Kegel’s Will Run Lakefront Beer Garden

War Memorial. Photo by Carl Baehr.

Popular West Allis German restaurant Kegel’s Inn will bring a Bavarian-style beer hall experience to the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center in the form of a beer garden at the lakefront. Beginning on July 2 and running until early October, the beer garden will serve German food and beer from a restored 1957 Grumman-Olson Step van and trailer. Lauren Anderson reports:

The beer garden, which will be located in the center’s newly renovated north parking lot, will be open Wednesday through Friday, 4-8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12-8 p.m. The menu includes Kegel’s Inn signature loaded brats and pretzels, imported German beers from Hofbrau and local beers from around Milwaukee.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit War Memorial Center to help make up lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are thrilled to be the official operator of ‘The Beer Garden at The War Memorial Center.’ With it being in the heart of Milwaukee and a phenomenal outdoor space, it’s the perfect location to bring this experience to life,” said Julian Kegel, owner of Kegel’s Inn. “This will be a great way to serve the downtown community as people return to work this summer, and we can’t wait to serve all the pedestrians and cyclists that use the Oak Leaf Trail along the lake. It’s truly one of the best places for a beer garden in Milwaukee.”

Visitors who park in the lot will receive a ticket for a free beer, and will be able to explore the center, including the view upstairs on Fitch Plaza and the War Memorial Center’s 40,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with views of the lake and downtown.

New Mediterranean Restaurant Opening

Bazzar Mediterranean, a new Mediterranean restaurant that will serve a variety of foods from hummus to falafel, is opening near the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport at 200 W. Layton Ave. Urban Milwaukee’s Angeline Terry reports:

Bazzar Mediterranean will have an identical menu to owner Majed Bazzar’s other restaurant, Shish Kabob, located at 6508 S. 27th St., Oak Creek. The restaurant will offer a variety of Mediterranean food from hummus to falafel. Bazzar told Urban Milwaukee he expects the lamb with rice will be a popular menu item.

Bazzar Mediterranean will also have the same hours as Shish Kabob, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The building is owned by Ponderosa Systems Inc. It is the former site of a Pho Hai Tuyet, a Vietnamese restaurant known for its Bahn Mi sandwiches. The owners closed both of their locations (the other at 333 W. Brown Deer Rd. in Bayside) in 2019.

Bazzar hopes to open Bazzar Mediterranean’s doors July 5, pending an approval of its license by the Milwaukee Common Council.

Pete’s Pops Brings Popsicles to Public Market

Pete’s Pops, a popsicle-cart-turned-brick-and-mortar business, is opening yet another location — this time in the Milwaukee Public Market. Named Sneaky Pete’s, the seasonal outdoor pop-up stand will open June 25 on the market’s sidewalk patio along East St. Paul Ave. Maredithe Meyer reports:

It will sell Pete’s signature popsicles as well as a newly-released line of alcohol-based slushies….

Ironically, Pete’s new seasonal location sits near the spot where it all began.

“My first day of pushing out a Pete’s Pops cart was in June of 2014 at the corner of Broadway and St. Paul Avenue in the Third Ward right outside the public market,” said (Pete) Cooney. “To now have a seasonal location here, at one of Milwaukee’s most iconic destinations, is something that makes me incredibly proud, honored and thankful.”

He said the idea for Sneaky Pete’s was inspired by years of customer requests for alcoholic versions of Pete’s Pops frozen treats.

“I’m excited for the public to try our new alcoholic slushies and pop-tails, which will be inspired by our favorite pop flavors. We’ll also have a full selection of our signature non-alcoholic pops available for families and kids that visit the market,” said Cooney.

Cloud 9 Is All About Cereal

A new restaurant coming soon to the Walnut hill neighborhood will have a menu that not only serves cereal, but incorporates it into its other menu items, such as pancakes or waffles. Cloud 9 Cereal Bar is set to open in August at 3341 W. North Ave. Terry reports:

(Owner Kristina) Rucker wants her first restaurant to be an affordable place for kids, young adults and families. The restaurant will be open Friday-Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., long enough to serve cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“People don’t want to eat the same thing all the time,” Rucker said.

The location used to be home to Unique Style’z salon, which closed its doors in September 2020 due partially to COVID-19 related business struggles.

“It’s not too big, only 500 square feet,” Rucker said.

Rucker said she was nervous to open her first business, but decided to take a leap of faith and try something new.

“I like cereal,” Rucker said and lot of others do, too. “So let’s try something different.”