The Return of Heirloom Food Truck
After 2023 fire destroyed it, a new food truck will return to business July 9.
Site of Heirloom MKE, 2378 S. Howell Ave. Photo taken Aug. 14, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
The final chapter of Heirloom MKE‘s comeback story is set to unfold this summer.
After teasing the return of its mobile restaurant in March, Heirloom’s food truck will be back on the road starting Wednesday — its first appearance since an overnight fire destroyed the original truck nearly two years ago.
“Rising from the ashes, our little yellow truck is BACK and ready to serve you joy at a time that joy is needed more than ever,” owners Pete and Jess Ignatiev shared in a recent social media post. “We are pumped to be reunited with our food truck friends and all of our community that kept our spirits alive.”
Heirloom 2.0, also known as Lucille 2, will make its debut July 9 from 4 to 9 p.m. at The Landing at Hoyt Park, in Wauwatosa. Future appearances are scheduled for July 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Washington Heights Night Market, 5327 W. Washington Blvd., and July 11 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Lion’s Tail Brewing Co. in Wauwatosa.
All three grand opening events will offer free cheese curds for the first 10 customers in line. The last customer in line will receive a free t-shirt.
Initially launched in 2020, Heirloom was a trailblazer in the local food truck scene, combining the quality of farm-to-table dining with the convenience of food truck fare.
Its menu featured upscale dishes like handmade burrata salad and braised beef short rib, making it a fast favorite at markets, festivals and more throughout the Milwaukee area.
The food truck continued to gain momentum throughout the pandemic, but was forced to shut down in July 2023 after a fire tore through the vehicle, resulting in what the Ignatievs described as a total loss.
During the long road to relaunch, the couple pivoted to offer menu items for curbside pickup. They also realized a longtime dream in opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant, which continues today at 2378 S. Howell Ave.
Heirloom — in both its mobile and permanent formats — maintains a commitment to locally sourced ingredients while still prioritizing comfort.
The resulting dishes include scratch-made veggie burgers, fried chicken from family-owned Bell & Evans farm and rich, creamy hand-stretched burrata complimenting an ever-changing lineup of seasonal toppings. The food truck takes a similar approach, though with a stronger focus on handhelds and other travel-friendly eats.
A full food truck schedule is available to view online.
Heirloom’s Bay View restaurant is open Wednesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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