WANT SOME XA? Well, you can already get Xavier Artisan Bistro in River Prairie – but soon, you can enjoy the local restaurant's grub on the road, too. The Middle Eastern-style cuisine eatery plans to go mobile later this month. (Submitted photo)

When Xavier Artisan Bistro (Xa Bistro) opened its doors in Altoona’s River Prairie in 2022, its feel-good food was singular in its take on Middle Eastern flavors. Five years later, it is still one of the only restaurants serving Mediterranean dishes in the Chippewa Valley – and now, the crew is bringing their cuisine on the road.

Chef Luke Bilda, a familiar face for those who frequent the 1470 Rivers Edge Trail brick-and-mortar, has quietly held his vision for a food truck, for years. During that same stretch of time, the Xa Bistro team had gotten used to hearing a certain kind of sentiment from the community.

“We get a lot of, ‘Oh yes, we’ve heard great things about Xavier Artisan… where are you located again?’ ” Emma Gillespie, the local business’s marketing director, said.

“We decided to take Xavier Artisan on the road and get our food to the people who don’t yet know they want it,” Bilda said. “We are hoping to bring (Mediterranean-Levantine) flavors to a community that has a bustling food scene, but which doesn’t have much of a Levant representation.”

In the food truck, familiar options will be up for grabs as well as some exclusives – spoiler: look for the Shawarma Rocket! – and limited “flash-in-the-pan specials,” Bilda shared.

Those Middle Eastern roots come from founder Dr. Rima DeFatta, who is from that part of the world.  DeFatta opened both Xa Bistro and the state-of-the-art wellness facility it's located in, the River Prairie Wellness Center.

Between DeFatta’s Levant region ties and Bilda’s culinary background, Xa Bistro has built its menu around handhelds and flatbreads (like the Eggplant Parm sandwich, Shawarma Flatbread, spinach and feta “hand pies,” etc.) with rich flavor profiles. Their coffee and non-espresso drinks, too, are as delicious as they are photo-op worthy.

Xa Bistro's Turkish-style flatbreads, pictured, are one example of the local restaurant's offerings. (Photo via Facebook)

The River Prairie sit-down location is also a popular grab-and-go spot for coffee lovers and non-espresso drinkers alike. (Photo via Facebook)

In the food truck, familiar options will be up for grabs, as well as some exclusives – spoiler: look for the Shawarma Rocket! – and limited “flash-in-the-pan specials,” Bilda shared.

While some T’s are still being crossed and I’s being dotted, curious foodies can look out for a couple of soft launch food truck events in the coming weeks. Those pop-ups will prime the Xa Bistro food truck for a strong spring and summer debut in 2027, Bilda said.

Keep up with Xavier Artisan Bistro and its new food truck on social media. Interested in booking the food truck? Reach out at manager@xavierartisan.com.