jose & tania acosta

Fredericksburg’s Finest

Tania & Jose Acosta

If you love a crazy good, mouthwatering, out-of-this-world kind of burger, you may already be well acquainted with Jose and Tania Acosta, owners of the Fire Escape Food Truck, whose menu has boasted freshly made, 4-hour-marinated burgers since its 2019 founding. You can find the truck at various locations throughout greater Fredericksburg via the monthly schedule posted on the Fire Escape website, or via its Facebook or Instagram platforms. On regular rotation have been several of the region's awardwinning breweries, such as Barley Naked Brewing, Strangeways Brewing FXBG, and Highmark Brewery.

The Acostas are devoted to serving the community and to providing a fun, family-friendly environment. Consistent with its namesake, Fire Escape supports local firefighters and first responders. 10 percent of profits from each Burger-o of-t the-M Month sale are donated to a local fire station. Fire Escape

has also supported community organizations and causes such as Mary ' s Shelter, Cooking Autism, Inc., and most recently, the Walk for Autism at Old Mill Park. The Acostas helped a young girl raise funds to purchase a wheelchair accessible van for her mother; they have purchased gifts for children during the holiday season; and they opened their own home to those who needed food and shelter when the January 2022 winter storm caused severe and widespread power outages affecting nearly 84,000 households and businesses throughout Fredericksburg city and Stafford, Spotsylvania, and King George counties (Source: Dominion, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, Northern Neck Electric Cooperative, and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative).

The Acostas are no strangers to the hospitality industry. The couple's love story has its roots in the restaurant business, where Jose and Tania met as teenagers before marrying and raising four sons together. Tania went on to serve children with Autism in the Fairfax County and Spotsylvania County Public Schools and to support Jose's dream of owning his own restaurant. The Acosta family owns Tapa Rio Riverside Latin & Italian Plates at 1101 Sophia Street in downtown Fredericksburg, the same site where Jose had previously owned Don Moncho Caribbean Tex-Mexican Restaurant. He has also owned D.C. Grill Kitchen and Bar, with locations in Fredericksburg and in Washington, D.C.

Fire Escape emerged from enthusiasm to get on board with a

growing trend and to bring home to Fredericksburg the surging interest in gastronomy across the United States. Food trucks have grown to be a $2 billion dollar industry, having experienced an estimated annual growth rate of 7.5% since 2015 and now having outpaced the restaurant industry (Source: Chef's Store, FoodTruckOperator.com). Contributing factors have included the lack of overhead costs; relatively inexpensive licensing and operating costs; increasing demands for environmentally friendly food, vegan options, and meat-plant blends; collaborations with carnivals, wineries and breweries, and concert venues; and social media marketing and technology that facilitates mobile meals direct to customers.

I n Fredericksburg, Fire Escape is in good company with popular local favorites such as Taco Tuesdays, Mama's Soul Food Truck, The UFO Truck, Will's Place, Family Food Palace, Z's Southern Kitchen, and Beverley's Ribinator BBQ, among others. T h e Fredericksburg Food Trucks FB Group is nearly 5,000 members strong.

by jenna elizabeth Edwards

"It has been so much fun to meet people where they are and set up shop in local neighborhoods, parks, and community venues where everyone can bond over delicious food," Tania says. The couple also radiated joy in expressing how much they love the flexibility of creating their own schedule and of being able to adapt to whatever circumstances arise, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Acostas, on behalf of their company, Latinos in FXBG Entertainment, are also hosting the region's first Latin Festival on Sunday, May 15, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds. Always Flavored, Wings on Wheels BWW, Dominican Bites, Cream to Go, and Rita's Flavored Ice are confirmed vendors for the event. "Tania was talking about how someone should start a festival showcasing diverse Hispanic heritage and cuisine in the Fredericksburg region," Jose says, "So I asked her, why not you?"

"Most people are familiar with Mexican food in the area, but we also want to introduce them to some delicious pupusas from El Salvador and give some love to cuisine from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, and Peru," Tania says. "Everyone is welcome to enjoy some amazing food among family and friends." Jenna is a local realtor . Her facebook, The Writing Realtor, highlights local business owners & community members showcasing why FXBG region is an amazing place to live

Fire Escape Food Truck Monthly Schedule on Website; Facebook; Instagram Latin Festival Sunday, May 15, 11a-4 4p FXBG Fairgrounds