COMPLEMENTARY COMPLIMENTARY &

A look at the marriage between food trucks and breweries

By Kevin Druley

Photos Courtesy of: Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza

Merriam-Webster traces the first use of “food truck” to 1884, some 98 years before the lexicon met the word “microbrewery.”

To think civilization schlepped on for so long without either institution in the other’s corner is a marvel.

Move about the Tri-Cities this summer and you’ll be hard-pressed to see a beer garden or tap room buzzing without a food truck on the premises. We’d ask which came first, but the dictionary already has the answer.

In any event, three people who spoke separately with Kane County Magazine for this story used the time-honored adjective “symbiotic,” or a variation thereof, to describe the food truck-brewery relationship.

What makes the pair so good for one another? We offer five reasons.

1 THE FEELING’S MUTUAL. In addition to space, food trucks and breweries share a love language for serving people seeking a good time. “There’s a certain amount of like-mindedness and symbiosis between breweries and food truck operators,” said Jeremy Teel, taproom manager at St. Charles-based Riverlands Brewing Company. “We’re trying to speak and connect with people through both beer and food, and create experiences that will get people talking and ultimately bring them back.” Note how Teel mentioned beer and food. In a climate where many breweries don’t make food on site, that’s key.

“When people start drinking beer, after the first or the second one, they want something to eat,” said Chuck Grote, owner-operator of Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza in Batavia.

2 THEY TALK EACH OTHER UP. Remember studying homophones – or homonyms if you prefer?

Food trucks and breweries are complementary and complimentary. They offer something the other lacks and aren’t shy about sharing their appreciation for it.

To Alex Drayer, owner of D and G Brewing in St. Charles, the set-up eases the process of networking to find food trucks.

“We look them up and we call them. We all share information amongst the breweries, too,” Drayer said. “If a food truck is working well in one brewery, you turn their name on to another brewery. We’re all friends, so we collaborate a lot, and therefore we like to go, ‘Look, let’s make this food truck a thing for our community and make sure that we have ample amounts of food that we can put on tap.’”

3 THEY AREN’T THE JEALOUS TYPE. Swapping food truck info and feedback with brewery cohorts sometimes creates a scheduling do-si-do. They don’t mind.

“We’re always outdoors, we’re always self-contained,” Grote said. “When we roll up, the only thing we need is [an electrical] plug. We just plug in and we go and we do our thing out in the parking lot.”

Rotating food trucks also offers patrons the ability to diversify their palates and pairings.

Brewery brass shared a handful of food trucks with which they frequently work, including Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza; Batavia-based Fernando’s Street Kitchen, a Mexican establishment; The Argonaut Co., a seafood company in Naperville; and Uncle Cam’s Sandwiches in Huntley.

“You’re offering a great variety. Just like your tap list,” Drayer said. “You come in, they pop up, they serve food, they’re out. Next day, you can bring somebody else in. You can vary your food choices, which works well.”

Chuck’s makes dough for pizzas, pretzels, and cinnamon rolls, requiring an intricate fermentation process across three days.

The company uses fresh ingredients from farmer’s markets and other agricultural alliances in Kane County.

“It’s the highest quality that I can find,” Grote said.

Drayer attests to that and the offerings of other food trucks when he says: “It’s not bar food. You can’t stress that enough; it’s not just bar food. We have the luxury of bringing in these trucks that are getting more and more gourmet.”

That’s a win for customers.

“Top-quality ingredients and cooking skills can be seen and tasted,” Teel said. “It becomes obvious very quickly when an operator cuts corners.”

5 THEY LIKE TO HAVE FUN.

Surely, barroom banter dates back to at least the 14th century, where MerriamWebster pinpoints the first known use of “tavern.”

If conversation grows stale, though, or the weather turns especially gorgeous, watching food truck staff in action can provide a welcome deterrent.

Grote, whose company recently debuted a truck that can cook six pizzas at a time, says patrons find “some cool theater” when observing the cooking process.

“You’ve got to have a good product and you’ve got to have what people like, and you have to be consistent,” he said. “But you also need to give them an experience. People when they’re going out, they can go anywhere to get food, and they’ll generally go where they’re getting a better experience.”

Adds Teel: “The most successful food trucks we’ve seen and watched grow over the past few years are the ones who don’t just serve food but really connect with guests. They create not just a brand, but almost a persona that guests follow and want to engage with.”

An engagement doesn’t always mean a betrothal, of course.

Where food trucks and breweries are concerned, however, they skipped that part and tied the knot.

Obscurity Brewing and Craft Mead

113 W. North St., Elburn 630-320-2255 | www.drinkobscurity.com

Obscurity Brewing is a traditional barbeque restaurant with a 1000 pound capacity wood smoker, the second largest in Illinois. It’s located in the heart of the agriculture district of Elburn, preserving the old Farm Services Offices and Warehouse space. The love of craft beer, the passion for mead, the live music, the childhood memories of eating your favorite BBQ, and the desire to give back to the community. All these things drive the creation of our atmosphere and experience in the restaurant, brewery, and outdoor beer garden patio.

Burger And Sushi House (B.A.S.H.)

124 W. State St., Geneva 630-587-2274 | www.burgerandsushihouse.com

The Burger and Sushi House concept is based upon the idea of bringing everyone to the table and in September of 2022 we invited the Tri-Cities to pull up a chair. Our new shaded patio accommodates 100 guests and features a walk-up sushi bar. Dine al fresco and enjoy our fresh fusion inspired menu which runs the gamut; burgers and salads to sushi and mac and cheese. Planning a special event? Our spacious, modern second floor is the ideal location for events of all types and sizes. Make B.A.S.H. your place this summer.

Vintage 53

161 S. First St., St. Charles 630-549-0423 | www.vintage53.com

Al fresco dining is back at Vintage 53! Enjoy a cheese plate, sandwich, cocktail, or glass of wine on our beautiful First Street patio. Vintage 53 is a specialty marketplace, cut-to-order cheese shop, and wine bar. We offer an assortment of curated to-go trays, grazing tables for larger groups, and educational cheese pairing classes on Sundays!

Rookies All-American Pub & Grill

2486 Bushwood Dr., Elgin | 847-551-9006

1996 S. Kirk Road, Geneva | 630-402-0468

1545 W. Main St., St. Charles | 630-513-0681 www.rookiespub.com

Rookies All-American Pub & Grill has six locations across Northern Illinois and will soon open a seventh in Crystal Lake. The menu features a variety of pub food and American favorites including their famous wings, burgers, sandwiches and specialty pizzas. Check out their house drinks – Bob’s Mai Tai has been a house specialty since 1975 – as well as house wines by Robert Mondavi, by the glass or by the bottle. The restaurant regularly hosts special events, such as Cruise Nights from June through September at Elgin at St. Charles locations and Atomic Bingo (Tuesdays in Elgin and Geneva, Wednesdays in St. Charles). A huge patio and bar with a live music stage are coming soon in Geneva Rookies at the ice rink!

Village Squire

480 Randall Road, South Elgin | 847-931-0400

125 Washington St., West Dundee | 847-428-4483 www.villagesquire.com

Village Squire Restaurants have been part of the Fox Valley since 1974, family owned and operated. The Squire is an English pub-style casual dining restaurant featuring live music Wednesdays through Sundays and a cozy atmosphere with a great outdoor patio featuring two fireplaces for enjoyment in the warm weather months. Some of their specialties include charbroiled steaks, juicy prime rib and a wide variety of gourmet burgers, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta and fresh fish. Famous for their house drinks, Mai Tais and Rum Barrels are made in-house and are an all-time favorite. For a casual drink or dinner, Village Squire is a great place to be!

Alexander’s Cafe

1725 N. State St., Elgin | 847-888-4146

1650 W. Main St., St.Charles | 630-549-0514 www.alexanderscafe.com

Alexander’s Cafe is named in honor of Alexander the Great, a king of Macedonia in Northern Greece, where the restaurant owners are from. Alexander’s serves breakfast and lunch 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – all home-cooked meals are made fresh on the premises by the chef. All of the soups, sauces, gravies and dressing are made fresh on site. Alexander’s also features bloody marys and mimosas!

Moto Imoto

181 S. First St., St. Charles 630-425-0990 | www.motoimoto.com moto imoto is a unique blend of “East meets West” Pan-Asian culinary experiences that will delight all. Our Asian streetfood inspired menu offers shareable plates, signature sushi rolls, and chef-designed farm fresh dishes that allow us to elevate and heighten the overall guest dining experience. Our open-air wraparound patio offers a comfortable dining experience while also being right within the heart of St. Charles. With our happy hour every week day from 3-6 in our custom designed lounge area and features like our bento box lunch specials, our fresh and new dining experience is sure to be a highlight of your day.

Gia Mia

13 N. Third St., Geneva | 630-405-5544

31 S. First St., St. Charles | 630-415-0770 www.giamiapizzabar.com

Gia Mia provides chef-driven, farm-to-fork concepts such as Neapolitan style wood-fired pizzas, creative small plates, fresh pastas and so much more. Along with our mixology bar, we also feature craft beers and exclusive wines carefully picked to complement any meal. At our open-air patio we feature a lovely pergola at our Geneva location and an inviting piazza at our St. Charles location. With offers such as our $13 lunch special, half-price pizza Mondays, and our Wine-Down Wednesdays, it’s the perfect time for your family to enjoy the summer weather with our family.

Livia Italian Eatery

207 S. Third St., Geneva 630-402-6444 | www.liviaitalianeatery.com

Livia Italian Eatery features a broad Northern Italian inspired menu, featuring dishes that range from pastas and fresh greens, to crowd favorites like our New Zealand lamb chops. Along with other specialty entrées, each dish stays true to our farm-to-fresh motto. Our open-air patio features a sunken-in design in the heart of Geneva that allows for a more private outdoor dining experience, along with a ramp for easy access. With happy hour from 3-6 every week day and our new weekend brunch menu, a summer outing at Livia is the perfect place to unwind.

Ella’s Italian Pub

407 S. Third St., Geneva 630-457-1115 | www.ellasitalianpub.com

This summer, experience BG Hospitality Group’s newest location: Ella’s Italian Pub. Ella’s is located in the heart of Geneva’s historic shopping district on the corner of Fulton and Third Street. With one visit, Ella’s will soon become your favorite spot to dine and unwind. Our family-friendly dining experience starts with our signature Roman-style pizza made from handcrafted dough, accented by creative Italian pub-style street food offerings, along with an extensive wine list and crafted cocktails, making it the perfect destination for any occasion. Be sure to stop by and try our off-the-menu specials; $8 Happy Hour on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the bar area or our Late-Night Happy Hour on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Visit our website for more. What makes us different? It’s how we “dough it!”