New Restaurant For Vliet Street
Catering business plans brick-and-mortar restaurant at former Triciclo Peru location.
Lisa Kaye Bistro, 3801 W. Vliet St. Photo taken July 22, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.
For years, Lisa Kaye Catering has been an award-winning choice for birthdays, weddings and other special events. Soon, a new location will make the company’s offerings accessible whenever a craving strikes.
Chef-owner Lisa McKay is bringing her talents to the Near West Side, with plans to open a new bistro at the former site of Triciclo Peru.
The process is already well underway, with workers installing signage for Lisa Kaye Bistro at 3801 W. Vliet St. in late July.
McKay, who stars in her own online cooking show, confirmed that the location will operate as a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but was not available for further comment.
Her long list of accolades, however, speaks for itself. After graduating from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a culinary arts degree in 2011, McKay joined the American Culinary Foundation (ACF). She continues to serve on the board of the organization and directs ACF’s Milwaukee Chef and Child Foundation.
McKay was the 2017 winner of the Rev-Up Milwaukee Small Business Competition. Alongside her catering company and future restaurant, the chef leads educational seminars and culinary summer camps in an effort to fight childhood obesity and teach young people about healthy foods.
Though her catering menus encompass a wide range of cuisine, McKay is consistently “inspired by fresh herbs and peppers,” which enhance the “unique flavors in Southwestern and Southern cuisines,” according to the catering company’s website.
A sample menu, included with the business’s license application, features an assortment of sandwiches and wraps, pasties and daily specials such as taco Tuesday, wing Wednesday and Friday fish fry.
For breakfast, the bistro plans to serve avocado toast, breakfast tacos, breakfast bowls, pastries and fruit. A weekend brunch service would include grits, breakfast, potatoes, waffles, bananas foster pancakes, brisket, fruit salad and more.
McKay has no plans to offer alcohol at the restaurant, which would also act as a home base for her catering company. In addition to welcoming diners throughout the day, McKay plans to activate the 3,000-square-foot space for private events, offering karaoke, contests, live music and other entertainment.
Tom Straub owns the Vliet Street building, as well as a number of other properties in the area.
McKay has not yet announced an opening date for the restaurant. Those who want a sneak preview can do so at this weekend’s Wellness Rally, presented by the Harley-Davidson Foundation and Near West Side Partners.
Lisa Kaye Catering is a vendor for the event, alongside other food businesses including Pete’s Pops, Olympia Granola and others.
The Wellness Rally will take place at Davidson Park, 3725 W. Juneau Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon on Aug. 17. For more information, visit the event webpage.
A license application for Lisa Kaye Bistro is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. The business’s proposed hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
Love the late night hours on the weekend… I often struggle to find a bite on the way home from the theater that’s not fast food.