Love food trucks? So do we! So much so that OnMilwaukee partnered with Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. to bring the first MKE Food Truck Fest to Henry Maier Festival Park in July. Find out more here.
Riley’s Good Dogs, a forthcoming brick & mortar concept, made its inaugural debut in food truck form in March at its future restaurant location at 1652 N. Water St., slinging a menu of vegan, vegetarian and meat-filled dogs with creative toppings.
Behind the fast casual concept is building owner Bill Weslow, who operated Moto-Scoot for over a decade before selling the business in 2017, and Hank Stiehl, an industry veteran who built his career in fast casual dining with brands like Ian’s Pizza and Wendy’s. The name is an homage to Weslow’s pet bulldog, Riley, whose presence at Moto-Scoot made him the venue’s unofficial mascot for years.
The motto of their business is “Great Food For Everyone” and it applies to not only the type of food they serve to customers, but also the living wage paid to employees (at least $15 per hour) and their commitment to the environment.
Type of food: Creatively topped hot dogs and sausages, plus zoomie fries
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free options: All dogs on the menu can be made vegetarian or vegan. All dogs can also be made bun-free for customers who would prefer to avoid gluten.
Most popular item(s): Two items are tied for the win: the Coney Cheese Dog (topped with coney sauce, minced onions, yellow mustard and crushed Fritos) and the F.I.B. (fresh pickle slice, pickled green tomatoes, pickle relish, minced onions, sport peppers, yellow mustard and celery salt).
Where can people find your truck this summer? Riley’s Good Dogs keeps regular hours (Tuesday through Sunday) at their Water Street location. But you can also check their calendar online for appearances at special events (including Food Truck Fest on July 24)
If you could park your truck anywhere for one day where would it be? "Disney World," says Stiehl.
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.
