Taichi Bubble Tea Opens on East Side
Plus: new cocktails concept, charting all custard and closing at Hamburger Mary’s.
Site of Taichi Bubble Tea, 2028 E. North Ave. Photo taken July 26, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
For the first time in nearly two years, the lights are on at 2028 E. North Ave.
Taichi Bubble Tea, a national boba and ramen chain, is now open on the East Side. It’s the latest of numerous concepts to occupy the storefront next to Hacienda Taproom & Kitchen, which recently rebranded as Triple Taproom & Kitchen after adding Sheboygan-based 3 Sheep’s Brewing Company to its offerings.
The Rochester, NY-based cafe sells dozens of boba drinks including fruit teas, milk teas and hot teas, along with specialty items like dalgona coffee and blended beverages. Alternative milks including soy, almond and oat are offered for certain menu items, but may not be necessary. The powdered milk tea base — despite its name — is dairy free, according to an employee.
To eat, guests can choose from a variety of ramen including miso, tonkotsu, vegetarian and spicy noodles.
The space itself is bright and airy, a departure from the maximalist, moody decor of past tenants. A handful of tables are placed adjacent to the cafe’s front counter, with additional seating in a quiet, lofted section of the building.
Taichi Bubble Tea is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Mexican, Indian, Italian, Chinese Fusion Restaurant Proposed For Northwest Side
The owners of Indian Village Restaurant plan to leverage nearly three decades of industry experience for an ambitious new project on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side.
Apexa Patel and her husband, Vijay, are preparing to open a fusion-style restaurant, IVR Bar, at 10950 W. Good Hope Rd. The location, encompassing 7,730 square feet of space and a large outdoor patio, was previously home to Point Burger Bar.
IVR, which stands for International Variety Restaurant, will emphasize choice, said Apexa, catering to those craving Mexican, Indian, Italian, and Chinese cuisines — or even a combination of two or more.
“We are going to give so many options to people,” she said. “We have really good cauliflower gobi manchurian (an Indo-Chinese dish), we have really good butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, and we are going to make really good enchiladas.
Introducing The Green Room, Discourse’s Newest Cocktail Concept
By day, Discourse fills with the sharp smell of espresso as baristas pull, pour and percolate their way to cups of craft coffee and tea.
Like most cafes, its medley of high-top tables, cozy couches and caffeinated beverages make it an ideal landing place for midday meetings, first dates, slow afternoons and everything in between.
Earlier this summer, Discourse debuted a new addition to its Radio Milwaukee location, 158 S. Barclay St., inviting guests to start or end their evenings with a cocktail at The Green Room.
The moonlight concept opens Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings with a menu of both alcoholic and N/A cocktails, plus beer and wine. A list of “special” offerings includes a shot of fernet accompanied by “an actual high-five” and the out-there Mom’s Spaghetti, which features spaghetti-infused Aperol cut with Miller High Life and served in a customized bottle with a side of garlic breadsticks.
New Custard MKE Website Is A Treat For Dessert Fans
Mint chip, black forest torte, strawberry cheesecake — the “flavor forecast” can make or break a trip to the custard stand. But searching for the daily offerings at each location — of which there are dozens in Milwaukee County alone — can be needlessly tedious.
Enter: Noah Huotari.
Part IT professional, part dairy detective, Huotari is tackling the “first world problem” — as he puts it — of tracking down the flavor of the day at spots like Kopp’s, Gilles Frozen Custard and Bubba’s.
His website, Custard MKE, includes 18 locations throughout the Milwaukee area, with more to be added soon.
Bay View Beer Garden Hosting Chef’s Dinner
The Exchange is inviting diners to put some pork on their fork at an upcoming, pig-themed beer dinner.
On Sunday, July 28, the newly opened beer garden will collaborate with six area chefs to host its “Pig & a Brew” pairing dinner at Bay View‘s Zillman Park, 2168 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
The ticketed event will be held under a large event tent in the park, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Bay View Community Center‘s (BVCC) emergency food pantry.
A.J. Dixon, a longtime volunteer at BVCC and the former chef-owner at Lazy Susan, will prepare the first bite, a precursor to the six-course meal. She plans to serve a Midwestern-style amuse bouche: deviled eggs with pimento cheese and fresh ham.
Hacienda’s North Avenue Taproom Welcomes 3 Sheeps
Three’s company at Hacienda’s North Avenue taproom, which recently welcomed 3 Sheeps as its third co-located brewery.
Though long included in local conversations surrounding craft beer, the Sheboygan-based 3 Sheeps Brewing Company didn’t — until recently — maintain a physical presence in Milwaukee.
But as of early July, the brewery began operating 10 taplines at 2018 E. North Ave., a space it shares with Door County Brewing Company and Hacienda Beer Co. Hacienda also operates a restaurant in the building.
“For a long time, we’ve been really good friends with Door County Brewing Company and Hacienda Beer Co., so we decided to take this friendship to the next level and are moving in together,” said 3 Sheeps founder Grant Pauly in a video message to customers. “In this crazy world that we live in right now, we thought coming together into one space, having a lot of different options, a lot of great beer selections, was just a really fun thing for us and a way to share ourselves with the Milwaukee community.”
Pat’s Rib Place to Exit Public Market
After 15 years at the helm of Pat’s Rib Place, Alisha and Ty Hayes are preparing to transition from the restaurant to retail.
At the end of this month, the married couple plans to exit their vendor stall at the Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St., where they have garnered an enthusiastic following with an assortment of smoked meats, sides, and homemade barbecue sauces.
The latter will become the Hayes’s main focus moving forward, according to a news release from the market. A new vendor, David Alan Alan’s Smokehouse, is slated to replace the barbeque joint.
“We are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from our customers and the Market community,” Alisha said in a statement. “We couldn’t be prouder of the impact we had on the local BBQ restaurant industry and are excited to focus on growing our retail line to bring our BBQ sauces to a larger audience.”
New Barons Co-CEO Plans to Resign
Heidi Dalibor, co-CEO and founder of New Barons Brewing Cooperative (NBBC), announced her resignation Monday after eight years at the helm of the business.
“Serving New Barons has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” she wrote in a heartfelt message to member-owners. “Working alongside such a dedicated community has been an honor, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and support you have shown me throughout my tenure.”
The difficult decision, Dalibor said, is based on the scope of work available at NBBC, as well as payment limitations.
“I have been happy to make sacrifices in the name of the cooperative, but it has been proven that it is not sustainable.”
Oprah Visits Milwaukee Public Market
What the Milwaukee Public Market may have lacked in traffic this past week, it made up for in star power.
Oprah Winfrey paid a visit on Thursday to support her niece and nephew-in-law, Alisha and Ty Hayes, who operate Pat’s Rib Place.
Winfrey, a television host and producer, is best known for her eponymous talk show, which aired for 25 seasons, from 1986 to 2011. She is also a celebrated philanthropist, having founded the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation and donated millions of dollars towards efforts to improve access to education.
Pat’s Rib Place joined the public market as a vendor in 2021, though it has been in business for much longer. The Hayeses first launched the soul food business in 2009. The restaurant’s Waukesha location closed in 2023 after 14 years in business.
Hamburger Mary’s to Close, Relocate
After nearly eight years in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, Hamburger Mary’s is preparing to bring its burgers, bloodies and beauties to a new locale.
The restaurant, known for its drag performances, will close its doors at 730 S. 5th St. after service on Sunday, July 28.
Co-owners Ashley and Brandon Wright told Urban Milwaukee they plan to reopen in a new location. At this time, the brothers are still unsure exactly where that will be.
“This is bittersweet,” Brandon said in a statement. “While we are sad to announce that Hamburger Mary’s will be closing, we are excited for the possibilities that a new location can offer.”
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