ROCKLAND — Rockland will soon welcome a new food truck, and bucking a seasonal trend, this food truck is designed for winter service. 

Kate Grinnell Miller and Mike Miller have owned restaurants in Connecticut and Maine; their Midcoast restaurant ventures included Grapes and Bricks. They presently own The Landings, which is open during the warmer months.

Eat Soup will occupy the parking lot of the The Landings from November until March. 

The projected opening date is November 19, Kate said that the couple is waiting to complete a few requisite steps with the city and state. She said they plan to be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m during their months of operation. 

“I needed a winter job!” Kate said, adding that she has always wanted to open a food truck.

Even before the couple moved to Maine in 1995, she said she often entertained aspirations of opening a hot dog truck in their then home state of Connecticut. 

The idea for the Eat Soup truck came when Kate and Mike discovered that they could rent a truck from another local business that only uses it during the summer. They’ve been working with the city to ensure all paperwork and permitting is in place, she said. 

“When we had Grapes we sold so much soup,” Kate said.

She added that an assortment of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches will also grace the menu, and that specials will be added once they get settled.

“Soup and grilled cheese just works,” she said. “There are so many different things you can put in a grilled cheese.”

They plan to have a rotation of four daily soups, including two that will be daily staples: creamy tomato and butternut squash. 

Mike Miller said the soups on rotation would likely include a specialty of his: Portuguese kale soup. In addition to creative fresh, homemade soups they will also feature stews, chowders and chilis periodically. 

The couple is enthusiastic about the endeavor. 

“We’re age-old operators,” Mike said. “We’ve been running restaurants for a long time.” 

Their hours of operation are designed to offer a new, quick, affordable option for the business community and others. 

“I run into a lot of local people who say that they are always looking for new lunch options,” Mike said. 

As experienced restaurateurs, the couple is sensitive to dietary restrictions and they said that is a factor in evaluating recipes. They want to offer options that satisfy a broad cross-section of customers. 

The proximity of Eat Soup to The Landings means that they will be able to use the restaurant’s kitchen for prep even though the two endeavors are completely separate. 

“It’s a winter venture,” Kate said of the Eat Soup truck. “We’re very excited about it.” 

While they have not officially created a menu and established costs, Kate estimated that the cost of each soup would be in the $6 to $8 range, she said that they plan to offer two sizes. 

“We will definitely keep it affordable,” she said. “One of our goals is to allow people to be able to go out for lunch more than once a week.” 

While there won’t be seating at the food truck, there is a beautiful water view for those who would like to eat in the comfort of their vehicles. The truck will sell beverages including Coca-Cola products.

“This is our community, we want to make this business work for us and for the community,” Kate said. 

To learn more about Eat Soup visit them on Facebook. 

Jenna Lookner can be reached at jlooknercopy@gmail.com