Libertalia Coffee and Bagels is hitting the road in a big way, expanding its mobile food service with a fully retrofitted school bus just in time for Burger Week. The new food truck — previously operated as Basil’s — gives Libertalia the space and equipment to serve a wider range of menu items, including creative loaded fries and other fresh offerings made possible by the addition of a fryer.
Owner Chris Hamilton said the purchase is another step in the evolution of Libertalia, which started as a coffee trailer before becoming a staple in Owensboro’s food scene. Originally from the East Coast, Hamilton and his wife moved to Owensboro in 2017, seeking an affordable place to settle while he completed seminary school. He worked as a kitchen manager at Chick-fil-A before launching Libertalia as a coffee trailer at the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market in 2020.
“What started as a side hustle quickly became my passion,” Hamilton said. “The Farmers’ Market was a huge part of our early success, giving us a space to introduce our products and establish steady cash flow.”
After briefly subleasing space from Wheatgrass Juice Bar in early 2021, Hamilton rebranded his business later that year as Libertalia Coffee and Bagels. Over the next few years, the company evolved, testing concepts in the trailer before incorporating them into its storefront.
One of the biggest turning points for Libertalia came during last year’s Burger Week. Hamilton’s team participated and realized the potential for serving high-volume food beyond coffee and bagels. The experience led to the launch of the East Coast Eats concept, featuring specialty sandwiches, bagels, and with the new food truck, loaded fries and more.
“Burger Week was a gamechanger for us,” Hamilton said. “It showed us what our mobile setup was capable of, and that’s what ultimately led us to invest in this bus.”
The newly acquired food truck, which still sports some of its original black and lime green colors and graffiti from Basil’s, will be stationed outside Libertalia’s storefront during Burger Week. Hamilton and his chef are even engaging in a friendly competition, offering two different burgers — a returning Grippo burger inside the shop and a new West Coast-inspired “Chico” burger on the food truck.
“This setup is going to completely change our mobility,” Hamilton said. “The biggest difference isn’t even the space – it’s the equipment. Having fryers will let us introduce an entire new category of menu items, and not having to tear down and reload everything for every event will double the number of events we can do in a day.”
While the future of Libertalia’s original coffee trailer is still to be determined, Hamilton said the new food truck will be making the rounds at schools, businesses, and major local events like Friday After 5 and the Farmers’ Market.
For now, the focus is on making a strong debut during Burger Week and ensuring that customers – whether inside the shop or outside at the food truck – get the full Libertalia experience.
“Our goal has always been to create great food, serve our customers well, and build a strong, positive culture,” Hamilton said. “This food truck is another big step toward that.”
