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Italian Food Truck Catering in Santa Barbara

Aaaaaoooohhhh! Word on the street is that you've been talking with some steam jockeys about serving Italian cuisine, the cuisine ordained a miracle by over 917 different religions galaxy-wide, in cold, soulless pans like your guests are some kinda cattle. Give the old style of catering an offer it can't refuse and let Best Food Trucks bring you into la famiglia for the best Italian food truck catering ever. Ottimo!
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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+

Italian Food Truck Catering in Santa Barbara

Searching for the best Italian food truck catering in Santa Barbara for your wedding at the Courthouse, a wine-country birthday in the Santa Ynez foothills, or a company picnic on East Beach? Best Food Trucks connects you with the top mobile kitchens that serve authentic Italian favorites—right here in Santa Barbara.

From wood-fired margherita pizza that rivals the pies on State Street to creamy pesto gnocchi perfect for those cool evening gatherings along Cabrillo Boulevard, Italian cuisine brings the comfort of Nonna’s kitchen to any Santa Barbara venue. And when it’s prepared fresh in a gleaming food truck, guests can watch the magic happen while they mingle beneath the palms.

Our local team knows the ins and outs of the South Coast—from UCSB graduation crowds to intimate rehearsal dinners overlooking the Mission. We partner with an extensive network of Italian food trucks and handle everything from permitting to parking, so you can focus on sipping a glass of Pinot from the Funk Zone while your guests enjoy hot, made-to-order tortellini.

Why book Italian food truck catering in Santa Barbara?

  • Flavor on wheels: Hand-tossed pizzas, artisanal pastas, and fresh Caprese salads served steaming and seconds from the kitchen.
  • Iconic backdrops: A food truck fits as easily at Alameda Park festivals as it does seaside at Leadbetter Beach.
  • Stress-free logistics: Best Food Trucks secures the perfect truck size for your guest count, manages set-up, and coordinates service times around sunset photos.

Round out your menu with other beloved Santa Barbara trucks—think a scoop of locally churned ice cream from McConnell's Fine Ice Creams for dessert or delicate crĂȘpes from Nimita's Cuisine as a sweet European touch.

Whether you’re planning a rooftop cocktail hour on Chapala Street or a backyard anniversary in Montecito, elevate the experience with Santa Barbara’s best Italian food truck catering. Contact Best Food Trucks today, and let us roll up with the flavors of Italy and the laid-back vibe only Santa Barbara can deliver.

Italian catering

Skip the Line—Savor La Dolce Vita at Your Santa Barbara Event

With Best Food Trucks’ cutting-edge online ordering system, guests at your Italian food truck catering in Santa Barbara can spend less time waiting and more time toasting prosecco beneath the palms. Whether you’re hosting a rehearsal dinner on Cabrillo Boulevard, a Fiesta-week block party on State Street, or a tech mixer in the Funk Zone, everyone can pull out their phone, place an order for wood-fired pizza or truffle-parmesan arancini, and receive a text the moment it’s ready—no long lines, no guesswork.

Want to streamline even further? Send a pre-order link days in advance so attendees can reserve a specific pick-up window. From UCSB alumni tailgates to sunset weddings at El Presidio, our online ordering keeps the focus on mingling and Mediterranean flavor, not on standing around the truck.

Professionals across the South Coast trust Best Food Trucks for seamless, Italian food truck catering in Santa Barbara. We make it effortless for hosts of every level to deliver restaurant-quality eats with zero hassle—so you can relax, enjoy the party, and let us handle the logistics. Buon appetito!

Italian catering

To give you a taste

12" Pizza Margherita

12" Pizza Margherita

18” Pepperoni Pizza

18” Pepperoni Pizza

Small Shaved Ice - Build your own!

Small Shaved Ice - Build your own!

Polpette

Polpette

WhannoliÂź

WhannoliÂź

Meaty Trio

Meaty Trio

Best Italian Food Trucks in Santa Barbara

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams

Nimita's Cuisine

Nimita's Cuisine

...and more!

Hire Italian Food Truckin Santa Barbara today

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

How We Make Food Truck Catering Easy

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 (166,149 reviews)

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.

Brandy B.

23 February 2026

The steak and cheese was fantastic! The Nutella one was great too. But the steak and cheese was definitely my favorite!

Olivia D.

21 February 2026

It was the best gluten-free pizza I've had since New York City and the chocolate Dubai dessert was amazing. I hope they come to Starkey ranch again soon!!

Emily L.

20 February 2026

Our food was cold. My husband was at the truck when I got the text. earlier notification would be better.

Morgan T.

18 February 2026

Great quality, delicious pizza, reasonable price. Please come back to Artisan Lakes again for Food Truck Tuesdays. You guys are the best!!

Sarah A.

12 February 2026

I like both pizzas, especially the one with mushroom, cheese, carm onion, and arugula with truffle oil. Also being able to pre-order ahead, service was fast. Thank you!

Kimberly V.

11 February 2026

I had the chicken salad and the greens were cold and fresh the chicken and bacon were warm and well cooked - delicious

Connie S.

10 February 2026

The sauce was just the right amount of sweet, the combination of the crispy crust and warm melted cheese was perfect and the pepperoni added a nice spice to round it out. 😋yum

Mary H.

10 February 2026

I ordered the Lemonade cupcake. I loved the balance between the sweet of the icing and the sour of the lemon! It was so delicious!!!

Randall M.

10 February 2026

Amazing crust, great cheese and pepperoni. Sauce tasted great too, but I would like a bit more on the pizza

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.