All About Cheesesteaks and More opens at permanent location

Local food truck moves up to brick and mortar to offer year-round service

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Phillys were flying in Charles City as people lined up for All About Cheesesteaks and More’s grand opening at its new permanent location on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Operating out of a food truck, New Jersey native Joe Low had been grilling up his hometown sandwiches in Iowa for three years now. This year though, rather than putting his truck away for the winter, Low has decided to move indoors and serve up sandwiches year round.

Moving into the Gilbert Street building that was formerly home to Taco John’s, Low has spent the last month getting ready for the big opening day, repainting the building, getting the kitchen ready, and preparing his staff.

That work paid off on Wednesday as a crowd of people filled the restaurant to try out Charles City’s newest eatery.

“It far exceeded my expectations,” said Low. “We were busy all day.”

The line to the counter was long throughout the day as Low and his staff scrambled to keep up with orders, adjusting to the differences that come with moving from a cramped truck to a full kitchen.

“There’s a lot more moving parts,” said Low.

With the bigger kitchen comes a bigger menu. Along with his signature cheesesteaks, Low has added specialty sandwiches like chicken parm and Italian pork, along with a variety of new sides and desserts.

Breakfast options are also on the menu on Fridays, when the restaurant opens early to serve up breakfast sandwiches and pork rolls, another east coast staple that Low is excited to bring to the Midwest.

“We’re going to be pushing that out,” said Low.

As the restaurant gets rolling, Low plans on adding pasta dishes down the line, dedicating one Saturday a month to a “pasta night.”

The first pasta night will be on Saturday, Nov. 11, coinciding with Veterans Day, where Low invites veterans to come in and eat for free.

Low said he takes pride in bringing his Sicilian family’s recipes to Iowa. Not only is he sourcing many of his ingredients from the East Coast, but he’s also brought in his mother to help him offer an authentic Italian-American experience.

“When your baby opens a business you’ve got to be there,” said Terri Low, who is visiting from New Jersey for a few weeks to lend a hand as her son’s restaurant gets off the ground. “It’s been a dream of his for a long time. I’m so proud of him.”

From pasta sauce to cannoli cream, “Mama Low” is happy to bring generations-old family recipes to the Midwest to support her son.

More than just his mother, Low is thankful for all the support he has received from the community. Regular customers of his food truck came out to be there for his grand opening and friends paid forward for other customers in line.

“We’re just humbled by all the support from the community,” said Low.

All About Cheesesteaks and More will have regular hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It will open early at 6 a.m. on Fridays to serve breakfast. On Sundays, it will be open from 4 to 7 p.m.