Downtown Pocatello’s new Lookout Point hosting fourth year of Food Truck Roundup

POCATELLO — The Pocatello Food Truck Roundup is back for its fourth year in a new, more family-friendly location.

Every Monday through September — save for Memorial Day and Labor Day — local families are invited to skip dinner prep and take in the new Lookout Point while testing the area’s best food trucks.

By moving the roundup from its previous home at the Historic Downtown Pocatello Pavilion to Lookout Point — the city’s new town square located at 426 West Lewis Street — families will have access to large grassy areas, a playground and, coming soon, a splash pad.

Ryan “Bud” Matthews, owner of Smokin’ Buds BBQ, said he has heard nothing but positive feedback from those who have attended this year.

Brian Zenger, co-owner of Grandma’s Pantry and one of the driving forces behind the roundup, said he thinks the new location adds a lot to the event.

“We have a full stage now — for when we book bands — and a much more grassy area for kids to play,” he told EastIdahoNews.com.

Smokin’ Buds and Grandma’s Pantry were both part of the regular lineup during last year’s lineups. Among the new options is the Yellowstone Catering Trailer, bringing quick eats from their popular restaurant.

Co-owners Jennifer and Rory Erchul said they are excited to join an event that has grown exponentially in popularity.

All the food they serve from their trailer, the Erchuls explained, comes directly from the Yellowstone’s award-winning kitchen.

“Obviously, we can’t do steak and salmon and mahi mahi and do it like we would do it in the restaurant,” Rory said. “But we can do things that we normally don’t do — we don’t have po’ boys on the menu, we don’t have steak bowls. We can come out here and it’s something that’s quick and fairly easy to do.”

Matthews said he has some new things to unveil this season as well. He plans to introduce new burritos next week, joining a menu that changes weekly. He joked that he is excited to break out some new flavors — and just be out from behind the wall of snow that blocked his truck for longer than expected.

“It’s good to see the sun shining and be outside again,” he said, adding that he still checks his weather app first thing when he wakes up in the morning.

You can follow the Pocatello Food Truck Roundup and which trucks will be attending each week on the roundup’s Facebook page — here.