Tua Pasta Coming to Downtown

The news that a new restaurant would occupy the former John Hawks Pub space at 100 E. Wisconsin Ave. surfaced earlier this month. Now, more details have emerged about the new business.

The restaurant will be called Tua Pasta, and is the partnership between father and son, Alvaro Niño de Guzman, Sr. and Alvaro Niño de Guzman, Jr. Tua Pasta will be a fast-casual restaurant, where diners will be able to customize their own pasta dishes. After customers select the types of pasta, sauces and toppings they want, their dishes will be cooked right in front of them. Salad and gelato will also be on the menu, and will be ordered and assembled in the same fashion as the pasta dishes. Customers will be able to choose the types of greens, dressing and toppings for salads and gelato will be made in front of them as well.

Soda, beer and wine will be available. While there will not be a full-service bar, Guzman, Sr. says that there will be options for cocktails, including different types of “wine-related” beverages. He also says alcohol-flavored gelato may be offered in time.

Guzman, Sr. estimates the space will have seating for about 100 to 120 people. The interior look will be a modern style mixed with industrial, and a patio will also be built for use in the summer. There will be an option for takeout when Tua Pasta opens, but not for delivery. “Delivery may be incorporated later, but initially we want people to get to know the food and the restaurant,” says Guzman, Sr.

Guzman, Sr. and Guzman, Jr. are eyeing an opening for late spring or early summer, but the official date depends on how long renovations of the space will take. The space has been split into two, with Tua Pasta occupying the larger portion. Guzman, Sr. says everything from the John Hawks Pub has been torn down. “Everything is going to be totally different and new,” he says.

Guzman, Sr. previously worked for Cooper Power Systems, where his roles ranged from manager and director to engineer. Through his work at Cooper Industries, Guzman Sr. has experience building restaurants and building factories with restaurants inside of them. He says that of the structures he has built, this will be the first with this concept and will be the first one he will be owning. Guzman, Jr. is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee, and has over 10 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Guzman, Jr. was not available for comment at the time of this interview.

Guzman, Sr. says he and his son have been searching for a restaurant location for almost two years. The two viewed a space downtown as “the best place” for their restaurant because of the volume of people around, especially during festival season in the summer. Guzman, Sr. also says the challenge of opening a restaurant downtown attracted him to the location. “Everyone is telling me that it’s a big challenge to open downtown but if you succeed it’s the best you can do,” he says.

Tentative hours of operation for Tua Pasta are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Guzman, Sr. says they may have extended summer hours or extended hours on the weekend, but weekday hours will be shorter and will focus more on lunch and dinner.

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