Maggie’s Food Truck stands alone on the corner of N College Avenue on Oct. 5. Photo by Luke Purvis
By Luke Purvis
The Ramspondents
Driving down North College Avenue, nothing stands out as “mind-blowing.” The area north of Old Town looks simple and screams the feel of an older Fort Collins. It doesn’t seem like a spot to take a date. Yet, hidden in parking lots and corners, food trucks have transformed this stretch into a hub for Mexican street food.
Nearly every truck along North College serves Mexican food. Their menus overlap with items such as tacos, burritos, flautas, tortas, and quesadillas. Each truck has its own spin. At La Campechana Mexican Food, an orange trailer parked near a gas station, the walls are plastered with giant images of tacos and burritos. Steam pours out the side as meat grills fast and beans are ladled into tortillas. There’s no trendy signage or a digital payment system, just a cash box and some lawn chairs.
A few blocks south, the yellow Maggie’s Tacos truck sits at the corner of North College and Cherry Street. Its cartoon logo stands out against the backdrop of traffic lights and tire shops. When I stopped by, one of the cooks smiled as I tried my best to order, but I didn't know how to speak Spanish. She told me, “Le encanta cuando la gente se detiene a comer,” which translates to “she loves it when people stop by and eat." It was simple, but it said everything.
For her and many others running these trucks, it’s not about the fame or the best reviews. It’s about sharing a piece of home. The recipes and memories that have traveled here across borders and generations, that is what brings people together, right?
For years, North College Avenue has been known as Fort Collins’ forgotten strip, overshadowed by Old Town’s breweries, restaurants, and rising apartment buildings. But here, among the food trucks, there’s a different kind of passion happening. It’s not flashy or fast. It’s built on family, repetition, and the pride of relatively small business owners making their mark one order at a time.
Los Camprchana food truck cooks all sorts of Mexican food. They are well known for their quesadillas. Photo by Luke Purvis
These trucks serve more than just food; they serve a sense of belonging to the northside of Fort Collins. It’s a chance to share a piece of their culture with customers of all races and ethnicities. It’s a taste of flavor that can’t be replicated in chain restaurants. You can’t buy this kind of flavor. It’s earned, not branded.
Luke Purvis is a CSU Journalism and Media Communication student. He hopes to gain as much knowledge as possible so that he can come prepared when he graduates.