Brisa Do Mar Bringing Mediterranean Cuisine to Former Riverfront Pizzeria

Site of Brisa Do Mar, 509 E. Erie St. Photo taken April 25, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

Ramsés Alvaréz has cooked for James Beard award-winning restaurants, large-scale gatherings and NFL stars. From one-bite amuse bouches to banquet feasts the chef has never been one to back away from a challenge.

His latest venture, though, could be the most difficult yet.

Alvaréz, formerly of Brasserie Des Arts, Brew’d Burger Shop and Dia Bom, is preparing to open a new, 300-seat restaurant, Brisa Do Mar, at 509. E. Erie St., the former home of Riverfront Pizzeria.

The Mediterranean-inspired concept is set to begin its private soft opening in the coming days, with plans to welcome the public beginning Thursday, May 2.

“The plan is just to serve good food, like always,” the chef told Urban Milwaukee. “Being honest with the customers — what we serve is not cheap, it’s good-quality ingredients … technique, of course, and presentation.”

On the menu, guests can expect both new and familiar dishes featuring flavors and ingredients pulled from every corner of the Mediterranean coast. That includes Greece and Italy, of course, but also places like Tunisia, Morocco and Gibraltar.

Many of the dishes, including meats, salad components and, of course, pizzas, will get a spin in the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza oven — a remnant of the previous establishment.

“It’s a chef’s dream right there,” Alvaréz said with a glance toward the round-bellied oven.

Starting next week, Brisa Do Mar will debut more than a dozen varieties of pizza, with options including the cheesehead, topped with various local cheeses; di parma, with prosciutto, parmesan cheese, fontina, tomato ragu and basil; and Da Brisa, featuring tomato sauce, shrimp, kalamata olives, soppressata, basil and olive oil.

The menu also includes wood-roasted entrees such as bone-in côte de boeuf (beef rib) served with vegetables and black garlic beurre blanc, as well as a selection of pastas.

A collection of smaller bites, or “snackies,” includes chicken wings, bruschetta, eggplant chips, prawns al ajillo and more. The restaurant will also feature salads and a selection of sandwiches. And yes, Italian beef made the cut.

“We had to,” Alvaréz said with a laugh.

Guests can also expect a robust wine program, draft and bottled beer and cocktails. Desserts such as opera cake, egg nest (a composed cake dish) and Dee’s Blueberry coffee cake will also be available. The latter has special significance to Alvaréz; it’s prepared by a dear friend, Dee Girard, and includes lots of love, he said.

The restaurant plans to open with a pared-down menu in anticipation for an ultra-busy summer, keeping in mind its proximity to the festival grounds. But Alvaréz said he hopes to build on the foundation come fall, with plans to incorporate more advanced techniques and dishes as time goes on.

The current selection still plays to Alvaréz’s strengths, though. His resume includes stints at The Bartolotta Restaurants, Mason Street Grill and La Merenda, plus five years of mentorship from renowned chef Sandy D’Amato.

While working as a private chef for Brasserie Des Arts, Alvaréz recalls having to pivot between German, French, southern and myriad other cuisines within a single week. “I became a chef who had to learn how to cook anything and everything,” he said.

All of those past experiences have culminated in an extensive knowledge of international and fusion cuisines, along with both traditional and avant garde techniques.

But there’s always more to explore. At the new restaurant, Alvaréz said he’s looking forward to experimenting with a wider variety of spices. Later on, he said he’s eager to expand the menu with “stellar” new additions and gastronomic components such as liquid nitrogen.

For now, the restaurant is just hoping to keep up with demand while maintaining the highest taste and quality. The task will be a challenge, though Alvaréz is confident that his staff will ease the burden; all of Riverfront Pizzeria’s former employees are staying on with the new restaurant. Alvaréz’s partner, Shannon Puetz is a co-owner.

The building itself overlooks the confluence of the Milwaukee and Kinnickinnic Rivers — a theme that played heavily into Alvaréz ‘s conceptualization of the new space. The restaurant’s name is also water-inspired; it’s Portuguese for “sea breeze.”

In addition to its 300-seat dining room, Brisa Do Mar features patio seating for approximately 45 guests and a private dining room that can accommodate up to 45 people. The large restaurant space features a few pieces of artwork from Riverfront Pizzeria, as well as several new additions. Namely, two different portraits of Persephone, the Greek goddess of agriculture. The works, created by a Ukrainian artist, Dima, incorporate neon light to highlight certain elements. They are especially striking at night, Alvaréz said.

A number of plants including lemon, fig and rubber trees, are dispersed throughout the dining room and patio. The dining and bar areas also feature TVs.

Past and Future

The opportunity to open Brisa Do Mar didn’t come without sacrifices. When Alvaréz committed to opening the new restaurant, he had to let go of a previous plan to open Dia Bom, a former concept, in its own space at Lincoln Warehouse.

But the riverfront location was too hard to pass up. After the restaurant gets its footing, Alvaréz said he plans to offer additional experiences for guests. That could include live music, DJs, opera performances, wine dinners, brunches and cooking classes, to name a few.

Alvaréz also hopes to use the space as a home for his private chef business, with plans to host special dinners in a sequestered area of the restaurant.

Starting May 2, Brisa Do Mar plans to open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Additional information and updates can be found on the restaurant’s website.

Photos

Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.