A New Place for Locavores

Milwaukee remains a hot town for restaurants, with several new openings announced this week.

Chef’s Table: Chef David Magnasco, executive chef at the Milwaukee Club, plans to open “Chef’s Table” at 500 S. 3rd St. The restaurant will be by reservation only, used for private events on the weekends and will accommodate up to 50 people. Magnasco wants to host parties, small weddings, board meetings, and team-building retreats all of which will be treated to a fine dining experience at a literal “chef’s table” which was created from reclaimed wood from the buildings remodeling. Magnasco plans to create the menus using the finest meats, wines, and produce available. There are also plans to open the space to the public at least once a month for “Big Night Dining” events.

Locavore: A new restaurant called Locavore will open in the first floor of the new Potawatomi Bingo and Casino expansion scheduled to open in late summer or early fall. The restaurant will open when the hotel is ready to serve guests. A “locavore” is one who eats foods grown locally whenever possible and this restaurant will menu will embody this the idea; serving locally obtained ingredients and some strange options like shagbark syrup (used as a substitute for maple syrup) and “paw paw” fruit. Local and small-batch beers and organic wines will also be served. The restaurant will seat 165 diners and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Onesto: This new restaurant will take the place of Bourbon & Tunns, 221 N. Broadway, which closed in May. Renovations are currently underway. This addition to the Third Ward dining scene, to be owned by Joe and Angie Sorge, comes after many Italian restaurants closed doors. Onesto (which is Italian for “honest”) will serve traditional rustic Italian cuisine featuring tapanadas, raviolis, and pesto dishes. The bread and pasta will be prepared fresh in the Holey Moley Coffee and Doughnuts bakery.

Holey Moley Coffee and Doughnuts: Also owned by the Sorges, it will be located in the space used by the former Milwaukee Cupcake Company at 316 N. Milwaukee. This new bakery will offer six main donut flavors at all times (including at least one gluten-free style donut) with unique options available daily. The donuts will use local ingredients and transfat-free oils.

Gold Coast Subs: Replacing the now defunct Suburpia located at 2264 N. Prospect Ave near Columbia St. Marys Hospital is Gold Coast Subs. The small sandwich shop, which has locations in Greenfield and West Allis, boasts fairly simple menu options such as “The Gourmet,” a salami and bologna sub or the “Pentagon Club,” a ham and turkey sandwich, all of which come in either a 6 inch or 2 foot option.

Burger King: Directly across from the Gold Coast Subs is a new Burger King which opened on May 14 at 2045 E. North Ave, across from Whole Foods. The space formerly housed Bruegger’s Bagels. The only other tenant in the building is Ian’s Pizza.

Refuge Smoothie Café: Refuge Smoothie Café, which has two locations at 763 N. Plankinton Ave. and 2328 N. Farwell Ave., will now be partnering with Wild Flour Bakery located at 422 E. Lincoln Ave. in Bay View. Wild Flour Bakery will now be serving a menu of Refuge Smoothie products alongside their pastries and desserts. A grand opening event is slated for Saturday, June 7, with a delicious time promised for all.

Juniper 61: Located at 6030 W. North Ave., Juniper 61, a casual dining restaurant in Wauwatosa is unveiling their new summer menu. The small lunch or dinner destination known for their signature tempura green beans appetizer, offers both small and large plate options. Some new small plate menu items include kale and berry salad with ricotta salata, scallops and grits, and a quesadilla with apple-braised pork shoulder, Brie, green apple, and caramelized onions. New large plate items include fried chicken featuring three brined and battered drumsticks and chive-parsnip potato mash, summer vegetable and chickpea ragout, pasta verde, and a salad with house-made paneer, mango and butter naan.

Now Closing

Burbon & Tunns: As noted, Third Ward restaurant Burbon & Tunns has closed. The restaurant, bar, and second-floor Palms Event space suffered a fire in December 2012 and never bounced back. Co-owner Andrew Maricle also owned Attebury’s Pub in St. Francis, which he also sold (in December 2013); it is now the Ubeer Gastropub.