Upscale Deli Coming To Water Street
Third Coast Gourmet plans to welcome its first guests in the coming months.
Site of future Third Coast Gourmet, 309 N. Water St. Photo taken Nov. 30, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
A new, upscale deli is preparing to open its doors in the Historic Third Ward next month, offering fresh sandwiches, salads and soups in a laid-back, counter-service environment.
Third Coast Gourmet, 309 N. Water St., will also feature a small country store, sell Boar’s Head meat and cheese by the pound and play host to a multitude of community events including fitness classes and live music performances.
That may seem like an ambitious plan of operation for a budding business, but owner Joena Vitale is confident in her vision. Plus, she’s had plenty of time to think it through.
Vitale, a full-time accountant, was poised to join Milwaukee’s restaurant industry in early 2020, with plans to purchase a local sub chain. But when that didn’t come to fruition, she started from scratch with her own concept. Homemade is always better, anyway.
“I’m a cook,” she said. “I’m Italian. I can do this.”
The journey to opening Third Coast Subs began in Vitale’s kitchen, where she, along with friends and family, conducted a blind tasting to select the best deli meat. Boar’s Head was a clear favorite, so Vitale took a leap and reached out to the company.
A short time later, Vitale heard back from a local representative who agreed to partner with the deli and told her the idea is “exactly what Boar’s Head needs.”
“So that was the original concept, and it just kept growing from there,” Vitale said.
But plans for the business were put on hold earlier this year when Vitale developed an autoimmune illness that hospitalized her for weeks. After that, she spent nearly two months in rehab, working to regain her strength and ability to walk without assistance. During Vitale’s recovery process, her fiance suffered a stroke, and had to spend five days in the hospital.
The couple are recovering well, but still reeling from the health scares. Throughout the entire process, though, Vitale said she kept her focus on the upcoming restaurant.
“It’s been a lot, but we’ve worked though all these things,” she said, noting that she’s happy to be transparent about the ups and downs of the process. “I think it’s important, because I think it shows the integrity of how we are with this business.”
Despite the delay, Third Coast Gourmet is now on track to open in late December or early January.
The menu will feature a handful of cold sandwiches including Honey I’m Home Turkey, To The Moon Roast Beef, Tuscan Veggie and Capone. Several wraps and one warm sandwich will also be available. All wraps and sandwiches use exclusively Boar’s Head meat and cheese, plus romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes and local microgreens.
The restaurant will also serve soups, salads, frites (regular, sweet potato and truffle), charcuterie boards and mini doughnuts. To drink, guests can expect craft sodas, beer and wine, as well as wheatgrass shots. Vitale said she may eventually expand the menu to include crepes and fresh-pressed juices.
The restaurant space, located at street level in the Renaissance Building, will be able to accommodate between 40 and 50 guests for dining in, and will also offer takeout and catering services. Vitale said she expects the latter to be a major part of Third Coast Gourmet’s business model, due to its proximity to a host of wedding and other event venues in the neighborhood.
During a quick stop, or while waiting for an order, guests will be able to peruse a small retail section featuring spice blends, charcuterie boards, works from local artists and other goods. Boar’s Head meats and cheeses will be available for purchase by the pound from the deli counter.
The restaurant also plans to offer entertainment and events including weekly acoustic musical performances with wine and beer specials, and morning yoga flow followed by mimosas.
“We want it to be a destination,” Vitale said of the upcoming business.
Down the line, Vitale said she hopes to franchise the concept and open several more Third Coast Gourmet locations throughout the area.
Once open, Third Coast Gourmet’s proposed hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to the restaurant’s website.
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