Downtown Street Eats Food Truck Rally Returns to Cadillac Square, Kicking into Gear April 6
More than 80 local food trucks and restaurants will unite to offer a diverse culinary experience to satisfy the lunch crowd in the heart of Downtown Detroit
DETROIT – Springtime means lunchtime just got a whole lot better as the Downtown Detroit Partnership’s popular Downtown Street Eats rolls into Downtown Detroit Monday, April 6, to kick off the 2026 season. Food trucks will line Cadillac Square from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through
Oct. 9, with additional appearances during special events such as the Detroit Grand Prix, Detroit Tree Lighting and tailgates. The beloved food truck rally will feature a wide variety of cuisine – from Asian to Greek to Mexican – with both returning favorites and several new food trucks.
Created, programmed and managed by the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Downtown Street Eats is Michigan’s largest weekly food truck experience, attracting more than 2,500 people each day. The program brings together a diverse array of food trucks, carts and local restaurant pop-ups, providing convenient, quick lunchtime options to satisfy the cravings of Detroiters, Downtown employees and curious visitors alike. Patrons are encouraged to take advantage of an array of surrounding seating areas to enjoy their meals in an urban, open-air setting.
“Downtown Detroit Street Eats has really become a signature part of spring and summer in Downtown Detroit,” said Laura Dean, director of parks and public spaces for the Downtown Detroit Partnership. “It gives people a reason to step outside, connect with the city and enjoy some incredible local food. More than just a lunchtime stop, Downtown Street Eats brings people together in the heart of downtown.”
WHO’S NEW
Detroit Panzerotti Co. is bringing Italian street food to Downtown Street Eats this season. Founded by Paul Buscemi, a former Buscemi’s Party Store owner whose family still operates locations within the franchise, the food truck specializes in Detroit-style pizza and calzones and offers steak sandwiches, Italian subs, cannoli and modern touches like hot honey and other Italian comfort foods.
Buscemi launched the business in 2016 after overcoming cancer and deciding to build a family-run venture with his son and daughter. The menu, built on family recipes, house-made dough and sauces, highlights high-quality ingredients served fresh and fast.
In addition to its trailer, Detroit Panzerotti Co. will now operate from a newly built 32-foot truck this season, allowing the team to better serve Detroit’s growing downtown lunch crowd.
“After going through cancer, I realized life is too short not to build something meaningful with my family,” said Buscemi. “We saw a niche for Detroit-style pizza and calzones in the food truck industry, and Downtown Street Eats is the perfect place to share it with people working and visiting downtown.”
LONGTIME FAVORITE
Veteran food truck CIA Cheesesteak Institute of America, a family-run food truck known for its authentic Philly-style cheesesteaks and strong ties to Michigan’s meat industry, is back for its 10th season in Downtown Detroit.
Owner Greg Arnoldy, a third-generation meat professional, grew up in the family business at Royal Meats in Wyandotte, a restaurant supplier that helped introduce thin-sliced beef for cheesesteaks to the region decades ago. In the early 1980s, Arnoldy and his father began promoting the sandwich locally, branding the product as Royal Gold. Royal Meat later merged with Wolverine Packing Co.
After operating a brick-and-mortar restaurant from 2014 to 2016, Arnoldy shifted to a food truck, inspired in part by the Downtown Street Eats program. Seeing how busy the trucks were downtown, his sons encouraged him to expand beyond festivals and apply to the program.
Today the business remains a true family operation. Arnoldy’s son Geoffrey, a schoolteacher by day and Greg’s partner in the business, runs the kitchen, while his wife, Cindy, greets customers and manages the front of house, earning the nickname “Mom” among regulars.
The truck serves the traditional Philly-Style Cheesesteaks made with ribeye or chicken, waffle fries and drinks, focusing on a simple menu built around quality beef and decades of experience.
“We love being part of Downtown Street Eats. It feels like family,” said Arnoldy. “The customers are great, and the Downtown Detroit Partnership team that runs the program is incredibly supportive. They really work to help vendors succeed, and it’s always a great experience serving the downtown crowd.”
RETURNING FOOD TRUCK
Island Noodles returns to Downtown Street Eats this season, bringing its popular Hawaiian-inspired stir-fry to customers. The food truck was founded in 2016 by Jeremy Rowe, with his brother Kelley joining the business a year later as it quickly grew in popularity. The truck has not participated in the program before the pandemic, when the rally featured about a dozen food trucks. Since then, Downtown Street Eats has grown significantly, and Island Noodles is excited to reconnect with Detroit’s lunchtime crowd.
Known for its simple, focused menu, Island Noodles serves a signature dish of yakisoba noodles stir-fried with 21 vegetables, garlic and ginger in a light soy sauce, available vegan or topped with teriyaki chicken. In recent years, the truck has also expanded its offerings with made-to-order smoothies in tropical flavors, including strawberry-banana, pina colada and Island Passion, a blend of pina colada and mango.
“Downtown Street Eats has built an incredible reputation, and we’ve heard nothing but great things about the program and how much it’s grown over the years,” said Kelley Rowe, co-owner of Island Noodles. “We’re excited to introduce our noodles to a new lunchtime crowd in Downtown Detroit and be part of a program that celebrates so many great local food vendors.”
KICKOFF WEEK LINEUP
Now in its 14th season in Downtown Detroit, this year’s Downtown Street Eats lineup will feature more than 80 food trucks and carts rotating Monday through Friday and during special events. Downtown Street Eats’ season-opening week lineup includes the following offerings:
Monday, April 6
Cousins Maine Lobster and TRU Pizza Co.
Tuesday, April 7
Big Bo’s Grill, Curt Got Crabs, Fun Food Express, Gambino’s Catering Wood Fired Pizza, Grand Traverse Pie Co., Los Dos Amigos Taco Truck, Twisted Street BBQ
Wednesday, April 8
Busta Gawgs, Conchys Empanadas, Little Bite Big Taste, Sonny’s Hamburgers, Wing Snob
Thursday, April 9
Los Dos Amigos Taco Truck, The Great Greek, The Rolling Stoves, TRU Pizza Co.
Friday, April 10
Busta Dawgs, Island Noodles, The Great Greek
Additional food trucks featured in the coming weeks include favorites like Mr. Creole, Nu Deli, Old Shillelagh, Rollin Stone Wood Fire Pizza and Tacobachis.
SUPPORT OF DOWNTOWN SMALL BUSINESSES
In addition to the Downtown Street Eats program, visitors are encouraged to support the local restaurants and small businesses in and around Downtown Detroit Parks. From casual eateries to fine dining, there’s something for every taste. Visitors can enjoy meals on beautiful outdoor patio seating at restaurants like Parc and Lumen, or grab carry-out to eat in the parks while they enjoy the views. Rolling green lawns at Campus Martius Park, Capitol Park, Beacon Park and Grand Circus Park make the perfect picnic spots.
In collaboration with over 250+ community partners, the Downtown Detroit Partnership has established itself as a leader in creating an array of more than 1,200 engaging initiatives, cultural events and programs, while managing and operating 18 Downtown Detroit’s historic and world-class public spaces and urban parks.
For a full schedule of food trucks and other fun events happening in Detroit parks, visit DowntownDetroit.org/events.
###
About the Downtown Detroit Partnership
Since 1922, the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) has worked to cultivate social and economic impact in Downtown Detroit. As a member-based nonprofit, the DDP convenes civic, corporate, community and philanthropic partners to create a vibrant and world-class urban core. As a leader in Downtown urban innovation, the organization also provides small business support and manages, programs and stewards 18 parks and public spaces throughout Downtown Detroit. Learn more at DowntownDetroit.org and engage on social media @DowntownDet.
