Two Seasonal Patios Opening
Plus: Two beer gardens opening, an urban cheesemaker and new sushi and southern restaurants.
The Bridgewater Modern Grill outdoor patio. Photo courtesy of Benson’s Restaurant Group.
Whether or not it’s raining, it will soon be pouring — drinks, that is — at The Bridgewater Modern Grill‘s outdoor patio.
The Harbor District restaurant, 2011 S. 1st St., is planning a summer kickoff party on May 24, welcoming warmer days with lawn games, new menu items and an extra-long happy hour.
The all-day event will include a cornhole tournament on The Bridgewater’s outdoor lawn, drink specials from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and extended hours until 11 p.m. on the 245-foot patio, which overlooks the Kinnickinnic River.
The launch will coincide with the debut of a new seasonal menu, featuring dishes such as sweet chili shrimp with cabbage and cilantro, caprese salad and ravioli with lemon ricotta, asparagus, beech mushroom and tarragon cream sauce.
Meanwhile, the restaurant’s six boat docks will officially open to the public, with dining and drink packages available to boaters.
Guests can also look forward to a new summer music series at the restaurant. In addition to its Saturday Jazz Brunch, Bridgewater plans to introduce live music Sundays. Featured musicians include Tlalok, Pangea, Plain Grass Folks and others.
A full lineup and schedule for the weekend music series is available to view online.
Just north of The Bridgewater, in Walker’s Point, another patio recently reopened to guests. UpTop, the seasonal rooftop pop-up at Indeed Brewing Company, kicked off its second season on May 15.
The rooftop space is across the street from the brewery, located atop the Eagleknit Building, 507 S. 2nd St. It features indoor and outdoor seating with views of Downtown and the Hoan Bridge.
UpTop is now open Wednesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sugar Maple Hosting Joe Pera-Themed Pop-Up
“Perhaps there’s a school in Riverwest or Wauwatosa that could use a choir teacher. I’d get a new style of clothing and then all my new coworkers would say, ‘hey, would you want to meet us on Friday night for a beer on Kinnickinnic Avenue?'”
This is Joe Pera‘s inner monologue from an episode of “Joe Pera Talks With You,” in which he contemplates moving to Milwaukee.
And while you might not find him on Brady Street anytime soon, the Adult Swim comedian will likely make an appearance in Bay View come mid-June. Sugar Maple‘s latest pop-up, Warm Apple Nights, is an homage to Pera and coincides with his June 15 tour stop in Milwaukee.
Held in partnership with Milwaukee Record, Warm Apple Nights will take place June 13 through 16, promising an art show, vendor fair and other entertainment, as well as themed cocktails and several different food vendors.
S’Blendid Cancels Plans For Bay View Cafe
Last summer, S’Blendid Boba Tea began making preparations for a new cafe in Bay View. The business, formerly a tenant at North Avenue Market, was slated to open at 2229 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
As of May 17, the move is dead.
“After an entire year of waiting for construction to start our dream project, we were met with disappointment after disappointment,” owner Malee Thao shared in a Friday morning social media post. “As a result, we found ourselves in an unfeasible position to try to start the process over again.”
“It broke our hearts,” Thao wrote. “But despite the heartbreaking news, we know our community will be in support of our decision.”
Knife-Sharpening Pop-Ups Resume in June
From snipping garden-fresh herbs to slicing a juicy grilled steak, many of summer’s finest pastimes require a well-sharpened blade.
Cody Berg, founder of The Sharpening Company, is helping to keep knives, scissors, tools and more in peak condition this summer with a series of recurring pop-ups.
The weekly events, an annual offering from The Sharpening Company, will take place in Bay View, Greendale and South Milwaukee, allowing customers to drop off their blades for a quick tune-up — no appointment necessary.
Starting in June, Berg will be stationed at Anodyne Coffee on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon; customers are encouraged to grab a drink or snack from the coffee shop while they wait. In the afternoon, Berg will head over to the South Milwaukee Farmers Market, where he will be available from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Firehouse Cook Challenge Spotlights Foodie Firefighters
When it comes to firefighters who love cooking, one thing’s for certain: they can handle the heat.
A new culinary competition hosted by Iron Mountain Refrigeration will target that particular group, inviting professional firefighters who double as amateur chefs to share their best recipes for a chance to win major prizes.
Iron Mountain’s Firehouse Cook Challenge aims to spotlight firefighters who love to prepare meals for their stations. To enter, participants must share a personal recipe — including a photo of the finished dish — and explain its significance.
From there, three finalists will be selected to participate in a cook-off, to be held on Thursday, Aug. 8 at The Polish Center of Wisconsin in Franklin.
Juneau Park Beer Garden Opens
The youngest beer garden in the county parks system opened for the season on Friday.
Juneau Park beer garden, which opened for the first time in May of last year, began pouring beers on Friday, May 17. After a short ceremony, the beer garden served free beer and root beer for 20 minutes.
“Milwaukee County Parks is ecstatic to kick off the sophomore season of Juneau Beer Garden,” said Parks Executive Director Guy Smith. “After a tremendous first year as a summer-long beer garden, we can’t think of a better way to bring the community back together again at Juneau Park.”
Juneau Park had long been one of the most popular stops on the county’s traveling beer garden circuit, averaging 2,600 visitors a week. In 2022, Parks decided to turn it into a permanent beer garden. It opened the following year, with 12 draft beer taps and space for up to 250 people.
New Sushi Restaurant at Crossroads Collective
Kawa‘s temporary stay at Crossroads Collective is coming to a close, as the sushi and ramen restaurant prepares to return to its brick-and-mortar restaurant this summer.
Following its departure from the Crossroads Collective, 2238 N. Farwell Ave., another sushi concept is slated to replace it.
Awi Sushi is planning to expand its Milwaukee footprint with a new location at Crossroads Collective. The national chain opened its first location on Water Street earlier this year under franchisee Cheraty Par.
Par’s brother, Salai Thawng, will lead the upcoming location.
Beer Garden Opening on Northwest Side
From parks to parking lots, Milwaukee boasts a plethora of beer gardens, each designed to make the most of the city’s gorgeous — if fleeting — warm-weather months.
And while the pints and picnic tables hold sway, the ultimate selling point of beer gardens may be their proximity to nature.
Havenwoods Taproom and Beer Garden takes that to the next level.
While located behind a former plastic molding facility on the Northwest Side, the beer garden is situated on a grassy swathe of land just steps away from Havenwoods State Forest.
Galleria Ice Cream Opens on East Side
Most days, Kamal Shkoukani can be found inside his tiny commercial kitchen on the East Side. The chef and entrepreneur puts the small space to good use, keeping Milwaukeeans well-fed with everything from hot chicken and burgers to falafel and cheese curds.
More than simply a kitchen, the space functions as a command center for Shkoukani’s delivery-focused food hall, The Gallery, 2335 N. Murray Ave., which operates seven distinct restaurant concepts.
Just a few steps away from the deep fryer and range, though, is a cool new addition. Shkoukani recently debuted an ice cream counter, Galleria Ice Cream, which will serve to enhance The Gallery’s art-focused dining area.
After weeks of preparation, the ice cream counter officially launched late last week, welcoming its first guests as temperatures soared to 80 degrees over the weekend.
Brady Street Could Get New Coffee Shop
Syed Jamal is looking to give Brady Street a boost.
The real estate developer and founder of Anzala Global LLC is making plans to open a new cafe and restaurant, Good Vibes Coffee House, within a historic building at 1027 E. Brady St.
The all-day concept would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as specialty coffee and tea, catering especially to those who wish to relax with a non-alcoholic beverage in the evenings, Jamal said.
“I’m trying to create an environment where people who are not into alcohol, they have a place where they can sit, enjoy and feel safe,” he said, noting that it’s difficult to find a quality cup of coffee or tea after 7 p.m. in Milwaukee.
A New Downtown Bar and Restaurant
A new bar and restaurant recently joined the ranks of Milwaukee’s downtown entertainment district, replacing the long-standing Buck Bradley’s, which closed its doors last July.
Copper on King, the latest venture from Pete Marshall and his partners, quietly welcomed its first guests in early May. Now firmly in its soft opening phase, the business, 1019 N. Martin Luther King Jr Dr., is beginning to ramp up operations with plans for a packed summer ahead.
In fact, Marshall was hard at work on said plans earlier this week, scribbling details in a small notebook while seated at a high-top table, but took a brief pause to show off the business’s revamped interior.
If its predecessor was a lived-in letter jacket, Copper on King is the championship trophy — sleek, shiny and quite large.
Hill Valley Dairy Embraces Walker’s Point
When Ron Henningfeld created Luna, he may as well have hung the moon.
Shortly after receiving his cheesemakers license in 2009, the former high school teacher set out to replicate what he thought the moon might taste like if it was made of cheese.
The result was a hybrid between gouda and alpine-style cheese with a nutty flavor and rich, orange color. “It very much looks like the moon when it’s in its wheel form,” said Henningfeld’s wife and business partner, Josie. “It doesn’t taste like any other cheese we can think of.”
Luna and its sister cheese, Alina, went on to win awards at the World Championship Cheese Contest. They were also fast favorites for customers of the couple’s company, Hill Valley Dairy.
Roundhouse Offering Free Beer For Seasonal Reopening
The 2024 season will soon be underway for Roundhouse at McKinley Marina.
The summertime concession stand is preparing for its grand reopening on May 23, featuring local brews, games, snacks and live music. As an added bonus, Roundhouse will offer its first 100 beers for free.
This summer will also mark the reopening of McKinley Beach for the first time since 2020. The beach, located just a few steps from Roundhouse, is nearing completion of a restoration project meant to make the area safer for swimmers.
The Bartolotta Restaurants assumed operations at the Roundhouse in 2022, bringing new life to the building, which is located along the shoreline adjacent to the Milwaukee Yacht Club, 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr.
New Southern Restaurant Opens at North Avenue Market
Since opening on on Milwaukee’s West Side in 2022, North Avenue Market has showcased a multitude of cuisines including Salvadoran pupusas, Korean chicken sandwiches, plant-based fare and more.
Its newest concept, Christopher’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, will serve homestyle favorites like fried green tomatoes, collard greens and pork chops. It will also be the sole food vendor at the market, 5900 W. North Ave., marking the business’s transition from food hall to restaurant and event center.
Chris Harris Morse, owner and founder of North Avenue Market, said that despite recent changes, his goals for the business remain the same.
“We are excited to continue providing an amazing space for our community to come together, eat, fellowship, and grow,” he said in a statement. “My vision for North Avenue Market remains for it to be a hub for the four surrounding neighborhoods — a place where anyone feels welcome no matter who they are or where they come from.”
Ardent Reopens With New Offerings
During the course of its decade-long tenure on the Lower East Side, Ardent has emerged as a fine dining restaurant fueled by passion and — at times — intensity.
There’s no doubt that Ardent has lived up to its name, which evokes fiery warmth and zealousness; however, chef and owner Justin Carlisle hopes to bring down the heat as he leads the restaurant into its 11th year.
“To re-evaluate how we started — looking back 10 years ago — we never wanted to be a pretentious, all-inclusive place that people thought they couldn’t get into, or they’d have to wait three months for,” Carlisle said. “Unfortunately when people hear the name Ardent, that’s what they think of, and I don’t want people to think that way anymore.”
The restaurant, 1751 N. Farwell Ave., now a dual-concept space encompassing Ardent Tasting Room and Ardent Bar + Lounge, recently returned to service after a wintertime hiatus.
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