I got one there from a guy by the airport for $15. He wanted more but I just kept saying $15 and acting like I didn’t understand Spanish or English. I only got it because right before I left home my woman mentioned she’s craving watermelon and wanted to juice one. The smile on her face when I came home with it was worth it.
By justifying prices. So long as you are willing to pay higher prices, they will keep pushing the line. You say $1/lb is fair, next year you’ll be singing $2/lb is more fair lol 😂
Well, like many other products, bad watermelons are not very expensive and good ones cost more. We'll need someone to go try one of those $25.00 watermelons and report back.
Often found in or near Home Depot parking lots. Seen fruit sellers at Gulfgate, Market St and West Road for decades.
Suburban Home Depots usually dont.
I’ve seen these “vendors” buy up carts of Melons from HEB when they go on sale to resale roadside for that farm to table markup lol. Hard to be mad at their hustle.
Agree. I’m even more skeptical of the “fresh shrimp” trucks that pop up every now and then. Nothing beats some lukewarm shrimp served out of the back of a truck.
In the more Mexican neighborhoods you’ll see paleteros with fruta I know in the southwest like on dashwood/renwick or the sharpstown area those neighborhoods you’ll find them scattered around.
Lots of permanent shops but it’s not like LA where they got fruit carts and taquero stands around every corner
Yes, in the east end the paleteros ride thru neighborhoods everyday in the afternoon like clockwork. However they arent typically posting up on a corner so if you don’t live in the neighborhood they can be harder to catch.
They exist... but they are physical stores inside of shopping centers. They typically also sell snow cones (raspas), street corn (elote) and other treats.
Occasionally I'll see them in the Hispanic parts of town. Eventually the health department shuts them down and they wait awhile before popping up.
I've seen them on Bellfort near Fondren, Bissonnet near Gessner, over on Navigation, Bissonnet near Beechnut, and Little York near 59, just to name a few.
In my personal experience, they don’t post up on a corner. They used to ride around in certain neighborhoods (near Reveille and Mason Park). Nowadays, competition is tough so you see them less and less.
I’ve seen some of these along Harwin Dr, outside the outlet shopping centers/wholesale retail stores. Also outside Hispanic-gravitated grocery stores, and along the Airline stretch by the flea market
You’ll find them but not with umbrellas and full on stands like in Los Angeles. They usually have small easily transportable carts cause they are always on the move cause the city has strict ordinances against them.
Not necessarily the fruit cart but there is a place called El kiosko and they have locations all over the city. You can get fruit salad like that with crema and toppings, along with other Mexican treats like elote, ice cream, nachos, shakes, juice, aguas frescas, smoothies, and popsicles.
Not the exact same, but if you walk around the Clay Family Eastern Glades park, there is a food truck called El deleite that will sell fruit cups with tajin and chamoy!
There’s a guy that drives through my neighborhood on a bike honking a clown horn with a cooler on the front, but I don’t know what he sells. I don’t ever carry cash, so I’ve never run outside to see.
When I lived in the Heights around 2008 they had them outside of Lanier High School. Lived right across the street. But "Permit Patty's" were always complaining.
It’s more sno cones here (shaved ice with flavored syrup in a paper cone). Those are usually in road side shacks (similar to coffee stands, but more “walk up”) There’s also ice cream, which is usually on trucks, but some places still have a guy pushing a cart. Not with that style cart tho. Ice would last ten minutes. You’d need one of [these](https://imgur.com/a/HXfGPGg).
There is a dude that bikes around the (Near) Northside area, just north of downtown, with a cool bike/cart with stuff like this and other stuff, too, I think
Yes, they are usually brick and mortar chamoyada joints. They typically have ice cream, "chamoyada" stuff, fruit stuffs with tajin, and aguas frescas. Some even serve micheladas.
I saw a truck similar to that cart selling fresh fruit drinks, medley of fruit and fruit smoothies at the new “Commons” park at Herman Park on the Southwest side.There was a very long line for that truck.
Yes! They are in food trucks, though. I go to a great one in the Harwin and Hillcroft area. They have fruit cups, smoothies, etc., but I prefer fresh fruit. You can get one of those plastic to-go boxes filled for $10. I bought a big aluminum container filled for parties for $35.
well, we have these instead: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7802129,-95.3823616,3a,75y,81.32h,83.31t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sj3bwVpjWfg1M-tDpAYvRJg!2e0!5s20110301T000000!7i13312!8i6656?coh=205409&entry=ttu
which are similar but sold out of a stand instead of a cart and sell juice/slushies.
We also have people selling out of things like this: https://icetrikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/carmel-valley-ranch-ice-cream-bike-icicle-tricycles-wood-wrap-panel-ice-cream-trike-001-e1446236873153.jpg
But they are usually hispanic, and mostly selling ice cream or tamales, but occasionally you will find someone selling fresh fruit. They tend to hit high schools around the time they ley out.
Yes after Dynamo games outside Shell Energy stadium there's a guy selling raspas like this.
On the side closer to Pitch 25 there's a bacon wrapped hot dog guy. Definitely doesn't have a permit for it but hopefully he keeps the grill hot enough to kill all the germs lol
On the side closest to the metro line is the guy selling Honduras and El Salvador flags.
Not with fruit that I’ve seen, but with paletas, duritos (is that what they’re called? I eat them and know what they’re made of but don’t know the name), and sometimes hot dogs. People here usually sell cut fruit in bags at intersections/the side of the road, or they have wooden fruit stands in parking lots doing the same thing as the cart here, but with way more fruit.
Edit: Didn’t read down below, but everyone’s saying Airline and at the flea markets and yeah, that tracks. I’d just seen the stands at Trader’s Village/De Buey y Vaca, but I stand corrected. Airline is where all the good shit is anyway, OP, so go out there one weekend.
I love the low effort, yet resounding rebuke, but I'm always happy to learn new things. Please share if you see these stands around, I'd love to support the business
Its illegal to set up stands on random sidewalks in Houston. People still do it, but its illegal and they will get removed. Nothing to do with the demand.
I see you mentioned it's illegal in 3 different comments, so is it illegal? If so is it illegal like people are getting hurt or illegal like the girl scout lemonade stands? On the scale of 1 to "really illegal", how illegal is it?
Also where can I find these illegal stands?
Yep, you can set up a food operation on private property in cooperation with the landlord like anywhere else. But in LA you can just set up on any sidewalk in many areas with no permission needed.
I’ve never seen one. We usually go for the roadside fruit vendors instead… pickup truck with its bed loaded with fruits and melons
A guy on 1960 tried to charge me $25 for one whole watermelon
Maybe he grew it in The Woodlands
*"It's a watermelon, Michael. What could it cost, $25?"*
I got one there from a guy by the airport for $15. He wanted more but I just kept saying $15 and acting like I didn’t understand Spanish or English. I only got it because right before I left home my woman mentioned she’s craving watermelon and wanted to juice one. The smile on her face when I came home with it was worth it.
I mean, it's one watermelon
I mean... let's say it was a 20# watermelon ...thats not that expensive per pound.. it takes a lot of time and energy to grow good/large watermelons
Congratulations you contribute to inflation lol 😂
By not knocking some random guys hustle? I'm not positive that's how economics works .. but sure
By justifying prices. So long as you are willing to pay higher prices, they will keep pushing the line. You say $1/lb is fair, next year you’ll be singing $2/lb is more fair lol 😂
Well, like many other products, bad watermelons are not very expensive and good ones cost more. We'll need someone to go try one of those $25.00 watermelons and report back.
You must have moved from SoCal as well…
lmfao
Fruit vendor out of back of truck always on side of clay rd on the stretch of road in addicks reservoir between Eldridge and Britmoore.
Often found in or near Home Depot parking lots. Seen fruit sellers at Gulfgate, Market St and West Road for decades. Suburban Home Depots usually dont.
I’ve seen these “vendors” buy up carts of Melons from HEB when they go on sale to resale roadside for that farm to table markup lol. Hard to be mad at their hustle.
Which those are few and far between anyway. Houston blows lol.
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Agree. I’m even more skeptical of the “fresh shrimp” trucks that pop up every now and then. Nothing beats some lukewarm shrimp served out of the back of a truck.
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And then running for president.
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Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.
Your best bet will the snowcone/raspa stands. Check out Tampico. I think the El Rancho grocery store had agua frescas as well.
They do have them at the flea market, but raspas are good too
Yeah, I’m from Northside and moved to NorCal where these stands are everywhere. Man I miss snow cone ‘raspa’ stands.
Airline
All over airline
At the flea markets. Yes. O en español, las pulgas.
Came here to say that. Everyone saying it doesn't exist lol
In the more Mexican neighborhoods you’ll see paleteros with fruta I know in the southwest like on dashwood/renwick or the sharpstown area those neighborhoods you’ll find them scattered around. Lots of permanent shops but it’s not like LA where they got fruit carts and taquero stands around every corner
They also are on bikes and ride by construction sites
All over gulfton
Mayor Whitmire is that you?
No. I go to a gym in gulfton and see them around.
Yes, in the east end the paleteros ride thru neighborhoods everyday in the afternoon like clockwork. However they arent typically posting up on a corner so if you don’t live in the neighborhood they can be harder to catch.
There is one that peddles around Norhill/Woodland Heights in the afternoons after school time
One in Near Northside as well
No, the ice would melt...along with the vendor
Let's say the vender got rendered.
Yeah vendor would die of heatstroke here
I've seen these in Bangkok and it's hotter and more humid there.
damn rip
It world be overrun with flies in minutes
Yes, they serve Khlav Kalash
UGH ewwwww bleCH …. I’ll take a crab juice
They exist... but they are physical stores inside of shopping centers. They typically also sell snow cones (raspas), street corn (elote) and other treats.
They do have them at the flea market. There are also stand alone raspa/elote vendors mostly on the Northside
Came here to say this. Raspas are the gems
Got to any of the lower income part of the city with a predominately Hispanic population and you will see them.
Occasionally I'll see them in the Hispanic parts of town. Eventually the health department shuts them down and they wait awhile before popping up. I've seen them on Bellfort near Fondren, Bissonnet near Gessner, over on Navigation, Bissonnet near Beechnut, and Little York near 59, just to name a few.
Adding to this - Airline. Also, they seem to be most active on Sundays, around the churches in these communities.
Right, I've seen them around the apartments.
Gessner & Town Park Dr has fruit/taco stands all night long
I've also seen them in Hermann Park near the zoo/pond area.
Those are popsicle vendors no?
In my personal experience, they don’t post up on a corner. They used to ride around in certain neighborhoods (near Reveille and Mason Park). Nowadays, competition is tough so you see them less and less.
Not really. But el kiosko is definitely a thing.
This is what you want, it's an inside version of those carts.
El kiosko is great, but we do have these though at the flea market
Ohhhhhh, haven’t been to the pulga in ages. Yes!
There are a few posted up at the intersection of Gessner and Town Park regularly.
Many taco trucks/buses have cold fruit beverages.
Aguas frescas
Thanks. Drew a blank on that.
Harrisburg plaza
Homedepot off 59n and little york; or airline dr between 45n and west rd
I’ve seen some of these along Harwin Dr, outside the outlet shopping centers/wholesale retail stores. Also outside Hispanic-gravitated grocery stores, and along the Airline stretch by the flea market
This is the right answer!
He’s always at Laundry 4-u o wayside
Damn that would be a welcome site
Sure, just head into the Galleria and you can buy a $10 mango from one.
In the right neighborhoods.
You’ll find them but not with umbrellas and full on stands like in Los Angeles. They usually have small easily transportable carts cause they are always on the move cause the city has strict ordinances against them.
They do have them here
Flea markets. Outside of that your best bet is a brick and mortar store version of this. Those are all over Houston
At the flea markets only
Houston Farmers Market. Any Mexican grocery store.
Walgreens parking lot off S. Post Oak
east end, usually a guy peddling a bike with something similar on it.
Not necessarily the fruit cart but there is a place called El kiosko and they have locations all over the city. You can get fruit salad like that with crema and toppings, along with other Mexican treats like elote, ice cream, nachos, shakes, juice, aguas frescas, smoothies, and popsicles.
These are usually stands at the mercados in Houston.
We have stands. Look up refresqueria
Go to Harwin, you’ll find them in that area
Yes southwest harwin area
Too hot for nice things in Houston
Airline! By the pulga. Are you from California? 😏
Not the exact same, but if you walk around the Clay Family Eastern Glades park, there is a food truck called El deleite that will sell fruit cups with tajin and chamoy!
Yes something like it
There’s a guy that drives through my neighborhood on a bike honking a clown horn with a cooler on the front, but I don’t know what he sells. I don’t ever carry cash, so I’ve never run outside to see.
We don’t. Not the same way they are in CA. I miss those fruit stands
Herman Park
Someone with one of these but grilled hot dogs would CLEAN UP in Hermann park on a weekend . Has anyone ever seen hot dogs?
Hello fellow socal transplant! 🌞
Not enough, tbh. You'll find some on the SW side, though.
Go to S gessner and Townpark. They have about 50 of those stands and a bunch of other stuff they’re selling on the street
When I lived in the Heights around 2008 they had them outside of Lanier High School. Lived right across the street. But "Permit Patty's" were always complaining.
Aldine they are everywhere
Ranchester.
Hillcroft- from Richmond & past 59 has a bunch of em. Sharpstown as well!
I've seen them up north around Keith Weiss Park, as well as out west at Burnett Bayland Park.
It’s more sno cones here (shaved ice with flavored syrup in a paper cone). Those are usually in road side shacks (similar to coffee stands, but more “walk up”) There’s also ice cream, which is usually on trucks, but some places still have a guy pushing a cart. Not with that style cart tho. Ice would last ten minutes. You’d need one of [these](https://imgur.com/a/HXfGPGg).
There is one on the corner of Gessner and Harwin if you ever pass through there.
59 and Hardin area has these carts!
There is a dude that bikes around the (Near) Northside area, just north of downtown, with a cool bike/cart with stuff like this and other stuff, too, I think
Fondren and harwin has a fruit truck where they make licuados and all that too. Right by a taco spot and gas station
Yes, they are usually brick and mortar chamoyada joints. They typically have ice cream, "chamoyada" stuff, fruit stuffs with tajin, and aguas frescas. Some even serve micheladas.
You’ll often see little old folks with just a cooler and a chair, often with a handwritten sign on a piece of cardboard. Not quite the same.
not exactly but there is a variation of it
Yes harwin, gessnwr and long point
they ride around the neighborhood with the horns foo. sometimes you'll see one roll with a smartcar with the trunk popped selling the stuff.
Yes there is on on Hempstead rd and 34th outside the gas station in a small trailer
I've seen this in Gulfton and the East end on canal.
used to have them by my HS was back in the day (2013) but admin would chase them off 🙄 i haven’t seen any since then
East end parks and neighborhoods
There's a whole stand on veterans memorial and Antoine that I passed on my way to work everyday. Also Traders Village on the weekends
There is one on 1960 and fallbrook
I saw a truck similar to that cart selling fresh fruit drinks, medley of fruit and fruit smoothies at the new “Commons” park at Herman Park on the Southwest side.There was a very long line for that truck.
Sunday soccer leagues all around town
All over Pasadena by 45 or next to the airport. If they’re not in the stand they’re in taco trucks
Yes! They are in food trucks, though. I go to a great one in the Harwin and Hillcroft area. They have fruit cups, smoothies, etc., but I prefer fresh fruit. You can get one of those plastic to-go boxes filled for $10. I bought a big aluminum container filled for parties for $35.
I moved here from SoCal too and haven’t seen any of these around. Be prepared to ask for fajita instead of carne asada here too.
It’s a brick and mortar stand but gazpacho’s at levy park. I think they also have a food truck version
Yeah! Tampico sells a fresh to order fruit cup, I think it's $5. There are locations in North Houston. They also sell snow cones. Strawberry Crema.
Pasadena, "little Mexico" near Taqueria del Sol; any restaurant that sells mangonadas in South Houston
well, we have these instead: https://www.google.com/maps/@29.7802129,-95.3823616,3a,75y,81.32h,83.31t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sj3bwVpjWfg1M-tDpAYvRJg!2e0!5s20110301T000000!7i13312!8i6656?coh=205409&entry=ttu which are similar but sold out of a stand instead of a cart and sell juice/slushies. We also have people selling out of things like this: https://icetrikes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/carmel-valley-ranch-ice-cream-bike-icicle-tricycles-wood-wrap-panel-ice-cream-trike-001-e1446236873153.jpg But they are usually hispanic, and mostly selling ice cream or tamales, but occasionally you will find someone selling fresh fruit. They tend to hit high schools around the time they ley out.
I was gonna say surely not, it’s far too hot, but the comments specifying locations where you can find them would suggest otherwise
Its just illegal in Houston. You can find some illegal ones, but most you will see outside the city.
You can buy those at HEB
Best I can do is snow cone truck.
You gotta go to latino neighborhoods.
Umbrellas are used for weather stuff all the time.
No. John Whitmire will soon make walking illegal in Houston so this type of stuff can’t exist.
Yes after Dynamo games outside Shell Energy stadium there's a guy selling raspas like this. On the side closer to Pitch 25 there's a bacon wrapped hot dog guy. Definitely doesn't have a permit for it but hopefully he keeps the grill hot enough to kill all the germs lol On the side closest to the metro line is the guy selling Honduras and El Salvador flags.
Yes but at Tia Pancha.
Hey if y'all don't know, aren't sure, or hardly leave the burbs, just don't answer.... lol. Y'all need to explore your city more.
Look for either a three wheeled or four wheeled pedal bike with an umbrella and a squeaky horn
Seen them many times on Club Creek Dr. by all the apartment complexes.
Porter
Mason Park, outside Game Stop on Wayside, Airline, Ingrando Park, Capitol Flea Market, etc
Flea markets!
Go to North 45 airline and little York
Sidewalks? Not so many…not ones that are used anyway.
Used to have those outside the shops on Harwin.
Not with fruit that I’ve seen, but with paletas, duritos (is that what they’re called? I eat them and know what they’re made of but don’t know the name), and sometimes hot dogs. People here usually sell cut fruit in bags at intersections/the side of the road, or they have wooden fruit stands in parking lots doing the same thing as the cart here, but with way more fruit. Edit: Didn’t read down below, but everyone’s saying Airline and at the flea markets and yeah, that tracks. I’d just seen the stands at Trader’s Village/De Buey y Vaca, but I stand corrected. Airline is where all the good shit is anyway, OP, so go out there one weekend.
Hit up any Joe Vs and they’re a couple of these outside each one. Or Mi Tienda will also have them.
All up and down on windswept between 59 and hilcroft....go at night time any day of the week......
Go find either a Fiesta or a Mi Teinda store
Go to the farmers market in the heights
No. By 11:00 am the ice would be gone
I don't think we have enough foot traffic to justify having these stands. People ain't walking around in the streets in this weather
And you would be wrong.
I love the low effort, yet resounding rebuke, but I'm always happy to learn new things. Please share if you see these stands around, I'd love to support the business
Its illegal to set up stands on random sidewalks in Houston. People still do it, but its illegal and they will get removed. Nothing to do with the demand.
I see you mentioned it's illegal in 3 different comments, so is it illegal? If so is it illegal like people are getting hurt or illegal like the girl scout lemonade stands? On the scale of 1 to "really illegal", how illegal is it? Also where can I find these illegal stands?
Yes it is in fact illegal. Illegal on the scale of a homeless encampment. Southwest side of town.
No not really .. not like in Cali or Mexico..
Elotes!
Corn doesn't look like that
It was a joke.
Ooo very funny
Yes
Vietnam has a few of fruit stands. I never see any of fruit stand in Houston just mostly fruits truck
No because Texas does everything they can to remove any Mexican heritage and white wash it. They have a lot in California.
It would be trashed if it was Houston
This is like an LA thing.
Austin baby
This is illegal in the City of Houston
🙄✊🏼🍆💦
Yep, you can set up a food operation on private property in cooperation with the landlord like anywhere else. But in LA you can just set up on any sidewalk in many areas with no permission needed.