rriving back in the city of the souvlaki (i.e. Melbourne) was something of a shock for Meaghan Palmer. After cavorting around Southern California in a Mustang with her partner, her hometown simply failed to deliver when it came to the late night foods she’d discovered in the land of milk and honey. “I couldn't get tacos the way I had them when drunk in the US,” says Palmer. “It's all about souvlakis here…and I just needed a change,” she says of the initiative behind her pop-up up burrito van. Combining this with her aching desire to hatch a “get rich quick” scheme, Livin’ Burrito Loca was born.

Livin’ Burrito Loca has snuck into the Odessa Creative Space in Fitzroy under the guise of the ‘The Pop-Up Burrito Van’, where, until the end of February, Palmer and her team are serving up some of the finest tacos and burritos in Fitzroy. The gallery is decked out like a giant piñata, the treat being the van tucked into the corner. The space is very simply furnished – sporting a mixture of old tables, chairs and milk crates – and feels like you’re hanging out in an old buddy’s garage.

The superstars here of course, are Palmer’s culinary creations. Despite nothing costing over $10, the offerings are exceptional with favourites such as the fish taco and a special of the night – roast pork belly burrito with crackling, apple chipotle coleslaw, coriander and lime (gluten free, veggie and vegan options are also available).

Also on offer are the burrito van’s delicious bag drinks with tequila, aloe vera, coconut and lime, and of course, cheap Tectate tinnies.

The van is conveniently sticking around until the end of summer, so there’s plenty of time to snatch up your own little piece of Southern Cali goodness in the middle of Fitzroy.

Odessa Creative Space
Corner Kerr and Gore Streets, Fitzroy

Livin’ Burrito Loca Hours
Thurs to Sun 5pm–10pm

odessacreativespace.com.au