Benson’s Restaurants Add Dog Menus
Plus: Company Brewing and Maya Ophelia's announce closures and a new Japanese-Korean option.
Dog at The Bridgewater Modern Grill. Photo courtesy of Benson’s Restaurant Group.
Forget the dog days of summer; every summer day is dog day at Benson’s Restaurant Group, which recently debuted brand-new menus of pup-friendly fare across six of its establishments.
The new offerings, including grilled chicken, beef fat potatoes, Greek yogurt parfaits and more, will be available on outdoor patios at The Bridgewater Modern Grill, The Edison, Smoke Shack, Onesto, Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria and AJ Bombers.
“Our high quality food and beverage offerings aren’t just for humans anymore – and just like at each of our restaurants, there’s something for everyone,” said Alex Sazama, corporate executive chef at Benson’s, in a statement. “Each of our restaurants feature amazing patios that are dog friendly, and we wanted to enhance that experience for pups and owners alike by curating these fido-focused menus. We cannot wait for wagging tails and joyful memories to fill our patios this summer.”
The Bridgewater Modern Grill, 2011 S. 1st St., offers the largest patio of them all. Typically known for its wood-fired eats, the restaurant plans to serve grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, scrambled eggs, rice and fresh fruit parfaits for furry visitors.
The Edison, a new addition to the Benson’s portfolio, will offer grilled chicken bites with corn and rice, steak and potatoes with grilled skirt tips and beef fat potatoes or grilled salmon salad with charred cabbage. The restaurant is located at 322 N. Broadway, in the Historic Third Ward.
Just a few steps away at Onesto, 221 N. Broadway, dog owners can choose between beef zucchini meatballs; chicken casserole with corn, zucchini, peas, potatoes and apple; or Vitolato, a dog-friendly gelato.
Tequila is a no-go for dogs at Blue Bat, 249 N. Water St. Instead, pups can feast on chicken and veggies, Greek yogurt with berries and honey or The HamBarker, a dog-friendly burger featuring a five-ounce patty.
AJ Bombers, 1247 N. Water St., plans to serve a cheese-covered and bacon-wrapped burger, grilled cheese and vanilla custard pup cups.
Dog menus are available for outdoor dining only. Reservations are available to book online.
Japanese-Korean Food Truck Joining Zocalo Food Park
Some people eat to live; others live to eat.
Ikigai Izakaya, a new food truck opening Friday at Zocalo Food Park, is for the latter group.
The name has no exact translation, but rather represents a concept in Japanese culture that encourages people to focus on what truly matters in order to live with purpose and joy. The food truck, a project of brothers Ivan and Oscar Rubio, plans to fully embody that title, offering flavorful, fulfilling dishes with the intent to bring both happiness and nourishment to its customers.
Ikigai Izakaya draws inspiration from Asian cuisine, particularly that of Japan and Korea. Its opening menu features an assortment of bowls and specialty items that blend both Asian and American flavors for a wholly unique experience, Oscar said.
New Seafood and Wings Restaurant For Busy Northside Intersection
A bustling, five-way intersection on Milwaukee’s North Side could soon be home to a new fast-food restaurant.
Touch Down Wings & Seafood, a family-owned establishment, is slated to open at 3440 W. Fond du Lac Ave., where the thoroughfare meets W. Burleigh and N. 35th streets. The building was formerly home to a KFC.
Owners Zhende, Bin Bin and Zhen Nan Chen told Urban Milwaukee that they aim to provide a new option for quick, convenient meals in the Sherman Park neighborhood.
After researching the area, the trio settled on a chicken and seafood-focused restaurant, said Zhen Nan, who noted that the menu would include mainly fried foods such as chicken wings, shrimp and sandwiches.
Jackson’s Soul Food Plans Second Location
Just one year after opening in Milwaukee’s Uptown neighborhood, Jackson’s Soul Food Redefined is poised to expand with a second location.
The restaurant, originally launched in February 2023, is housed within a bright red building at 4519 W. Center St. It’s certainly a standout on the bustling roadway, and has proven popular among diners who rave about its fried catfish, turkey legs and mothered pork chops.
Business is so good, in fact, that owner Jacquelynn Jackson is seeking a second location to keep up with demand.
The restaurateur and self-described developer is working to purchase three adjacent, city-owned parcels at 6137-6147 W. Fond du Lac Ave., with plans to open a second restaurant inside an existing 900-square-foot building at 6143 W. Fond du Lac Ave.
Maya Ophelia’s to Close Next Month
Maya Ophelia’s, known for its globally-inspired comfort dishes, is preparing to close after service on June 30. In its absence, the business’s plant-based recipes could live on in customers’ home kitchens.
“It is with heavy hearts that we have decided to close the Maya Ophelia’s food truck, owners Jack and Chase Roldan wrote in a social media post Wednesday morning.
Originally launched in 2018 as pay-what-you-can, donation-based pop-up in Milwaukee, the concept later evolved into a food truck, which operated at Boone & Crockett.
Maya Ophelia’s took a three-year hiatus from 2020 until mid-2023 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned to business last July, this time taking up a semi-permanent residence at The Mothership.
Company Brewing Is Closed
Pour one out for Company Brewing.
The Riverwest brewery on Tuesday announced its permanent closure — effective immediately — after nine years in business.
In a social media post, brewery leadership called the venture “an incredibly rewarding experience,” and expressed gratitude for “every minute” of the process.
The post also thanked the brewery’s customers.
Area Businesses Hosting Pride Month Events
Come Saturday, June 8, The Back Room at Colectivo will open its doors to a small crowd of clamoring fans. The subsequent performance, however, will be a departure from the usual musical act.
The event space, though now decommissioned as a concert venue, is preparing to host a group of children and their corresponding grown-ups for Drag Queen Story Hour.
Now a year-round tradition, though especially so during Pride Month, drag is indisputably tied to the birth of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The connection traces back to the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion, in which drag queens such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera played a crucial role.
The upcoming event aims to celebrate that legacy while imparting themes of inclusivity and acceptance to younger audiences.
CFI’s Urban Farm Helps Workers Grow
Planting season is well underway at the Centers for Independence (CFI) Greenhouse & Garden, an urban farm located near the southside intersection of S. 6th and W. Norwich streets, just south of Howard.
While lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes and more are taking root and beginning to unfurl their first leaves, growth is taking place outside the soil, too.
More than 70 people with disabilities work on the farm each season, according to a news release from CFI, which states that workers are tasked with planting, nurturing, harvesting and selling more than 1,000 pounds of fresh produce throughout the summer.
In the process, workers are also able to build their resumes while gaining confidence and new skills, making friends and finding purpose in providing accessible, healthy foods to their communities.
Story Hill BKC Has So Many Menus
No matter what time of day you come to Story Hill BKC, you will not leave thinking “There was nothing that appealed to me on the menu.” You’ll find lots to like on all of its many menus. There is Brunch, Lunch, the Mid-Day menu, and then the Dinner menu, which is divided into Bindings, Taste, Pass, and Share.
BKC is part of Black Shoe Hospitality, a group that also includes Buttermint Finer Dining & Cocktails, Maxie’s, and Blue’s Egg. In addition to their dining options, BKC is also a wine shop which explains its name, which stands for Bottle, Kitchen, and Cocktail.
On my first visit I came with friends for Sunday brunch and thanks to our reservation, we bypassed the dozen or so customers patiently waiting for tables. Then, we needed time to absorb all the mouth-watering descriptions of BKC’s brunch entrees, because this is not your average eggs-as-you-like-them, bacon, hash browns, and toast menu. We settled on Frittata, Shakshuka, and a what-the-heck-is-this, a Mushroom and Spinach Waffle.
Later our server told us the waffle was once a Daily Special until its popularity took it to the Weekend Brunch Menu. My companion, who seldom cleans her plate, devoured every crumb of the bread pudding waffle topped with poached eggs and shallot marmalade. The accompanying roasted broccolini and green salad were ideal tart contrasts to the buttery richness of the eggs and the waffle.
Busby’s Opens in Former Romans’ Pub
While going about our day-to-day schedules, many of us imagine what it would feel like to live out our wildest dreams. As of Thursday evening, Rob and Foga Zellermayer no longer have to wonder.
After seven months of hard work, the married couple opened the doors to their new tavern, Busby’s, which replaced Romans’ Pub at 3475 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
The family-owned tavern is located in the Fernwood neighborhood, just south of Bay View and near the city’s border with St. Francis.
It’s named for the couple’s dog, Busby, who is in turn named for Sir Matt Busby, famed former manager of Manchester United.
Council Temporarily Bans Late-Night Dining at 27th Street Denny’s
Those in search of late-night pancakes, burgers and shakes will need to find an alternative to Denny’s — at least for the next two weeks.
The Milwaukee Common Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to suspend the extended hours license for the southside diner, 3801 S. 27th St.
The suspension, which went into effect May 21, was the result of a 27-item police report that detailed at least two fights, several robberies and other disturbances at the establishment.
Late-night service, which occurs between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m., is permitted to resume after June 5.
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i do nor understand the need to bring a dog to a restaurant. i do not have dogs and it has taken me many years to like and feel comfortable around them. i do now, however, i do not want to eat where they are, so i guess i won’t.