The Boiler House Cafe Closes
Brewery District cafe closes after 8 months in business. Plus: Two new beer and food truck parks planned for city.
Site of Boiler House Cafe. Photo taken Nov. 2022 by Sophie Bolich.
Boiler House Cafe, a coffee shop located in The Brewery District, has announced its temporary closure after just over eight months in business.
“Sorry, we are temporarily closed until further notice,” says a status update posted to the cafe’s website. “We greatly appreciate your patience and consideration.”
Owner Iran Amandah launched the cafe in June 2022 in a Pabst Brewery building once used to heat water for the brewing process. The re-designed space has a modern industrial feel, featuring lounge seating, exposed brick and a centerpiece table inlaid with a river of coffee beans.
While open, the cafe welcomed nearby students and residents, offering indoor seating for up to 22. Charging stations were plentiful, catering to those wishing to study or complete remote work.
A sidewalk patio seated up to 14 guests during the warmer months.
Boiler House brewed a range of hot and iced coffee and espresso drinks with Valentine Coffee Roasters beans. Teas, including matcha and signature beverages such as lavender lemonade, were also available.
A food menu included scones, croissants, apple fritters, doughnuts and chocolate chip cookies from Grebe’s Bakery and Peter Sciortino Bakery, as well as grab-and-go sandwiches, wraps and salads.
In addition to its local flavor, the cafe had a community-driven mission, pledging upon its opening to donate 5% of yearly profits to local nonprofits.
In addition to his ownership role at Boiler House, Amandah is co-founder and managing partner at the alternative investment fund, L.R.L. Capital.
Amped Introduces Concert Party Series
There’s nothing quite like a concert to inspire an extra-passionate karaoke performance. At Amped, a private suite karaoke bar, concert-goers will soon be able to live out their lead vocalist dreams with the Concert Party Series, a new option for pre- and post-concert entertainment.
The series kicks off March 7, coinciding with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at Fiserv Forum. Suites reserved before and after the 7:30 p.m. concert come with free parking for one car at the bar, 910 W. Juneau Ave., located within walking distance (just over four blocks) of the forum.
Karaoke songs for the evening will include hits from the “Born in the U.S.A.” singer, as well as other classics. Snack towers including salsa, meat, cheese, deli sliders, hummus, fruit, vegetables and desserts are included in the reservation.
Guests can add pizza, themed cocktails and additional parking spaces for an extra charge.
Concert Party Series reservations last for 1.5 hours, compared to the bar’s typical, 2.5 hour sessions. A standard suite for up to nine guests costs $199.
Bar & Recreation owns Amped, along with AXE MKE, Nine Below and NorthSouth Club.
To make a reservation, visit the Bars & Recreation website.
Third Space to Release ‘Like a Girl’ IPA March 8
When Samantha Danen succeeded in becoming Milwaukee’s first female craft brewer, she could’ve stopped there — satisfied in finding a place in the city’s traditionally male-dominated brewing industry.
Instead, she kept pushing, chipping away at the obstacles that prevent women just like her from tapping into their own talents.
Danen is now one of two female brewers at Third Space Brewing Company, along with Amy Rohrschneider. In celebration of International Women’s Day, the pair are once again joining forces with Pink Boots Society for an exclusive beer release. “Like A Girl” IPA will debut on March 8.
The goal of the collaboration is to highlight the roles women fill in every aspect of the beer business and to raise funds to help more women pursue a career in the brewing industry, Third Space said in a news release.
Let’s Talk Womxn Event Returns March 8
A group of women-led Milwaukee restaurants are joining forces to celebrate International Women’s Day.
On Wednesday, March 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the local chapter of Let’s Talk Womxn will host a gourmet bash featuring food and drink tastings, live music, dancing and more.
Everyone is welcome at the event, which will take place at The Starling, 102 N. Water St.
Let’s Talk Womxn is a national collaboration of women-led food and drink entrepreneurs committed to building economic power. The action-led movement started in 2020 in Chicago and has since grown to include chapters in 14 cities throughout the United States.
Triciclo Peru Owner To Open Food Truck Park
A new food truck park proposed for the Near West Side would bring up to eight mobile food vendors, an indoor bar and family-friendly entertainment to the neighborhood.
Minka, as the park would be named, is slated to open this summer, and would center on community, serving as a space to gather, connect and eat while supporting local businesses.
When completed, the park will represent a full-circle moment for Mario Diaz Herrera, the project leader and force behind Triciclo Peru.
Six years ago, Diaz Herrera launched Triciclo in a small trailer as a “tribute to the working class, specifically to those that work in the streets of Peru.”
Third Ward’s Saffron Presents New Menu
In the nearly nine months since its opening in the Historic Third Ward, Saffron has established itself as a unique addition to the city’s fine-dining scene, pushing the boundaries of Indian cuisine through modern techniques, non-traditional ingredients and inventive presentation.
“The Third Ward has been beyond kind to us,” said Fatima Kumar, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Hanish. “Milwaukee as a whole has been super accepting of a new flavor coming into the field. Everyone has been happy trying new things and going where they perhaps might not be comfortable. It’s been phenomenal.”
Though they’re grateful for the warm welcome, the Kumars aren’t ones to rest on their laurels. Through months of research and planning, the couple, along with head chef Abhishek Patil, developed a brand new lineup of dishes for the restaurant, timed to correlate with the imminent — if we’re lucky — arrival of spring.
The new menu, which debuted to the public on Tuesday, Feb. 28, showcases proteins such as Chilean sea bass and bone-in chicken, as well as additional vegetarian dishes and outside-the-box ingredients like shiso leaf, black truffle and fruit-infused gels.
SportClub Celebrates 5th Anniversary
SportClub, a downtown bar and restaurant, will soon reach its five-year anniversary — a noteworthy accomplishment for any establishment, but especially considering the difficulties of navigating the industry throughout the past several years.
“Honestly we are just so thrilled to be here after all we’ve been through,” said owner Mike Eitel.
The sports-focused gastropub, 750 N. Jefferson St., is planning a week-long celebration featuring food and drink specials, a signature cocktail and a Milwaukee Bucks ticket raffle.
Throughout the week, guests can expect a $5 discount on all checks over $20. The hot fish appetizer plate (spicy, deep-fried Atlantic cod served over french fries with a side of house-made remoulade sauce) and the signature High Five spritz cocktail will be available for $5 through Friday, March 3.
Walker’s Point Garage Could Become Beer Garden, Tap Truck Showroom
A seasoned suburban bar owner is eyeing Milwaukee for his next venture, with plans to bring a unique concept to the Walker’s Point neighborhood.
Nathaniel Davauer, whose credits include Draft & Vessel locations in Shorewood and Wauwatosa, is planning to open Giving Tree Garage, a hybrid beer garden and mobile tap truck showroom.
The business is planned for a 3,000-square-foot lot at 902 S. 2nd St., which Davauer purchased in April 2022 for $193,000. The lot is home to a four-car masonry garage that faces W. Walker St., as well as a small, grassy area and a large elm tree — hence the title, Giving Tree Garage.
Davauer described the future business as a “mini urban beer garden,” which would operate seasonally and offer a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The Trade Names Food and Beverage Director
The Trade, a new hotel rising over Fiserv Forum and the Deer District, is nearing completion with plans to open in May.
On Tuesday, The Trade organization named Alexander Schubert as its food and beverage director.
Schubert, a Wisconsin native, brings his background as a chef, as well as years of hotel-specific experience to the new position. He previously worked as executive chef for Granite City Food & Brewery and later, for Marriott Schaumburg. Most recently, he spent five years as Market Director of Food and Beverage for another hotel property management company, according to a news release.
“I am incredibly excited to begin my journey here at The Trade,” Schubert said in a statement. “The promise of lending all focus to one property, especially one so unique, is very exciting to me. My goal here is to develop an experience unlike any other in Milwaukee and I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to create that experience.”
Food & Froth Gala Returns to Public Museum
After a two-year hiatus, Milwaukee Public Museum is bringing back its Food & Froth fundraiser, offering guests the chance to enjoy food, drink and live music against the backdrop of dinosaurs, butterflies, ancient civilizations and more.
The event, presented by Potawatomi Casino, will take place on Saturday, March 11 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the museum, 800 W. Wells St. The fundraiser, now in its 23rd installment, supports MPM’s exhibits, educational programming and community outreach efforts.
This year’s fundraiser will feature more than 170 craft beers, ciders and meads from approximately 60 breweries including newcomers Bay View-based Torzala Brewing Co. and Westown‘s Pilot Project Brewing.
Guests can also expect to sample dishes from local restaurants, caterers and small businesses including MPM’s incoming cafe operator, Meat on the Street. The Filipino restaurant announced last week that it will relocate to the museum later this year.
Milwaukee Company Wins Gold at World Spirits Championships
Top Note Tonic, a Milwaukee-based brand of beverage mixers and alcohol-free beverages, was awarded a gold medal at the 2023 Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) World Spirits Championships for its sparkling grapefruit soda.
The Chicago-based BTI hosts the annual competition, which is open to all producers, distributors, retailers, agents, importers, ad agencies or public relations offices for beverages from any country in the world.
Submissions are judged in a blind tasting by a panel of BTI judges and industry professionals. Ratings are based on a 100-point scale.
Top Note’s sparkling grapefruit soda received 92 points — the top-ranking score in the cocktail mixer category. In its analysis, BTI noted the soda’s “aromas of orange peels and pith, grapefruit, and salt and black pepper with a full body and a long grapefruit, sandalwood and white pear, and lemon curd finish.”
Jackson’s Soul Food Opens in Uptown
A new restaurant offering a twist on traditional soul food is now open in the Uptown neighborhood.
Jackson’s Soul Food Redefined, 4519 W. Center St., began its soft opening in early February and is now gearing up for a grand opening on Wednesday, March 1.
Behind the restaurant is chef Jacquelynn Jackson, a first-time restaurateur whose career has kept her in close proximity to the world of food and cooking. Jackson spent her teens and early 20s working in the restaurant industry. For the past seven years, she owned a family daycare, where she was in charge of preparing daily meals.
And though she loved her work at the daycare, Jackson said she felt ready for a change. “Let me venture off into something else that I like doing, which is cooking,” she said in a November, 2022 interview with Urban Milwaukee.
J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard Sets Opening Date at American Family Field
J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard, a full-service restaurant, bar and brewery at American Family Field, is set to make its public debut on Monday, April 3, when the Milwaukee Brewers take on the New York Mets in their the 2023 home opener.
The brewpub space, which was formerly home to a Friday’s Front Row Sports Grill and, more briefly, Restaurant To Be Named Later, is now in its final stages of preparation, following a several-month transformation.
At a Friday morning event, Rick Schlesinger, Brewers president of business operations, gave attendees a preview of the in-progress brewpub — the result of a partnership between the Brewers and The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, a division of Molson Coors.
“We’re very pleased with the progress,” Schlesinger said, noting that the majority of the behind-the-scenes work has been completed. Finishing touches added throughout the month of March will include aesthetic additions such as paint and fixtures.
Meat On The Street Moving To Public Museum
Streets of Old Milwaukee, meet Meat on the Street. The Filipino restaurant, food truck and catering company will soon take over as manager of the café and coffee kiosk at Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St.
Prior to its partnership with the museum, Meat on the Street operated as a vendor at The Restaurants at Eleven25, located three blocks to the north in The Brewery District. On Thursday, the company announced that Friday, Feb. 24 is its last day of service at the food court, 1125 N. 9th St.
Meat on the Street is set to open at MPM in early March. Its core menu will feature traditional Filipino dishes such as kabobs, egg rolls and lumpia, and Mexican dishes including taquitos and burritos. American food options including hot dogs and hamburgers will also be available.
The kiosk will serve coffee drinks, Filipino beverages and an assortment of grab-and-go breakfast items.
Yummy Bowl to Join 3rd Street Market Hall
Enter 3rd Street Market Hall with a craving, any craving, and there’s sure to be a vendor to satisfy it. From cream puffs and custard to ramen, coffee, tacos and even Venezuelan arepas, the ever-growing food hall has it all.
Even so, the market, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., continues to expand its diverse range of vendors. Additional concepts offering Peruvian fare and barbeque are slated to join the hall in the coming months, along with a newly-announced tenant, Yummy Bowl.
Husband and wife team Gary and Anita Gray are co-owners of the business, which got its start in June at the Whitefish Bay farmers market.
The philosophy of Yummy Bowls, explained Gary Gray, is to supply customers with nutritious, yet travel-friendly meals.
Takeout-Focused Buffalo Wild Wings Planned Near UWM
A new location for Buffalo Wild Wings GO is slated to join a lineup of fast-casual eateries along a bustling intersection in Milwaukee’s Upper East Side neighborhood.
Permit applications filed with the City of Milwaukee indicate that the restaurant is planned for a retail space at the base of The East Sider apartment building, 2900 N. Oakland Ave.
The takeout and delivery-focused “GO” concept is a small-format version of the national chicken wing chain, which forgoes the restaurant’s typical sports bar atmosphere in favor of streamlined service, contactless pickup and online ordering options.
Buffalo Wild Wings GO offers traditional and boneless chicken wings and tenders featuring the brand’s 24 dry rubs and sauces. The restaurant also sells sides such as french fries, tater tots and cheese curds, as well as beverages.
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