By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer

For those of you who have visited Drip Cafe in the Lantana Square shopping center in Hockessin, you knew this was just a matter of time, right? You knew they were going to get on the bandwagon of where culinary life in America is headed, and you knew that as soon as it left the parking lot, right?

We're speaking of the restaurant's new food truck -- that black tugboat of taste that Drip Cafe calls “The Brunch Box,” the newest introduction to the Cafe's arsenal, the one that brings the delectable menu of the cafe out of the restaurant that's tucked unceremoniously into the corner of the shopping center and out into the streets of Hockessin, Wilmington, Newark, and several other locales, where owner Greg Vogeley and his creative staff of visionaries can be seen.

Have you seen it? Have you ordered food from it?

Currently, The Brunch Box is found at Paper Mill Park – a convenient stop-off for those on their way to work in Newark or Wilmington. There, suburban commuters can pick up a cup of coffee and The Cali; the Power Sandwich; a Kale, Bacon and Hash Burrito, or any one of the signature breakfast sandwiches that are also served at Drip Cafe. Yet, the truck's presence in Pike Creek doesn't begin to tell the entire story.

A visit to its online calendar reveals a day-to-day commitment reminiscent of a rock band tour schedule. In short, the truck is everywhere -- the H.B. DuPont Park in dowtown Wilmington; the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts Art Loop along the Wilmington Riverfront; as well as at various other business and office parks in New Castle County.

"I've always had an affinity for food trucks," Vogeley said. "Before I opened the Cafe, I was going to open a coffee and espresso truck and launch it at West Chester University, and then grow it into a brick-and-mortar establishment. As I was putting together plans to do that, somebody approached me about the idea of purchasing the equipment within the space we reside in now.

"As we went through that process, I started to leave the food truck idea behind. I always knew, though, at some point in time, I would be coming back to the food truck concept, and I knew that it would grow out of this cafe."

Vogeley said that in the two months The Brunch Box has been on the road, customer response has been very positive -- an offshoot of the enthusiasm that has been extended toward the staff since Drip Cafe opened two years ago.

"The response has been huge, and it goes back to when we first opened here," Vogeley said. "People supported us early on, and brought their friends one week, and then their friends brought their friends the next week. I could really see the ripples as they were building that first year of the Cafe. The customers tell us that we're so well established in the neighborhood. Being a fixture already, people have latched on and held on tight.

"As the brand developed, we realized that if we wanted to truly take what we do on the road, we wanted to emphasize the brunch aspect of what we do. The Brunch Box is a really fun extension of what we do here at the restaurant."

To learn more about Drip Cafe's Brunch Box, or to place your order online, visit www.thebrunchboxde.com. Vending and traditional catering options for special events or business functions are also available.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail [email protected].