Sweetgreen Coming to Third Ward
Upcoming restaurant would be first Milwaukee location for fast-growing chain.
Site of future Sweetgreen, 310 E. Buffalo St. Photo taken Jan. 10, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
The dreaded Sad Desk Lunch may soon be a distant memory for office-goers of the Historic Third Ward, as fast-casual salad restaurant Sweetgreen plans to open its first Milwaukee location at 310 E. Buffalo St.
According to a recently-filed license application, the restaurant is slated to open inside the former Hudson Business Lounge, bringing its seasonal grain bowls, salads and sides to the neighborhood. The business lounge operated for eight years before closing in April 2020 due to the pandemic.
Milwaukee’s Sweetgreen is among a wave of upcoming locations planned for Wisconsin, marking the chain’s first venture into the state. Locations at The Corners of Brookfield and in Madison are expected to open this summer, according to a news release.
Georgetown graduates Jonathan Neman, Nicolas Jammet and Nathaniel Ru opened the first Sweetgreen in 2007 near the university’s campus. Since then, the Los Angeles-based chain has grown to include approximately 175 locations across the nation.
What started as a salad-focused restaurant has expanded to include warm grain bowls with protein and roasted vegetables; plates such as hot honey chicken with sweet potatoes and quinoa; and sides including buffalo cauliflower and rosemary focaccia.
The restaurant’s plant-heavy menu rotates five times annually to highlight seasonal produce. Popular picks include the chicken pesto parm bowl, kale caesar salad, guacamole greens salad and the portobello taco bowl.
Sweetgreen’s main offerings range in price from $9 to $13. The restaurant also offers mobile ordering in advance via its app.
FHA Architects, an Ohama, Nebraska-based firm, has been hired as the design professional for the Milwaukee Sweetgreen, according to city documents. FHA has developed Sweetgreen locations in 11 states including Wisconsin.
A representative of Sweetgreen did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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YUM BRANDS (Taco Bell, KFC. PIZZA HUT) was looking into buying this chain in order to have a healthier line up of foods for their corporate portfolio.
SweetGreen is a great chain if they can keep it fresh and quality up and good staff like other locations. Fingers crossed. It’s a great option to all the unhealthy fast food junk out there.