A lot of life takes place in a Mobile front yard. “When I first moved here,” says Matt Morris, co-owner of Front Yard Tacos, “I remember looking for a house and driving down the streets, and everyone was hanging out in their front yard.” So when it was time to slap a name on the side of the taco truck parked outside Nova Espresso on St. Anthony Street, Morris and his team didn’t have to search far.
“Not only is the truck literally in the front yard of Nova, the name is also a nod to the welcoming environment of a Mobile front yard,” he explains.
“Welcoming environment” is a nice way to describe the trendy and plant-adorned restaurant on wheels that’s been dishing out inventive tacos since August. Morris, a coffee-shop-customer-turned-business-partner, joined forces with Nova’s Claire and Tim Gautreaux when they decided it was time to expand their food offerings. Having lived in Dallas for six years, the couple saw an opportunity to honor the street taco culture they had come to love.
“We were doing grab ‘n’ go breakfast tacos inside Nova, and they were going over really well,” Claire says, “but it was soon maxing us out.” Now, peckish customers begin showing up to the truck for breakfast tacos at 8 a.m. Some grab a taco on their way to the office, others find a spot at one of the picnic tables under the shade of a live oak.
The menu is playful and experimental, thanks to chef Roy Durano and his sushi background; the Louisiana native draws on his work experience at Liquid Sushi Lounge to create a unique Mexican-Asian fusion. “I actually still use a lot of the same sauce recipes because it turns out they work really well on tacos.”
Taco highlights include a carne asada, a Buffalo chicken, a bacon egg and cheese, and a steak ‘n’ egg. “If we took the steak ‘n’ egg off the menu, people would riot,” Morris says. For taco alternatives, there’s the front yard spread (a basket of tots covered with slaw, cheese, bacon and a fried egg) and an unexpected weekly special (this week, teriyaki Brussels sprouts).
“You never really know what you’re going to find,” Morris says of the weekly specials, but at least you know where to find it. Right in the front yard.
Front Yard Spread 
Carne Asada Taco
On the Menu
Carne Asada Taco
Marinated and seared flank steak meets avocado, onion and cilantro on this popular taco. Jalapeno green sauce for the win.
Buffalo Chicken Taco
Buffalo chicken bites (made with Valentina Hot Sauce) are paired with house pickles, avocado-blue-cheese dressing, cabbage and cilantro.
House Hash
This side is a vegetarian spin on Cajun-style hash, complete with sweet potato, chipotle maple black beans, onions, bell peppers and celery.
Lost Bread
Chef Roy transformed tortillas into French toast crepes, layered with strawberry jam and topped with tiramisu cream, cocoa and powdered sugar.
Front Yard Tacos • 306 Saint Anthony St. frontyardtacos.com
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. every day but Tuesday
