Avli Brings Modern Greek Cuisine to Brewers Hill
New restaurant in old View MKE space opens to public on Sept. 20.
Louie Alexakis, founder and CEO, stands in front of Avli Modern Greek, 1818 N. Hubbard St. Photo taken Sept. 14, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
The long-awaited Avli Inspired Greek is soon to open in Brewers Hill, promising to bring authentic, scratch-made cuisine, an adventurous beverage program and a convivial, neighborhood feel to the former View MKE space.
The new restaurant, 1818 N. Hubbard St., opens to the public on Sept. 20, starting with dinner service only. Brunch, happy hour and lunch will debut later on. It’s the first Milwaukee location for the chain, which operates five Avli restaurants throughout the Chicago area.
“Avli’s decision to come to Milwaukee was easy, as we feel there has never been a better time to eat and drink here,” said Louie Alexakis, founder and CEO of Avli, in a statement. “We are thrilled to join Milwaukee’s hospitality community, and to bring our contemporary, yet approachable Greek cuisine out-of-state for the first time.”
Like its predecessor, which closed amid the pandemic, Avli capitalizes on its built-in overlook with floor-to-ceiling windows, a multi-level patio and accordion-style doors that pull back to reveal a breathtaking view of the cityscape.
The newly-renovated main dining room is bright, airy and awash with natural light. When the sun fades, illumination is provided by overhead rattan pendant lights. The precious little wallspace not filled by windows features textured artworks made of wood and natural fibers, while a depiction of the evil eye, a prominent symbol in Greek culture, faces the restaurant’s main entrance.
The restaurant features two bars — one in the main dining room and another on the lower level — stocked with a selection of Greek wines including crisp whites from Santorini, rosé from ancient Nemea, and reds from north of Mount Olympus. A variety of unique spirits, such as Greek wild mountain tea-infused vodka, are highlighted in a cocktail menu that offers riffs on classic drinks.
Each bar can seat six to 10 guests for casual drinks and bites. Dining rooms on the main and lower level can accommodate up to 90 guests total. An additional 155 seats are available on the deck and outdoor terrace.
On the food menu, guests can look forward to a selection of modern Greek dishes from Executive Chef Babis Tsotras — many of which will be new to the city’s dining scene. The menu leans into staples such as baked chicken, lamb chops, moussaka and seafood such as grilled tsipoura, prawns and fried cod. Dishes are heavy on lemon and fresh herbs, which add plenty of flavor while letting simpler proteins shine.
For a mezze-style meal, a selection of small plates includes kataifi prawns — a textural dream wrapped in thin, crispy kataifi filo — along with zucchini chips, fried calamari, spanakopita and souvlaki skewers (pork, chicken or shrimp), to name a few.
An assortment of Greek dips can stand alone as a light meal or serve as a shareable appetizer for a hungrier crowd. Offerings, served with traditional or gluten-free pita bread, range from the familiar hummus and tzatziki to lesser-known spreads such as tarama, a blend of cod roe, bread, potato, extra-virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, onion and lemon juice. Another option, tirokafteri, features feta, roasted red bell peppers, red pepper flakes and yogurt.
Avli also serves soups, salads and a rotating list of desserts.
Chef Tsotras will craft all menu items in-house and from scratch, the company said in a press release. Prior to his work at the Milwaukee restaurant, Tsotras cheffed at Avli on The Park in Chicago, and is a veteran of Grand Resort Lagonissi in Athens.
Alexakis reiterated his excitement for the upcoming opening, noting the community’s warm welcome to the restaurant.
“Avli Inspired Greek aims to be a fun neighborhood restaurant and dining destination for friends, families, and colleagues to gather for everyday meals, celebrate life moments, or just hang out at the bar and get to know our staff,” he said.”We can’t wait to offer an environment where even those new to Greek cuisine can have an exceptional introduction to it.”
Starting Sept. 20, Avli will offer daily dinner service from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Walk-ins are accepted — even encouraged, according to the company — but reservations are also available to book online.
In the coming months, guests can look forward to lunch service, which will feature lighter, protein-heavy options including gyro wraps with pork or chicken, protein bowls and traditional souvlakia.
Launch dates for lunch, weekend brunch, happy hour and to-go service will be announced at a later time.
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These prices on the menu are $$$. Two for dinner could easily hit $100 and keep going up. That’s the way of things. Better than another Taco Bell I guess.