Big Changes for Craft Beer Lovers

Camino. Photo by Michael Horne.

Camino, a restaurant known for its craft beer, pierogi, and burgers and located at 434 S. 2nd St., is preparing for a move to 631 W. National Ave.  Camino also has a location in West Allis and is known for a big selection of craft brews. Its current list includes 34 choices, including Indeed Brewing’s Pistachio Cream Ale, New Barons Brewing Co-op’s Pecan Porter, and Southern Grist Brewing Company’s Tangerine Black Currant Gauva Hill, a sour beer. As for the restaurant’s move to a slightly different part of Walker’s Point, OnMilwaukee’s Lori Fredrich has the scoop:

631 W. National Ave. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

“I love our current space,” says owner Casey Rataczak, who recently purchased the new building on National, “but we outgrew it about three years ago. And, ultimately, we’d like to be able to accommodate all of the customers that we have to turn away on the weekends.”

The move isn’t imminent. In fact, the bar is likely to remain in its current quarters until at least May of 2022. But, when it does, customers are in for a treat.

…The [new] building, which has been vacant for at least six years, offers a much larger kitchen space and, at just over 3400 square feet, a footprint that’s nearly three times the size of Camino on South Second.

The new location, he says, will allow for the expansion of their scratch-made food options, which will be overseen by Amanda Cooper, a New York chef who moved to Milwaukee while working for Holiday Inn, and is currently running the kitchens at both Camino locations. Meanwhile, the bar and staff will continue to be managed by Charlie Chaparas.

Central Standard Craft Distillery Gets Seven Times Larger

Central Standard Craft Distillery has announced it will open its downtown production facility on July 22. The facility will operate in the historic former Wisconsin Leather Co. building at 320 E. Clybourn St. BizTimes’ Maredithe Meyer reports:

The 11,700-square-foot building, which was purchased by Central Standard in January, will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation project, which will include a tasting room, restaurant, rooftop patio, private events space, and third-floor office space. It will house a 100-gallon pot still, producing the spirits served and sold on site…

The business has already booked its first corporate event and wedding at the location, said co-founder Evan Hughes in a news release.

“Please mark July 22 on your calendar and plan to join us as we raise a glass to everything in Milwaukee becoming a bit closer to normal,” he said.

…Central Standard’s new facility will be seven times larger than its Walker’s Point location on South 2nd Street. Built in 1874, the Historic Edward Townsend mix-designed building has housed many tenants, including the Wisconsin Leather Co., and most recently exotic art and furniture store From Afar.

Renderings:

New Breakfast Place For Tosa

Angela Smith and her husband, Bennie Smith, the co-owners of Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille (754 N. 27th St.) are opening a new breakfast restaurant in Wauwatosa. Daddy’s On Bluemound will be located at 6108 W. Bluemound Rd., a popular area for restaurants, and will celebrate its grand opening March 9. The Journal Sentinel’s Evan Casey reports:

They’re trying to mimic what they do best at that popular location here in Wauwatosa.

“We’re a family-owned business bringing some family-cooked food straight to the neighborhood,” said Angela Smith.

They’ll be able to seat 20 inside but will also have options for carryout and curbside pickup. They’re planning to have outdoor searing options when the weather is warmer.

Two popular breakfast menu items are the Momma’s Down Home (catfish, grits, eggs, hashbrowns) and the Daddy’s Down Home (pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns).

They also offer build-your-own breakfast sandwiches.

For lunch, the restaurant will serve burgers, BLTs, grilled cheese, chicken wings, grits and more. It will also have early dinner menu items for customers soon…

Hours are  8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Sticky Rice A Hit In Riverwest

Back in August of 2020, a Laotian and Thai restaurant quietly opened in Riverwest and has become a new neighborhood favorite for takeout. Urban Milwaukee’s Ethan Duran shines some light on the popular new restaurant:

Sticky Rice opened at 1000 E. Locust St. in August 2020 and took Thai Lotus’ place after the previous restaurant closed in 2019.

The restaurant doesn’t offer dine-in service, but customers can order noodles, curry and fried rice to go or have it delivered. The menu offers popular options like Pad Kee Mao (or “Drunken Noodles,”) Pad Thai, and authentic soups like Tom Yum. Appetizer staples like egg rolls, crab rangoons, Lao sausages and Lao beef jerky are available as well.

Hours of operation are from Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Leo Kingsawan, who owns Sticky Rice with Khamlae Phonisay and Teerasak Boonwatana, said that they signed a lease for the property in March, but had to delay their opening due to the pandemic. Getting a feel for how much ingredients to order compared to how many customers ordered food posed another challenge.

Despite facing uncertainty, Kingsawan said that the restaurant was well received by local Riverwest residents. After gaining regular customers over a few months, Sticky Rice started to offer vegan and vegetarian options in its menu…

Kingsawan said that he hopes to open another Sticky Rice location with dine-in options.

Nacho City Coming to 38th and North

A restaurant dealing mostly in nachos and tacos could soon be coming to the Washington Park neighborhood. Frederick Gardner, who plans to buy the two-story, vacant building at 3817-3819 W. North Ave. from the city for $5,000, would open the restaurant. Urban Milwaukee’s Jeramey Jannene reports:

“I’m trying to get Nacho City on every corner in every neighborhood,” said Gardner to members of the Common Council’s Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee on February 23rd.

It’s not his first time trying to start Nacho City.

“I actually tried before back in 2012, but I had bad business partners and I was brand new at trying it,” said Garner. “Now I have more experience and I have outstanding partners now.”

A city report says Gardner was a store manager at Burger King. He came up with the Nacho City idea with his son and will serve as the day-to-day manager of the business.

“I love his plans. I love his aspirations,” said area Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II. “We are happy to be his first investment.”

Gardner would invest approximately $65,000 into improving the 2,671-square-foot building. Department of City Development program manager Dwayne Edwards said part of that would come through “sweat equity” with Gardner doing the work himself. A two-bedroom apartment would be leased out on the second floor.

Improvements include the interior buildout as well as plumbing and electrical upgrades, tuckpointing, roof repair and new windows.

The full Common Council unanimously approved the property sale.