New Mexican Fried Sandwich Truck Opens in Pflugerville

A new food truck dedicated to Nuevo Progreso, Mexico-style sandwiches is opening in the Austin area. Lonche Bar will open at 2800 South Heatherwilde Boulevard in Pflugerville starting on Saturday, October 8.

The star of the truck’s menu parked at a gas station is touting miniature lonches, which are small fried sandwiches made with bolillo rolls. The fillings include minced beef, seared chicken, flank steak, pork carnitas, and vegan chorizo; plus other ingredients such as cabbage, tomatoes, cilantro, guacamole, fried queso, and jalapenos; and additional salsas like the spicy salsa de arbol, tomatillo salsa, and sour cream. Orders are available in quantities, from two to four.

Along with the sandwiches, there will be bowls too. Other items include street elotes, chips with queso, and loaded beans with meat and queso fresco. The rolls are being baked by a Rio Grande Valley baker in the south Texas region.

Co-owners and co-founders Antonio and Karla Rodriguez were raised in South Texas (he was born there, she was born in Mexico), and wanted to serve lonches in the Central Texas city. “Nobody in Austin, or even San Antonio, has these mini-lonches, so we decided to be the first to bring it to fruition,” writes Antonio via email to Eater. “We saw it as an opportunity to bring delicious street foods from Nuevo Progresso, Mexico to Austin, Texas.”

The Rodriguezes also run the McAllen-based Mexican restaurant Tingy, which opened a location in Austin in September 2021, but closed sometime this year. They do eventually want to turn it into a food truck.

Lonche Bar’s hours are from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and then from 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Preorders can be placed online.

Update, Friday, October 7, 10:29 a.m.: This article, originally published on August 9, has been updated to include Lonche Bar’s location, opening date, and hours.