Need lunch plans? West End has a new lunchtime food truck rally
Charlotte and food trucks — these mobile kitchens are a staple of Charlotte’s foodie culture. With spring just around the corner, the freewheeling restaurateurs are setting up shop in spots all over the city.
You’ve probably heard about the Food Truck Friday in the parking lot of Sycamore Brewery, and maybe about the new one that just launched in Cotswold. But did you known that during CIAA Tournament week West Charlotte quietly started its own lunchtime food truck rally?
Trade Street Eats launched the week of Feb. 20 and will continue 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday through the end of March. Two food trucks will be parked across from the Johnson C. Smith University mixed-use residence halls known as Mosaic Village, at 1600 West Trade Street in the vacant Park n’ Shop lot.
“Trade Street Eats derived from the neighbor initiative Savory Saturdays, which is a breakfast food truck rally that occurred last summer and during the fall,” said Alysia D. Osborne, Director of the Historic West End with Charlotte Center City Partners. “You saw the impact of how food brings people together …
“I mean, it was 8 o’clock in the morning and you had families, kids in strollers, all ages, all races coming together around food and just experiencing each other in a common space.”
With all the construction going on in West End and with the closing of some key restaurants in the area, Osborne decided they should try to create that same Savory Saturdays ambience in the Historic West End during the lunch hour.
Here’s the lineup of trucks for upcoming Trade Street Eats:
Monday, March 13: The Sandwich Truck; Jive Turkey Legs
Wednesday, March 15: Mae’s Creole Kitchen; All-Star Cafe
Monday, March 20: The Sandwich Truck; Magnolia’s Po Boys
Wednesday, March 22: Dumpling Lady; KO Food Truck
Monday, March 27: The Sandwich Truck; Jive Turkey Legs
Wednesday, March 29: Dumpling Lady; Ruthie’s
The Historic West End did not want to overload the lot with too many trucks during the rally to ensure the trucks that participate do well and to find out which trucks really resonate with the community.
“We are rotating different trucks to offer a variety in those time slots so people can have a little bit of flavor from around the city every time they stop by,” Osborne said.
Osborne has plans to have live music at the event to truly make it feel like a momentary break from the 9-to-5 grind.
Osborne describes Trade Street Eats as a way to create community while preserving the character and culture of the West Side.
Trade Street Eats may not be a quick walk from an Uptown office, but you can take the free Gold Rush Trolley to the old Park n’ Shop lot if you need a break from your usual midday lunch outings.
For up-to-date information about Trade Street Eats, follow the Historic West End Initiative on Instagram at www.instagram.com/HistoricWestEndCLT.
Photos: Kia O. Moore
This story was originally published March 13, 2017 at 12:46 AM with the headline "Need lunch plans? West End has a new lunchtime food truck rally."