Do you miss the pre-Katrina restaurant scene in Waveland? Then go try Food Truck Friday
When I was a child, I remember thinking the “main strip” in small-town Waveland felt like a big city.
Condos on the beach welcomed you as you turned on Coleman Avenue from South Beach Boulevard. The street was known as the heart of Waveland, with City Hall, bars, restaurants, historic buildings, art and living.
Dempsey’s seafood was there, and so was the beloved Rickey’s restaurant.
My aunt and uncle opened a bar called The Pier and lived upstairs — and as a teenager, we’d set up outside for the city’s well known St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Folklore says the eye of Hurricane Katrina may have gone straight up Coleman Avenue on Aug. 29, 2005, leaving almost nothing behind, save the historic brick school house that now houses Sugar Pop Baking Co. and the Ground Zero Hurricane Museum.
Waveland’s downtown has been slow to rebuild compared to bustling Bay St. Louis, where there are more than a dozen restaurants in a two-block radius.
And while I love the Bay, I think it’s important to support the local businesses and restaurants that set up shop in Waveland. That’s why Food Truck Friday is so important.
The event is held one Friday a month. Trucks line up Coleman Ave. and the streets are blocked so they are walkable. There’s live music or a DJ and seating near the business incubator building that houses a cool art gallery.
I went for the first time with my roommate and friends last month. Here’s why you should go:
- The menus are diverse. Whether you want fair-style food, a Paule’s sno-ball, Jamaican, birria tacos from Los Sarapes or loaded fries, there’s a good variety.
- The options change monthly. You have the opportunity to try food from across the Coast right in Hancock County and you can see the food truck’s participating on Food Truck Friday’s Facebook page.
- It’s fun and nostalgic. I saw people I hadn’t seen in years and the memories of being on Coleman Avenue flooded in as I ate barbecue chicken fries and stole a few sips of my cousin’s raspberry lemonade.
- It’s affordable. I ate a huge order of loaded fries from Frankie Faye’s Good Eatin’ and a Diet Coke and it cost less than $20. There are options for every price point.
- Most trucks take credit or debit cards. If you don’t have cash, fear not.
- The locals love it and want you to come out. Even if you live in Biloxi, take the 35-minute drive to kick off your weekend. Food Truck Friday was voted one of the best spots for outdoor dining on the Coast.
If you decide to go, Waveland Food Truck Friday takes place the second Friday of every month and the fun kicks off around 5 p.m. The next event is June 9.
