Tomorrow, food trucks will gather at 7:30 a.m. on Water Street in front of City Hall to show solidarity in advance of the 9 a.m. Common Council meeting.
The meeting will entertain voting on a measure that would ban food trucks from virtually every major thoroughfare and intersection in the 11th Aldermanic District with the exception of portions of Howard Avenue.
The measure, which was approved Thursday by the Common Council's Public Safety Committee, was proposed by Ald. Joe Dudzik, who represents the South Side district, which includes western portions of Oklahoma, Morgan and Forest Home avenues and southern portions of 27th, 35th, 61st and 92nd Streets.
"It’s every street that food trucks could possibly occupy," says Steve Perlstein of Simmer Truck. "Ultimately, this ordinance is stifling small business on the basis of specious arguments."
Dudzik has tried in the past to institute a ban against all food trucks in his district. But, when city attorneys declared his sentiments illegal, he came back with the current measure, which cites safety among his chief concerns.
Dudzik was unavailable for comment.
Trucks participating in the assembly include Simmer Truck, Eats & Treats, Streetza Pizza, Yellowbellies, Burgermeister, Urban Caveman and Oscar’s.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
