Valentine Coffee Opens in Third Ward

Valentine Coffee Roasters in the Third Ward. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

A new cafe quietly opened its doors this week in the Historic Third Ward. Valentine Coffee Roasters is now operating its new cafe in the former Bella Caffe space, 189 N. Milwaukee St.

Announced last spring, after the pandemic-induced closure of Bella, the new cafe includes an array of coffee and food offerings. Beer and wine are also available.

The cafe is open currently on Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The new location is the company’s third, joining its original location at 5918 W. Vliet St. in Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood and its Oak Creek location at Drexel Town Square.

The business is led by Robb Kashevarof and Joe Gilsdorf.

Upscale Indian Restaurant For Third Ward

An upscale restaurant called Saffron is coming soon to the Historic Third Ward, offering elevated Indian cuisine. The concept will take authentic Indian flavors and pair them dishes not typically seen on an Indian restaurant’s menu. Saffron will move into 223 N. Water St., the space formerly the location for Rivalry. Graham Kilmer reports: 

While Saffron will serve Indian cuisine, (Co-owner Kumar) Fatima said it will offer a brand new way to experience the food and the flavors. There will be seafood options — like lobster and octopus — that will be new for Milwaukeeans enjoying an Indian dining experience. That said, the restaurant will still offer the staple dishes of any Indian restaurant. “You can’t exactly cut those out of the menu because you’re gonna take away like 50% of what people like,” Fatima said.

Saffron will also offer more vegan, organic and gluten free options than a typical Indian restaurant; and it will take a farm-to-table approach to sourcing ingredients. “We’re gonna try to keep this as local as we possibly can – local produce, local meats – because we really want to incorporate Milwaukee into this.

A chef is coming in from New York, who has experience in restaurants like this, she said. Though for now, he remains unnamed. Fatima said they plan to have the restaurant open by summer.

Asian Fusion Cafe Coming To Northwest Side

Husband-and-wife duo Sia Xiong and Johnni Sihavong have officially celebrated the grand opening of their long-anticipated restaurant AN OX Cafe, which will reside at 7411 N. Hampton Ave. on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side. The couple started work on the restaurant in 2018, but fell into conflict with contractors. Shortly after that came the pandemic and shutdowns. But that didn’t stop Xiong and Sihavong, and they held a soft opening earlier this month. Jeramey Jannene reports: 

The business serves a mix of Asian fusion items, with a focus on Lao and Thai cuisine, and American favorites. “Our purpose for this place is to serve Asian comfort food,” said Xiong. The restaurant is designed to host events with two bars and separate dining areas. An outdoor patio awaits warmer weather.

The name is a reference to the year the Xiongs were born, in 1973. It was the Chinese Zodiac year of the ox. The couple met in the United States after both of their families fled persecution in Laos. “The ox in our culture represents hardworking people, so we wanted to create a space for the working class to come,” said Xiong.

The couple said the must-try menu item is the roast pork, which she said was tender with crispy skin. She recommended pairing it with their sticky rice and hot sauce.

Pressroom MKE Takes Over Former Brew City Tap

For nearly 30 years, Robert Holmes III worked as a pressman at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Now, he is paying homage to his long-time career by taking over the old Brew City Tap at 3105 W. Forest Home Ave. and naming it Pressroom MKE. Holmes is opening the bar with his wife, Lisa. Kilmer reports: 

Robert told Urban Milwaukee that fans and regulars of Brew City Tap shouldn’t expect many changes. He plans to maintain the bar’s tradition as a neighborhood tavern.

The Pressroom MKE will be casual and family friendly, he said. Robert is turning 52 in February, and said he isn’t interested in being the proprietor of anything more than a laid-back neighborhood tavern.

With luck, he’ll be able to open in time for his birthday, but at the latest, he said, the plan is to have the bar up and running before May.