weeks. They strive to use the highest quality ingredients possible by shopping at local farmers markets and utilizing things such as locally made sourdough. The Kitchen also loves a great challenge by working catered and private events where they can stray from the menu and offer unique foods that you can't find on the truck on a regular basis. When we asked Devin what's one piece of advice he'd give someone trying out food trucks for the first time he replied with "Just think of food trucks as you would restaurants. Each truck is different and really tries to put out great food. We all have different concepts and types of food. Additionally, I would encourage you try lots of different trucks to see what's out there. You can easily go out to a restaurant and try something new, but many people don't realize that you can go out and have just as much fun trying out a food truck, and the food will often be just as good, if not better, and you don't have to dress up!" Some food trucks Devin is close with include Sawadee Thai Food (Devin suggests the crab rangoon), Pineapple Shack, Chief's Chill Out, and the Rolling Gourmet.  

#1 Does your venue allow outside catering?

#2 How do you envision your guests being served their meals?

#3 What is the best way to utilize a food truck at your wedding?

#4 What type of cuisine would you like to serve?