A food trailer specializing in vegan-Mexican food is open in Dallas' Bishop Arts: Called La Combi-gotes, it's open at 111 N. Bishop Ave., near the Camp Bishop complex at the corner of West 10th Street.

This is a second life for La Combi-gotes, which was originally founded in Keene, Texas during the pandemic by owners Carlos Linares and Victor Prieto, who wanted to do a veggie version of their native cuisine. They closed the location in Keene in 2022, and relocated to Dallas. On August 10, they celebrated their grand opening in a co-op park, set back from Bishop Avenue, that's home to food trailers such as Lovie’s Kitchen, a soul food concept, and Me Enloteces, an elote shop.

The name La Combi-gotes is playful mix of words, combining their love for the Volkswagen Kombi, the vintage VW bus built in Mexico; with "bigotes," the Mexican word for whiskers or mustaches. (Their logo features a cute drawing of an aqua VW bus with a mustache in front.)

Their menu has Mexican plates with rice and beans featuring vegan beef and chicken fajitas, flautas, and nachos. There are five tacos with vegan beef, chicken, fish, and portabella mushrooms; plus burritos, bowls, and quesadillas.

There are also burgers, and appetizers like cauliflower wings. Prices range from $10 to $18.

They make their own sauces, patties, aguas frescas, and flour tortillas, so there is a homemade taste in the food they serve.

The duo did not have previous restaurant experience; Linares is a truck driver, and Prieto is a T-shirt printer. They met at church, where they were greeted with a wellspring of support, both on the business side and the food side, as well.

"People from our church shared recipes and helped us with the menu," Linares says.

They join one of the biggest vegan trends to emerge in recent years — vegan Mexican — a trend not only in Dallas but in other cities like Los Angeles. Dallas was on the forefront, with pioneers such as El Palote Panaderia, a nationally recognized vegan Mexican restaurant that opened in 2016.

La Combi-gotes is open Sunday-Thursday and Friday, but they close on Saturday. They have a few tables outside, and also do lots of orders to go. Customers can call beforehand to place their order or else order online.

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