Now that the weather has warmed up, local food and beverage trucks have been rolling out of hibernation for the 2026 season! Which Eastern Iowa trucks are your favorite? We asked, and you answered!

2026 Food Truck Events

Before we get into the best food trucks in Eastern Iowa, you should probably know about some of the food truck events happening this spring and summer. Sure, you'll see food trucks at every farmers market, fair, or festival you attend these next few months, but there are a few events where the food trucks are the main attraction! Here are some of those 2026 events:

  • Food Truck Fridays
    • Village Center Plaza, Hiawatha
    • May through August
    • Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Food Truck Tuesdays
    • NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids
    • May 5th through August 25th
    • Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Food Truck Thursdays
    • Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, Cedar Rapids
    • May 28th through August 27th
    • Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Freedom Feastival
    • Greene Square Park, Cedar Rapids
    • Thursday, June 11th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    • Also featuring live music, family-friendly activities, and local vendors
  • Street Food Festival
    • Ellis Park, Cedar Rapids
    • Saturday, July 25th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
    • Also featuring face painting, live music, 400 free egg rolls/rangoon, and a book bag giveaway
    • "ALL donations collected, vendor fees, 15% of all vendor sales including 50% of our sales will be donated to our local shelters & food pantries"
  • Waterloo's Food Truck Festival
    • RiverLoop Expo Plaza, Waterloo
    • Saturday, September 5th from 11 a.m.to 6 p.m.
    • Ticketed event

Favorite Food/Beverage Trucks

We asked Iowans on the Cedar Rapids Area Support Local Group and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Area Foodies Facebook pages what their favorite Eastern Iowa food trucks are, and we got a TON of responses! Here are some of the recommendations:

Eastern Iowans Name Their Favorite Area Food/Beverage Trucks

We asked Iowans on the Cedar Rapids Area Support Local Group and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Area Foodies Facebook pages what their favorite Eastern Iowa food trucks are, and these are some of the responses!

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

Gallery List

319 Drink Co

  • Based in the Corridor
  • Menu includes dirty sodas, cold brew lattes, flavored lemonades, and energy drinks

Antonio's Mexican Grill

  • Based in Center Point
  • Menu includes burritos, tacos, taco salad, quesadillas, flautas, fajitas, enchiladas, nachos, and churros

Back 40 BBQ

  • Based in the Corridor
  • Menu includes pulled pork, brisket, mac & cheese, party potatoes, ribs, beans, and coleslaw

Bitter Sweet Coffee & Ice Cream Camper

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes lattes, ice cream floats, ice cream nachos, flavored lemonades, cold brew, and espresso

Bloom

  • Based in Williamsburg
  • Menu includes build-your-own acai bowls, fruit smoothies, protein bites, apple nachos, fruit cups, and specialty toast

Born To Fry

  • Based in the Corridor
  • Menu includes wings, burritos, loaded fries/tater tots, street tacos, quesadillas, and sandwiches

Boulevard Grill

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes hot dogs, burgers, onion rings, chili cheese fries, mozzarella sticks, and tenderloins

Bowls of Love

  • Based in Cedar Falls
  • Menu includes acai/dragon fruit bowls and smoothie parfaits

Boyd's Food Truck

  • Based in Fairbank
  • Menu includes cheese curds, tenderloins, burgers, pulled pork, brisket, onion rings, & burnt ends

Bringing the Chi

  • Based in Waterloo
  • Menu includes Chicago dogs, burgers, Italian beef, Polish sausage, and fries

Chuckies

  • Based in DeWitt
  • Menu includes tenderloins, tenderloin wraps, chicken strips, and waffle fries

County Line BBQ

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes burgers, loaded baked potatoes, nachos, mac & cheese, brisket, pulled pork, and chili cheese dogs

Coyle's Hibachi Chef

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes hibachi steak and hibachi chicken meals

The Crazy Greek

  • Based in Fairfax
  • Menu includes gyros, Greek bowls, loaded fries, salads, baklava, and chicken strips

Da Flava Unit

  • Based in North Liberty/Iowa City
  • Menu includes tacos, ribs, jerk chicken, pulled pork, and hibachi fried rice

Dirty Dough

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes freshly-baked cookies, coffee, and dirty sodas

Doña Mari's Tacos

  • Based in Waterloo
  • Menu includes tacos, birria, burritos, tortas, quesadillas, and sopes

The Funky Pepperoni

  • Based in Ackley
  • Menu includes a variety of homemade pizzas, stuffed cheese bread, and crab rangoon bread

Ginger’s Top Shelf

  • Based in Floyd
  • Menu includes cheesecake, salads, wraps, chicken salad, and soup

Grind Coffee

  • Based in Fairfax
  • Menu includes coffee, cappuccinos, fruit smoothies, hot chocolate, tea, lemonade, and baked goods

Hockey's Smokehouse

  • Based in Waverly
  • Menu includes breakfast sandwiches, biscuits & gravy, breakfast bowls, smoked meat sandwiches, mac & cheese bowls, and walking tacos

The Honey Bowl

  • Based in Waterloo
  • Menu includes a variety of acai/smoothie bowls and iced energy drinks/dirty sodas

Jay's Cheesesteaks

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken wingettes & tenders, mozzarella sticks, and fries

Johnny’s Southern Grill and Seafood

  • Based in Nashua
  • Menu includes shrimp, catfish, seafood tacos, fried pickles, hushpuppies, sides, scallops, & burgers

Kawi Coffee

  • Based in Buffalo
  • Menu includes a variety of coffee beverages, dirty sodas, and energy drinks

Keepin up with the Jones's

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes burgers, pulled pork, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, BBQ sundaes, mac & cheese, and loaded fries

La Calle Latin American Cuisine

  • Based in the Cedar Valley
  • Menu includes black bean burgers, arepas, Cubanos, cachapas, and tacos

Loosies

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes loose meat sandwiches, hot dogs, chili dogs, tenderloins, cheese curds, loaded tater tots, and grilled ham & cheese

Los Ortega's Pupuseria

  • Based in the Corridor
  • Menu includes a variety of pupusas and tres leches cake

O's Grill

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes breakfast wraps, gyros, gyro bowls, falafel, hummus, and baklava

Rockin 5k BBQ

  • Based in Winthrop
  • Menu includes Fritos pie, burgers, tenderloins, loaded baked potatoes, nachos, pulled pork, brisket, and mac & cheese

Smiley’s Soup and Sandwiches

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes cheesesteaks, grilled cheese, pulled pork, salads, cold sandwiches, onions rings, brisket, and cheesy potato casserole

Smoked and Loaded BBQ

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu includes brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken, loaded mac & cheese, nachos, and banana pudding

Spice of Egypt

  • Based in Waterloo
  • Menu includes shawarma, falafel, loaded fries, samosas, and mango/guava beverages

The Street Food Fighter

  • Based in Cedar Rapids
  • Menu include fried rice, egg rolls, crab rangoon, sweet & spicy chicken, lo mein, and steak tacos

Tacos el Pariente

  • Based in Cedar Falls
  • Menu includes tamales, burritos, tacos, birria, quesadillas, horchata, and cremosa beverages

Try Pie

  • Based in Waterloo
  • Menu includes mini pies, pie shakes, ice cream, and coffee

Wescott Barbecue

  • Based in Walker
  • Menu includes smoked meat sandwiches, mac & cheese, corn casserole, BBQ nachos, and sides

The Wicked Donut

  • Based in Nashua
  • Menu includes cinnamon & sugar/powdered sugar mini donuts, specialty mini donuts with toppings, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and lemonade fusions

Wilder Thirst

  • Based in Cedar Rapids/Palo
  • Menu includes a variety of dirty sodas, energy infusions, and lattes
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READ MORE: NE Iowa Restaurant Wins Iowa’s 2026 Best Burger Competition

Bars & Restaurants With Outdoor Patios in the Cedar Valley

Warm weather means that patio season is finally here! Here are some of Cedar Valley businesses with outdoor patios you can enjoy during summer 2026:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

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