Jazz-Themed Cafe Coming To Silver Spring Drive
Espernolia's Jazz Cafe, slated to open in February, will offer comfort food and music with a jazz-themed ambience.
Site of Espernolia’s Jazz Cafe, 9002 W. Silver Spring Dr. Photo courtesy of Yolanda Gates.
At an upcoming Milwaukee business, patrons can expect to hear the dulcet tones of John Coltrane, Kenny G and Gerald Albright. It’s not a concert venue or a record store, though.
It’s Espernolia’s Jazz Cafe, a jazz-themed restaurant that’s slated to open as soon as next month at 9002 W. Silver Spring Dr.
Married couple Espernolia and Yolanda Gates are at the helm of the new restaurant, which will combine their longtime love of the expressive musical genre with an already-flourishing catering business, Gates Family Catering.
Since 1997, the couple have been preparing soul food, wings, tacos and more for a wide variety of local events. And though it started as just a side gig, the catering operation has shown major potential in recent years, Yolanda said.
“It’s become more of a business than a hobby. We saw that the business was really blossoming into something more.”
Yolanda brings her own strengths to the project, but said that her husband will lead the culinary side of the business. “He’s the one with the passion for cooking,” she said.
Espernolia, the youngest of 13 children, spent his early years watching his mom prepare meals for a large family. As a result, the chef cooks with equal measures of skill and heart, and is well-practiced in “creating meals that made everyone happy and satisfy the soul,” Yolanda Gates said.
“That’s kind of the premise of where Espernolia’s Jazz Cafe comes from.”
The restaurant’s menu is expected to include Espernolia’s famous string beans and potatoes, macaroni and cheese, gumbo and more.
Each recipe, said Yolanda, maintains its traditional, Southern comfort characteristics. “But of course we put our own spin on it,” she said.
The restaurant has no plans to serve alcohol.
And while the restaurant is unlikely to host live musicians, jazz music will be played over speakers throughout the dining room. The restaurant will also feature jazz-themed decor and memorabilia.
Espernolia’s Jazz Cafe will occupy 300 square feet within a building near the intersection of 91st Street and Silver Spring Drive. The dining room, which features bright red walls and checkered tiling, seats up to 25 guests for dine-in service. The restaurant will also offer carryout.
For updates and more information, visit the business’s Facebook page.
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