It’s Always Sunny in Bay View
Plus: two new coffee shops, mochi doughnut shop relocates and a late-night food truck festival.
It’s Always Sunny In Milwadelphia flyer. Image courtesy of Sugar Maple.
The forecast may not show it, but there are sunny days ahead in Bay View — at least for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Lost Whale and Sugar Maple will both host “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” themed pop-ups for the holiday, with 1840 Brewing Company also playing a role in the festivities.
Lost Whale’s pop-up, an annual tradition, will return to the cocktail bar, 2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., March 14 through 17. The event will feature outlandish cocktails including riot juice, fight milk and Intervention! Intervention! Attendees can also expect themed decorations and plenty of entertainment, plus a joint flip cup tournament held in collaboration with Sugar Maple and 1840 Brewing.
Just down the street, Sugar Maple plans to host its own twist on the pop-up, transforming its space at 441 E. Lincoln Ave. into the TV show’s infamous Paddy’s Pub. A flurry of activities are lined up for the event, which will take place during the same dates as Lost Whale’s.
The Sugar Maple pop-up will feature select beers from 1840 Brewing. The brewery, 342 E. Ward St., will also be the site of the March 17 championship round of flip cup, when the winning teams from Sugar Maple and Lost Whale will go head-to-head for top prize.
Hundred Acre Secures New Retail Partner
Hundred Acre recently expanded its list of retailers with the addition of Piggly Wiggly. The grocery chain’s Cedarburg and Mequon locations now carry salad greens, basil and pesto from the hydroponic grower.
Hundred Acre transitioned from wholesale to retail in 2023. Its products are also available for purchase at Outpost Natural Foods and Go Grocer MKE.
The farm has also expanded its product offerings in recent months with the debut of Pesto with Purpose. The sauce is made in Milwaukee with Hundred Acre’s large-leaf basil. For each pesto purchase, the company contributes one meal to fight food insecurity locally through Feeding America.
The urban farm, currently located at the Century City business park, pumps out fresh greens year-round, yielding 40,000 pounds of produce per year from its 5,000-square-foot location. But the farm eventually plans to relocate to a larger facility in Riverwest, quadrupling its production capabilities while opening up space for additional programming.
Ramadan-Friendly, Late-Night Food Truck Festival Returning
More than a dozen Milwaukee area food trucks will operate into the early hours of the morning to accommodate Muslim diners this upcoming Ramadan.
Suhoor Food Truck Festival returns on Friday, March 29, offering halal meals, entertainment and community during the holy month. The event, which is open to all, will take place from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Islamic Society of Milwaukee community center, 815 W. Layton Ave.
This year’s vendors include Cocina Filipina, Chik’N Dip, The Fatty Patty, Hot Box Pizza, Jandy’s Base Camp Waffles, Megawich, Melt n Dip, Modern Maki, Qamaria Yemeni Coffee, Romero’s Taco Truck, Style Pop Cafe, Sweetly Baked, Tots on the Street and Wilma’s Smokehouse.
Pita Palace will also be on-site preparing kunafa, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with kataifi (thin strands of pastry) soaked in syrup and layered with various toppings. Chefs at the event will be preparing the dish live, allowing guests to observe the process and — even better — enjoy a taste fresh from the pan.
Mochi Doughnut Shop Moving to Milwaukee
MochiUnni is on the move, with big plans for the coming year. The mochi doughnut shop, run by Pa Vang and her two sisters-in-law, Rose Xiong and Mai Xiong, is soon relocating to The Neighborhood Kitchen, 8103 W. Tower Ave., on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side. The shared commercial kitchen will serve as a home base for the mobile business.
While operating from the new location, Vang said MochiUnni will continue its pop-up operations as usual, though this summer’s schedule may be the busiest yet.
“We are super excited,” said Vang, listing off a packed schedule of farmers markets, community events and other appearances planned for the coming months. She added that the business’s mobile format is an intentional choice, as it facilitates her goal of connecting with as many different customers — in as many different places — as possible.
“We really enjoy traveling to different locations and doing pop-ups,” she said. “I think that’s where we are most passionate, not being stationed in just one location but being able to serve Oshkosh, Green Bay, Eau Claire and others. We are able to be all over the place and allow other people to really taste our doughnuts.”
Birch Partners With The Sorting Table For Pairing Dinner
Birch, with its carefully-curated menu, warm service and polished dining room in view of the open kitchen’s roaring fire, has a knack for making every meal feel like a celebration.
But the farm-to-table restaurant, 459 E. Pleasant St., is taking things up a notch for an upcoming wine dinner, set to take place on Wednesday, March 13 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
In addition to five thoughtful courses from chefs Kyle Knall, Zach Castillo, Aaron Blazek, Ariel Welch and the rest of the Birch team, the dinner will feature pairings from Steve Morgan of The Sorting Table.
Morgan, a sommelier, has worked for a number of restaurants throughout New York and Chicago including Del Posto, Dressler, Tribeca Grill and Alinea. He now serves as a regional sales manager for The Sorting Table, which connects with winemakers with the goal of importing hand-crafted products for distribution throughout the country.
Amilinda’s Gregory León Reflects on 30 Years of Professional Cooking
Most Milwaukeeans know Gregory León as the celebrated chef behind Amilinda, a Spanish and Portuguese restaurant that has earned plentiful accolades both locally and nationally in the nine years since its opening.
Leon’s metaphorical trophy case includes three James Beard Award nominations, an annual spot on Eater’s list of essential Milwaukee restaurants and dozens of shoutouts from local dining critics, influencers and foodies.
Throughout each step of his journey, León has made it a priority to connect and collaborate with fellow chefs and community members. His restaurant is, of course, a haven for delicious food and welcoming service, but it’s also evolved into more than that, serving as a nurturing space for up-and-coming chefs, a production kitchen for free meals during the pandemic and a host site for fundraisers supporting Vivent Health, Human Rights Campaign, ASPCA and others.
But before he was lauded with prestigious awards and widespread recognition, León was a little boy in Venezuela, sneaking stacks of his mother’s cookbooks into his bedroom to pore over.
New Coffee Shop Planned Near Kosciuszko Park
The South Side’s Lincoln Village, though flush with restaurants, bakeries and specialty grocery stores, is short on coffee shops.
But not for much longer.
A new business, Rocafe, would bring coffee drinks, snacks and sweets to a cozy corner space at 1028 W. Lincoln Ave., just steps away from Kosciuszko Park.
Laura Contreras is behind the proposed cafe, which is slated to open this spring, according to a license application.
Brazen Standard Hospitality Launches Urban Farm Dinners
Brazen Standard Hospitality is setting the table for its newest project, a series of dining experiences dedicated to showcasing a bounty of locally-sourced ingredients.
The company announced the launch of its Urban Farm Dinner Series on Tuesday, officially kicking off preparations for three upcoming dinners that are set to take place throughout the coming months.
The first is scheduled for May 10 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Starling, 102 N. Water St. The meal will adhere to a Primavera in Italiana theme, offering fresh Italian dishes. Adding to the dinner’s charm, guests will be seated at one long table on the venue’s patio, which overlooks the Milwaukee River.
Beginning at 6 p.m., guests can expect welcome cocktails and appetizers, plus time to mingle before taking their seats. The meal will then commence with a salad course, followed by a family-style dinner and dessert. Beer, wine and seasonal cocktails will be flowing throughout the evening.
New Concessionaires Open at Intermodal Station
Milwaukee Intermodal Station has been without a full-time food vendor since last spring, when Aladdin’s All Aboard Cafe exited the station after 14 years of service. But a new tenant is now operating in the space, ensuring passengers are equipped with doughnuts for their departure.
Donut Squad opened its third location at the station, 433 W. Saint Paul Ave., on March 1. The local chain, operated by Barakat Kaid, is known for its colorful, frosted doughnuts, which are available in flavors like cookies and cream, toffee and strawberry shortcake.
The business brings a similar lineup to the Intermodal Station, offering several varieties of traditional, specialty and filled doughnuts, as well as muffins and other pastries courtesy of Colectivo‘s Troubadour Bakery.
Traditional offerings include glazed, powdered and cake doughnuts, while more elaborate, specialty options are topped with cookies, crushed candies, drizzles and other flavorings. The shop also offers jelly, cream, custard and chocolate-filled doughnuts.
Dohmen Fund Continues Nationwide Push For Healthy Eating Initiatives
It’s been one year since Dohmen Company Foundation announced a commitment to invest $60 million for healthy eating initiatives across the country, adding its efforts to the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities.
After 12 months of progress, the effects of the Dohmen Impact Investment Fund (DIIF) are beginning to come into focus. The foundation, headquartered in Bronzeville, has invested in one company so far, and is now seeking additional businesses capable of preventing and reversing diet-related disease for future investments.
DIIF made its first contribution in June 2023 with a $15 million investment in Everytable. The Los Angeles-based service aims to provide nutritious, chef-prepared meals at an affordable price point.
Everytable currently services various portions of California and New York, but plans to expand into regional meal delivery soon.
Discourse Opens at Radio Milwaukee
Those in search of a caffeine fix on Pittsburgh Avenue now have three establishments from which to choose. As of March 1, Discourse is officially open at Radio Milwaukee.
It joins the longstanding Colectivo Coffee and Full of Beans, which recently opened within the BizStarts community market, along a three-block stretch of street.
The newest location for Discourse, 158 S. Barclay St., offers a selection of traditional coffee drinks — latte, americano, cappuccino — along with seven craft drinks including the lavender-spiked Flora and and Channel Orange, which features smoked and oaked orange vanilla syrup, blackstrap bitters and orange powder.
A pastry case, perched atop the cafe’s crisp white counters, is stocked with a rotating lineup of scones, croissants, biscotti and more. For a larger appetite, Discourse offers a small selection of salads and sandwiches.
Cocktail-Focused Cafe Proposed For Yankee Hill
After more than a decade of slinging drinks at some of Milwaukee’s most renowned cocktail lounges, Jeff Kinder is preparing for an entirely different venture. It’s only fitting, then, that his upcoming establishment is slated to open at Nova, an apartment building whose Latin name is “new.”
Kinder plans to open Haven Cafe at 1237 N. Van Buren St., in a corner retail space at ground level of the Nova apartment building.
The business will operate as a cafe by day, offering hot and iced coffee, espresso and Rishi teas, as well as breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, lunch sandwiches and snacks. In the evenings, Haven will transition into a bar serving beer, wine and cocktails, along with small bites including dips and spreads, roasted vegetables and desserts.
Kinder, whose career includes previous work at Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, The Estate and the now-closed Distil, said the upcoming business aims to upend traditional conceptions of cocktail bars, trading intimacy for an open feel and welcoming a flood of natural light from large, south-facing windows.
Hmong Buffet Coming to National Avenue
A new restaurant from Joanna and Xeng Yang would bring authentic Hmong cuisine to the South Side, offering flavorful foods with a nod to both the family’s ancestral heritage and its future.
ChueYee’s, named for the couple’s youngest son, is slated to open at 3800 W. National Ave. The upcoming restaurant would operate as a buffet, serving both meat-based and vegetable dishes including pork belly, noodles, egg rolls, salads and more.
The buffet aims to be user-friendly and fully customizable, Xeng said, noting that customers will be able to pick and choose from the full spread, building a simple meal or sampling a bit of everything.
Food will be portioned into styrofoam containers and priced by weight. Xeng said he expects the buffet to feature 20 to 30 different dishes each day.
The Rise of Milwaukee Chef Dan Jacobs
In the summer of 1997 in Door County, teenager Dan Jacobs had two choices. He could work at the front desk of a resort or as a short-order cook making scrambled eggs and pancakes. Since he cooked for his family growing up as a way of getting out of doing chores, he chose cooking.
“I immediately was like, ‘Oh man, this is the life for me,’” Jacobs said.
At the end of the summer, he sensed he could make a career as a chef. When he returned to his hometown of Chicago, he enrolled in culinary school. He’s been cooking professionally ever since. Now he’s the co-owner of two award-winning restaurants in Milwaukee.
Jacobs is adding another feather to his cap: he is one of 15 contestants on the upcoming season of the cooking show “Top Chef.” Season 21 of the Emmy-winning show was filmed in Milwaukee and Madison last summer. The first episode airs March 20.
New Tavern Proposed For Water Street
The owner of Brownstone Social Lounge is expanding his portfolio on Water Street, with plans for a new tavern and restaurant next door to his existing business.
Corey Smith recently filed a license application for City Social Bar & Grill and The LYNQ at 530 N. Water St. That’s the former site of Fore Milwaukee, an indoor golf simulator that relocated following a deadly shooting at Brownstone in February 2022, owner Tim Grogan told Urban Milwaukee.
The upcoming, dual-concept business plans to occupy 8,000 square feet across two levels of the building, with ample seating space and a separate bar on each floor, according to a license application.
In addition to alcoholic beverages, the business will offer casual eats including oven-roasted artichoke dip, loaded nachos, wings, sandwiches, fish fry and more. Smith has also requested a license to host bands, DJs and comedy acts, and plans to sell cigarettes at the establishment.
New Bars and Restaurants That Opened in February
Maria’s Pizza
Maria’s Pizza reopened on Feb. 14 to overwhelming enthusiasm from neighbors, who have been waiting to get their fix since June 2022. New owners Brian and Jennifer Francis are easing into operations, offering takeout only for the time being.
The transition to new ownership brings changes to the longtime pizzeria, though its thin-crust pies will remain unchanged. The restaurant, previously cash-only, now accepts credit card payments. Once the dining room reopens, alcohol will be served for the first time in Maria’s Pizza history.
SAGE
The restaurant at Bay View‘s The White House completed its transition into SAGE, a fine dining establishment, welcoming its first customers on Feb. 5.
New Owners to Carry On 90-Year Legacy at Downer Wine & Spirits
Two longtime customers of Downer Wine & Spirits will soon be spending a lot more time at the East Side retailer.
Tonit Calaway and Sarah Zimmerman of Boss Babes, Inc. recently purchased the upscale liquor store, 2638 N. Downer Ave., marking the beginning of a new chapter for the 90-year-old neighborhood mainstay.
The new owners are taking over for brothers Mark and Steve Nord, who have operated the store for nearly 18 years. The sale closed on Friday and was announced Monday morning.
Calaway and Zimmerman each learned of the Nords’ plans to sell Downer Wine & Spirits during separate visits to the store, they said. The topic later arose during a conversation between the two, prompting them to seriously consider the purchase.
New Boba and Dessert Shop Proposed for Brewery District
The newest location for Bon Bon Shop will bring boba to The Brewery District. The owners of the mobile cafe, which frequents area farmers markets and festivals, are planning to open a brick-and-mortar shop at 1259 N. 10th St.
Dominique and Sai Yang are behind the business, which, although known for its flavored hot or cold teas, also plans to serve coffee, sandwiches and sweet treats, according to a license application.
An online menu for Bon Bon Shop features both milk and fruit teas with an assortment of add-ins. Options include matcha brown sugar, cookies and cream, lavender milk, Thai tea, passion fruit and pomegranate, as well as more than 25 others. Toppings such as plain boba, strawberry popping boba and rainbow jelly are also available.
A sample menu for the upcoming cafe offers additional beverages including coffee and soda, as well as croque monsieur and croissant chicken sandwiches. Dessert offerings may include macarons and cheesecake.
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